Pampered pioneer reinvented

The addition of the BMW X5, Volkswagen Touareg, Porsche Cayenne, Land Rover’s Range Rover and even Audi’s upcoming Q7 has left the luxury SUV segment resembling something more like a battlefield, but one of the original contenders has returned to restore order.

The addition of the BMW X5, Volkswagen Touareg, Porsche Cayenne, Land Rover’s Range Rover and even Audi’s upcoming Q7 has left the luxury SUV segment resembling something more like a battlefield, but one of the original contenders has returned to restore order.

When the M-Class was first launched in 1997, it was regarded as one of the trailblazers in the luxury SUV segment. Designed to take its occupants bundu-bashing in ultimate luxury, most of these prized possessions barley made it onto a gravel driveway.

While it remains unlikely that this second generation will go where no ML has gone before, Mercedes-Benz has used state of the art technology to give its original big SUV the upper hand in the ever-increasing luxury segment.

Its design maintains the characteristic M-Class dimensions, though the steeply raked windscreen, graduating shoulder line and wider track give the new M-Class a more imposing presence than before.

The SUV is also physically larger than the model it replaces, with its length increased by 150 mm and width by 71 mm over the original model on a 95 mm longer wheelbase.

Two of the three engines in the exciting range are new. The new turbodiesel V6 features third generation common rail direct injection and the latest piezo injectors. This unit in the ML 320 CDI produces 165 kW and a peak torque figure of 510 N.m from as low as 1 600 r/min. According to Mercedes-Benz, the diesel’s fuel consumption figure of 9,4 litres per 100 km (on the combined cycle) makes it one of the most economical off-roaders in its class.

To read more about the new Mercedes M-Class and view the gallery, click here.