The new Mercedes-Benz GLS is humongous and costs as much as a house. Who buys this kind of car and what do they use it for?
![Living Large](https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/2581/198862/584902fe8fbf3/Living-Large.jpg)
The GLS I’m driving idles on the rim of a rock quarry like a tank readied for battle, although its luxurious paintwork twinkling in the sun is certainly not something you’d find on a tank.
“You want me to do what?” I ask the off-road instructor when he points to a mud puddle. He tells me to go through it then drive up a steep incline, over a pile of rocks, and go around a thicket of thorn trees. I do so timidly. I don’t doubt the GLS’s off-road capabilities – it will manage just fine – I’m worried that I might ruin that gorgeous paintwork.
It’s a fair point. Who on earth would actually take the S-Class of SUVs off-road? I imagine an alternate reality where Hugh Hefner – owner of several Mercs over the years – sold Playboy magazine, patched things up with his first wife, loaded their kids and dogs into the back of a GLS and went on a grand adventure. I can see him wearing his captain’s hat, pipe dangling from his mouth, cackling maniacally through gritted teeth as he dirties this very expensive car with gusto.
Bu hikaye go! - South Africa dergisinin January 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye go! - South Africa dergisinin January 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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The wilder shore
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A river runs through it
Sabie is onthe Drakensberg escaromentialongMpumalanga’s famous Panorama Route. Want a weekend away surrounded by forests and waterfalls? Here's wnat you need to know.
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TAKE A HIKE
Harkerville's mini Otter
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Sweet & juicy!
This issue's recipes all include lush seasonal fruit like nectarines, plums and apricots. Enjoy!
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Big mountain magic
On a clear day, as you approach the Cathedral Peak Hotel, it happens involuntarily: You start to grin. You'll be standing up there soon, gazing over this valley, and the scuttling of ground-level life will seem irrelevant. Join us on a five-day adventure into the heart of the high Drakensberg
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Your next weekend away
A self-catering house in the Tankwa, a campsite next to the Orange River, a guest farm near the Drakensberg... Toast Coetzer travelled a lot last year: Here are six of his favourite places to stay if you're planning a road trip or weekend escape.
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A life through binoculars
If the name Hugh Chittenden sounds familiar, it's probably because you see it every time you use your Roberts Bird Guide he's one of the co-authors. He lives in Mtunzini on the KZN coast and birding is as much part of his day as a cup of coffee.
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Wanderlust in the park
All great cities have great parks, writes Dara Kell: spaces where you can exhale and slough off the stress and grime of urban life.
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The Kalahari remembers
The Kalahari is a place of magic and heartache, where drought is an ever-present threat. Drive a loop from Upington to the Kuruman River and discover soulful landscapes, brilliant skies and resilient people who never give up.
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Take a Hike
Hug a baobab in the Bushveld