Mercedes-Benz has never been shy about dropping a fire-breathing V8 into a family car; even the oddball R-Class briefly got the AMG treatment. The GLK wasn’t available with eight cylinders, but this V8-swapped, stick-shifted GLK350 listed on Cars & Bids shows what could have been.
Viewed from the outside, this hot-rodded crossover looks like any run-of-the-mill GLK that you can pick up for relatively cheap. If you’ve got a well-trained eye, you’ll likely spot the aftermarket headlights and 17-inch wheels that started life on a CLA, but nothing here seriously suggests a V8 under the hood. There are no scoops or wings, and the ride height looks stock. The only hint is the “GLK550” emblem on the hatch.
The “550” denotes a 5.5-liter V8 sourced from a 2010 E550, according to the auction description. While the swap alone makes this GLK much cooler than a typical model, the best part is that the engine is bolted to a six-speed manual transmission from a 2008 C300. It all fits so well under the hood, that it makes you wonder if Mercedes developed the GLK with a V8 variant in mind. Regardless, we’re betting a lot of resources went into this build.
Rewind to 2011, and the most powerful GLK you could find on a Mercedes dealer’s lot was the 350, which offered a 3.5-liter V6 rated at 268 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. For context, the 2010 E550 posted figures of 382 hp and 391 lb-ft. And while buyers in Europe could order the GLK with a six-speed stick, the only transmission available in the U.S. was a seven-speed automatic.
The example listed on Cars & Bids features several other modifications, including Brembo front brake calipers, an instrument cluster from a newer GLK, and heated front seats from a W212-generation E-Class. It’s rear-wheel-drive, too, so it ticks both the “drift car” and “daily driver” boxes. Carfax lists no accidents, but the listing mentions a handful of small flaws and notes that the “check engine” light is illuminated. Indeed, any tech checking the engine would likely be surprised at what they find.
Bidding currently stands at $10,500 with four days left in the auction. It’s a no-reserve auction, so the highest bidder will take this GLK550 home—hopefully, the Virginia-issued “DIY AMG” plates are included in the sale. It’s difficult to predict the selling price because this is such a unique build. After all, when was the last time you saw a small Mercedes SUV with a V8, a six-speed manual transmission, and rear-wheel drive?
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