Soon it will be time to head for the ski slopes again, and drivers of Mercedes models with the permanent all-wheel-drive system 4MATIC can rest assured as they set off en route to their chosen winter paradise. Because the performance of the drive configuration on roads affected by snow or ice is truly impressive. Mercedes-Benz is demonstrating the high traction reserves coupled with excellent directional stability and safety in the new GLK at its 4MATIC workshop. In extreme winter conditions at a height of 2500 metres on the Austrian Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road this compact SUV is demonstrating that its driving dynamics really are in a class of their own.
As is the case with 4MATIC’s fine-tuning on a dry or wet road, directional stability and therefore the active safety of the GLKmodels is always to the fore when wintry conditions prevail, too. The basic 4MATIC mechanism with a 45:55 percent torque split between the front and rear axles along with the multiple-disc limited-slip centre differential with a basic locking torque of 50 Nm adds up to an ideal solution. This basic design delivers high traction since, on the one hand, the dynamic shift in axle load toward the rear axle that occurs during acceleration is used to deliver more drive torque to the rear. Meanwhile, the multiple-disc limited-slip centre differential can also variably shift the drive torque from 30 to 70 or 70 to 30 percent between the front and rear axle, whenever the road conditions so dictate. As such, the electronic control systems ESP®, 4ETS or ASRcan intervene as late as possible; the bulk of the torque is converted into traction on slippery roads.
All interventions go virtually unnoticed, but the drivers are still informed immediately if they are driving on the limit. In this case a yellow warning light flashes in the instrument panel – a clear signal to adjust their driving style to the road conditions.
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