Mercedes-Benz planning V8-powered GLE 580?

It will slot below AMG's 600-horsepower GLE 63.

Mercedes-Benz could expand the GLE line-up towards the top with a little bit of help from its AMG division. The company will introduce a range-topping variant of the SUV powered by a detuned version of the V8 found in many AMG-badged cars, according to a recent report.

Website CarBuzz caught a glimpse of a dealer order form that lists a model named GLE 580. It's powered by the same twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 engine found under the hood of the second-generation GLS introduced at the 2019 New York auto show. The order form didn't list the eight's specifications, but the engine makes 483 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque when bolted under the hood of Mercedes' biggest SUV. Odds are it will make the same amount of power in the GLE.

The V8 achieves those numbers thanks to 48-volt mild hybrid technology. The system keeps fuel economy in check while contributing 21 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The GLE 580 will use the same technology.

If the report is accurate, the 483-horsepower GLE will be the most powerful variant of the SUV sold under the Mercedes-Benz banner. We already know that Mercedes-AMG is preparing a GLE 63 with over 600 horsepower on tap. The 580 fill the void between the GLE 53 (pictured), the current flagship, and the upcoming 63.

Mercedes-Benz hasn't commented on the report. If a 580-badged model is in the pipeline, we'll likely see it before the end of 2019, and it will arrive in showrooms during the 2020 model year. Pricing information hasn't been released yet.