We’ve been tipped off by a Mercedes-Benz source of ours that the German carmaker will take the wraps off a pre-production version of the upcoming GLK compact SUV at the Detroit Motor Show in January. Although the vehicle will be dubbed as a concept, our source says that Detroit prototype will only bear minor differences from the production version like the extreme alloy-wheels and the interior trim.

The GLK will be available on both sides of the Atlantic during the second half of 2008 and its main opponents will be the BMW X3 and Land Rover Freelander. Click here to check out a video from the filming of “Sex & The City: The Movie” that includes a few shots of the production Mercedes-Benz GLK.