Mercedes GLE and GLS Night Editions: Black Paint, Big Markup, Limited Logic
Mercedes-Benz India has added Night Editions to the GLE and GLS, with prices starting at Rs 1.05 crore ex-showroom and a premium of up to Rs 5 lakh over the standard cars. The Car Jury's position is simple: this is a paint-and-trim exercise, not a meaningful upgrade, and the GLE Night makes more sense than the GLS Night for the money asked.
The Car Jury verdict
The Night Edition playbook is now familiar across the German three, and Mercedes is running it again because it works. Rachit Hirani of MotorOctane on 20 May 2026 called this one of the biggest launches for Mercedes in the Indian market, which is a stretch given there is no new engine, no new platform and no fresh tech under the skin. What you are paying for is darkened trim, black alloys and a badge that signals you bought late in the model cycle.
The GLE 300d Night at Rs 5 lakh over standard is the worst-value variant of the four. The petrol GLE Night at Rs 3.5 lakh extra is the one we would actually consider, because the 450 petrol is the sweeter drivetrain anyway. On the GLS side, a Rs 3.3 to 3.5 lakh delta on a Rs 1.4 crore SUV is rounding error, so if you were buying a GLS, you may as well tick this box.
If you want a Mercedes SUV that genuinely earns its premium right now, our money still goes on the GLC at the segment below, which we rate a BUY. The Night Editions are for existing GLE and GLS intenders who want the black-on-black look, nothing more.
What was announced
Mercedes-Benz India has launched limited-production Night Editions of the GLE and GLS, the brand's two large luxury SUVs sold here. The line-up runs to four variants in total, split across petrol and diesel for each model. Pricing is ex-showroom and confirmed by Mercedes-Benz India.
The GLE Night Edition starts at Rs 1.05 crore for the GLE 300d diesel and Rs 1.14 crore for the GLE 450 petrol. The GLS Night Edition starts at Rs 1.41 crore for the GLS 450 petrol and Rs 1.43 crore for the GLS 450d diesel. Over the standard cars, the GLE Night Edition diesel costs Rs 5 lakh more and the petrol Rs 3.5 lakh more. The GLS Night Edition petrol is Rs 3.5 lakh dearer and the diesel Rs 3.3 lakh dearer than its regular equivalent.
The Night Editions are positioned as exclusivity packages, bundling specific colour options, black-finish exterior trim and unique interior touches over the standard GLE and GLS. Mechanicals, powertrains and core equipment carry over unchanged. The 300d, 450 petrol and 450d diesel drivetrains continue as offered in the regular range, paired with 9G-Tronic automatic gearboxes and 4MATIC all-wheel drive. Mercedes has not confirmed how many units of each Night Edition variant will be allocated to India, but the limited-production framing suggests numbers will be tight and dealer-led, with bookings open at Mercedes-Benz India outlets nationwide.