Better late than never, right? It seems the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 has finally – and rather quietly – arrived in South Africa, though just 35 units are available…

When the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4Matic was revealed back in 2019, the German firm’s local division suggested there were no plans to bring the 225 kW crossover to South Africa. Then, in 2022, Mercedes-Benz SA hinted at a “special limited-edition” GLB 35 for the local market.

Now, finally, that vehicle appears to have materialised. According to Mercedes-Benz SA’s website, just 35 units of the GLB 35 are available to local buyers, sold exclusively through the Stuttgart-based automaker’s online store (note there’s a refundable R10 000 “reservation fee”).

The main image on the Mercedes-Benz SA website shows the facelifted Mercedes-AMG GLB 35.

Here’s where it becomes a little confusing, though. The main image on the website shows the recently facelifted version of the GLB 35, while every example listed in the online store appears to be a pre-facelift model. So, it’s not exactly clear which version South Africa has received.

Still, from what we can tell, the base price is R1 404350, a figure that includes the manufacturer’s 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan (for the record, the 165 kW GLB 250 starts at R1 050287 in AMG Line guise). At the time of writing, all 35 units of the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 were still listed in Mercedes-Benz SA’s online store, though some are tagged with an “estimated arrival” of May or June, while the remainder were shown as being “available”.

The examples on the Mercedes-Benz SA online store all appear to be pre-facelift models.

They all appear similarly specified (though it’s not clear whether the 7-seater box has been ticked), listed at either R1425723 or R1443023, with only Mountain Grey Metallic, Patagonia Red Metallic and Digital White Metallic exterior colours on offer. From what we understand, all units feature 21-inch AMG Multispoke matte-black alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof and AMG red-contrast stitching.

As a reminder, the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 employs a turbocharged 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder engine delivering 225 kW and 400 Nm to all 4 corners via an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. The pre-facelift version will complete the 0-100 kph sprint in a claimed 5.2 seconds, while the refreshed model – which gains a mild-hybrid system – is a touch slower at a claimed 5.5 seconds (likely due to the extra weight).

We’ll update this story if any additional local information comes to light…

How much does the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 cost in SA?

Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4Matic – R1 404350

The price shown above includes a 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan as well as Mercedes-Benz SA’s 2-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

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