Mercedes-Benz M-Class News

Thousands of vehicles are caught up in a long round of recalls that involves everything from Takata airbags to incorrectly-printed tyre placards.

Mercedes-Benz is recalling its ML and GLE SUVs due to a concern the windscreen wipers may fail.

Mercedes has announced Australian pricing and specifications for the new GLE SUV range that will replace the current ML-Class.Rather than a whole new car, the GLE is a facelifted version of the ML which has adopted the German brand’s new SUV naming strategy.Under the new system all Mercedes SUVs will be named GL with the third letter corresponding to the model’s size in relation to the ordinary passenger range.Hence GLA corresponds to the compact A-Class, GLE the mid-size E-Class and the upcoming GL-replacing GLS will reference the S-Class flagship sedan.The visual changes between the existing ML and new GLE are subtle but include new front and rear bumpers, revised head and tail lights and a new steering wheel.The GLE range kicks off with the $86,900 GLE 250d 4Matic, which is powered by a 150kW 2.0-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder connected to a new nine-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive system. Combined fuel consumption for the entry-level model is 6.0L/100km, down from 6.4L/100km on the outgoing model.While the base price has swollen by $3000 compared to the current ML range, the 250d now includes the Driver Assistance Plus package which adds active cruise control which maintains a safe distance from the car in front, auto emergency brake, blind spot monitor and lane-keep assist.Other standard features include LED headlights, proximity keys and keyless start, satnav, auto tailgate and 19-inch alloys.While the base price has swollen by $3000 compared to the current ML range, the GLE 250d now includes the Driver Assistance Plus packageStepping up to the $104,900 GLE 350d 4Matic brings the more powerful 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 engine producing 190kW/620Nm.Combined fuel consumption in the 350d is 6.6L/100km, down from 7.3L/100km.On top of the 250’s standard features, the 350 adds 360-degree camera system, leather upholstery, heated front seats and 20-inch alloys. Next up is the $109,900 GLE 400 which packs a 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 which pumps out 245kW/480Nm and consumes 9.3L/100km combined.The GLE 400 also includes an electric glass sunroof and 14 Speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound system as standard.The standard GLE passenger range is topped off by the $127,900 V8 GLE 500 whose 4.7-litre petrol unit develops 320kW and 700Nm.Standard features on the range-topper include air suspension with adaptive damping and automatic body leveling, heated and ventilated front seats, and 21-inch alloys. Naturally, there is also a AMG performance version of the new GLE which is powered by the big 5.5-litre twin-turbo Affalterbach V8.Developing 430kW, the $189,900 GLE 63 S has enough grunt to hit 100km/h in 4.2 seconds.AMG says that while the power has been upped from 386kW to 430kW, the chassis has also received a great deal of attention to improve agility and cornering dynamics.The new GLE 63 S also includes a panoramic sunroof, Nappa leather upholstery, and the AMG Driver’s package which raises the top speed to 280km/h from the standard 250km/h.The new GLE range is available to order now, but the first Australian deliveries are not expected until September. 

December and January are already good times to drive a bargain as dealers clear 2014 stock and make way for cars built in 2015.But it could be an even better time to buy if the Australian dollar continues to weaken against the US dollar.Senior car company executives have told CarsGuide that if the Australian dollar drops below 80 US cents for any length of time then we may start to see price rises on certain models by about March or April next year.Not all car companies buy in US currency, and the Australian new-car market is still more closely tied to the exchange rate with the Japanese Yen (which has been accused of being artificially devalued by the Japanese government to boost exports) given that about half the new cars sold in Australia wear a Japanese badge.But brands such as Jeep and Chrysler, which have enjoyed massive sales growth in recent years on the back of sharp pricing, may be forced to raise prices.Likewise the US-sourced Toyota Kluger, BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz ML which, despite their Japanese or German badges, are in fact made in the USA.So if you’re in the mood to treat yourself to a new car, buyers continue to have the upper hand with record low interest rates, overstocked dealers (the market is down 2 per cent yet the forecast was for another boom year) and, now, the prospect of price rises around the corner.

New Honda Jazz sets new benchmark for rear view cameras: $14,990.

...and now Benz is following with its MLC. This camouflaged test car does not look as brutal as the BMW and will get extra finessing before it goes public at the Detroit motor show early next year.This reporter is on Twitter: @PaulWardGover 

None of us wants to crash our shiny new car but, if we do, we want to know we're safe. That's where the Australian New Car Assessment Program's standardised crash-testing analysis is invaluable, providing comparable ratings for vehicles of all types.The ANCAP site notes that a one-star car is twice as likely to kill you as a five-star model. Carsguide examines ANCAP's results to find the best of breed in each segment. It's worth noting the advanced software in some cars that readies the vehicle if a crash is imminent are disabled during the official tests. Cars are scored out of 37 points after the following tests.FRONTAL OFFSET TEST: The subject vehicle is accelerated to 64km/h and rammed into a deformable alloy barrier to simulate a head-on crash. To increase the severity and reproduce real-world conditions only 40 per cent of the car hits the wall - equating to a driver swerving to avoid an oncoming vehicle.SIDE IMPACT TEST: The T-bone hit rams a 950kg trolley into the side of the car at 50km/h. The sled has an alloy face to simulate the front of another vehicle, which deforms and absorbs some of the impact.PEDESTRIAN TEST: Simulates the results of hitting a pedestrian at 40km/h. The test assesses adult and child impacts, given their heads and limbs strike different areas of the car.POLE TEST: This is the most demanding test in the ANCAP repertoire. Trees and poles don't deform, so all the crash energy is transferred to the vehicle. The car is put on a sled and propelled towards a fixed steel pole at 29km/h.SAFEST SMALL CARSAUDI A3 36.41 See reviews of this carOfficially the best small car to occupy in an accident. Impressively, the windscreen pillar didn't move after a 64km/h hit with the concrete block.  HONDA INSIGHT 36.39 See reviews of this carIts score reflects a 3mm movement of the pillar in the frontal offset test and "slight risk" of serious leg injury for driver and passenger.   BMW 1 SERIES HATCH 36.33 See reviews of this carThere's a slight risk of serious chest injury for the driver in the frontal and side crash test and a slight risk of serious leg injury for the passenger in the frontal crash.   SAFEST MEDIUM CARSMERCEDES B-CLASS 36.78 See reviews of this carTops the charts with the highest score of any car in ANCAP database. Technically there's a 4mm movement of the front pillar and a slight risk of injury to the passenger leg closest the door.  BMW 3 SERIES 36.76 See reviews of this carBarely behind. It showed a 1mm movement of the pillar and there was a slight risk of serious injury to the driver's and passenger's legs.VOLVO V40 36.67 See reviews of this carThe only loss of points occurred during the frontal crash test, with a slight risk of serious injury to the front occupants' legs closest the door and the driver's chest.SAFEST LARGE CARSTOYOTA AURION 36.59 See reviews of this carFirst place in this class makes it the only locally built vehicle in any top-three line-up. There's a slight risk of lower leg injury for driver and passenger.   BMW 5 Series 36.53 See reviews of this carNot a bad place to be in the event of an accident either. It blitzed the side impact tests and only lost fractions of points in the head-on hit.    VOLVO S60 36.34 See reviews of this carSweden maintains its safety credentials. The passenger compartment stayed intact with only a 1mm movement of the front pillar.    SAFEST COMPACT SUVS SUBARU XV 35.53 See reviews of this carLike the slightly lower-riding Impreza, the XV scored highly in all crashes, with a slight risk of injury to the front occupants' chests and legs.    HOLDEN TRAX 35.18 See reviews of this carThe surprise packet. One of the smaller cars in the class has only a slight risk of serious leg injury for those in the front in a head-on crash.   Skoda Yeti 34.67 See reviews of this carDepite being one of the older examples in this segment, the Yeti still rates well for safety, with only a slight risk of serious leg injury for those in the front in a head-on crash.    SAFEST MEDIUM SUVSVOLVO XC60 36.53 See reviews of this carANCAP says the cabin 'held its shape extremely well" in the frontal test, with the pillar shifting just 3mm. There was a slight risk of serious chest and leg injuries to the driver.  FORD KUGA 36.33 See reviews of this carA solid second, posing a slight risk of serious chest injury for both front seat occupants. The front pillar moved 15mm.   HONDA CR-V 35.91 See reviews of this carPlaced well despite being penalised for the foot-operated park brake moving upwards and back. Structurally there was only a 2mm movement of the pillar.  SUBARU FORESTER 35.64 See reviews of this carTested this year, it scored highly in all crashes, with a slight risk of injury to the front occupants' chests and legs.   SUBARU OUTBACK 35.52 See reviews of this carFills the brand's quinella. Crashed in 2008 and at the time topped the charts as the safest vehicle ANCAP had tested. SAFEST LARGE SUVSMERCEDES-BENZ ML 36.34 See reviews of this car Luxury SUV has a slight risk of serious chest injury for driver and passenger in the head-on hit and a slight risk of serious leg injury for the passenger. The pillar moved 2mm. RANGE ROVER 36.19 See reviews of this carBig Brit has a slight risk of serious chest injury for the driver and the pillar shifted by 15mm.   NISSAN PATHFINDER 35.73 See reviews of this carSlight risk of serious leg injury for the driver. Unlike the other two, it applies to the upper leg as well as the expected lower-leg hits. Docked points for a marginal pedestrian impact result.

Mercedes-Benz already builds what may qualify as the most comprehensive line of civilian armoured vehicles available, with models in the S Class, E Class and G Class product lines awaiting delivery to high-profile consumers worldwide.Now you can add the Mercedes-Benz M Class crossover to the list of available Guard family vehicles, too. Like other Mercedes-Benz Guard vehicles, the M Class Guard is designed from the ground up as an armoured vehicle, so it delivers optimal protection while retaining the same level of luxury and ride comfort as the standard M-Class.Mercedes claims that the entire passenger cabin is protected, including elements like the roof frame, the door locks, the door gaps and even the external mirror mounts. More than anything else, this illustrates why building from the ground up results in a safer end product than retrofitting after assembly.The M Class Guard is constructed to deliver VR4 class protection, per Bullet Resistant Vehicles (BRV) 2009 standards. It can withstand assault from pistol calibres up to and including .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum, and can even shrug off a blast from a DM51 hand grenade (thankfully not the weapon of choice for any Australian carjacking so far).Even the wheels and tires are designed for occupant safety, as they can be driven without air at speeds up to 80km/h for a distance of 30km. That may not be enough to outrun pursuit, but it’s (hopefully) sufficient to get you out of immediate danger.Under-hood, the M Class Guard comes standard with a 3.0-litre V-6 turbodiesel, good for 190 kilowatts and 620 Newton metres of torque. If you want more thrust at the expense of range, the M Class Guard also comes in an ML 500 gasoline version, equipped with a 300 kilowatts V-8 engine.Mercedes says the new M Class Guard will be offered for sale worldwide. Pricing in Germany will start at 105,050 euros ($132,102 AUD) for the ML 350 BlueTEC Guard, rising to 118,650 euros ($149,204 AUD) for the ML 500 Guard.www.motorauthority.com 

... of the day when the rival to the BMW X3 and Audi A3 is finally built in right-hand drive. It comes a step closer soon with this update, which brings a new face and slight changes to the cabin to bring the GLK closer to the new ML flagship.

Then we head north in a Holden Cruze and Mitsubishi ASX, looking to see how far this pair can go on a single take of fuel.  Ed Ordynski is in the ASX and I have the Cruze, holding  the trip computer just over 6 litres/100km as Ordynski - expert driver - is below 5 litres/100km.The first stop is just outside Port Pirie after 250 kilometres and the figures are 5.3 and 4.2, as we battle wind and rain.  A lunch stop in Waikerie - about 530km into the journey - and then a turn south to follow the Murray both cars maintain sub-6 readings - the ASX in the region of 4.5 and the Cruze 5.5 litres per 100km as we pass the 700km mark near Murray Bridge.The weather worsens as we follow the river south through 730km at Wellington."The ASX was more adversely affected by that, it was 0.3 litres/100km worse off - we did what you need to do into a headwind and that was reduce the speed a little," Ordynski says.Running down through the southern foothills to complete our 1000km journey we return the tanks to full. There are still 15 litres in the Mitsubishi's 60-litre tank, but my Cruze is almost on fumes.  But after thirteen hours of "real-world" driving we have hit our 1000-kilometre target."I would drive like that with people on board and not be embarrassed," Ordynski says.  "You win on fuel use and emissions as well, with 2kg of CO2 for every litre of fuel, you win on maintenance and longevity of the vehicle by driving it kindly as well, it's hard to see a downside."Ed Ordynski’s Fuel TipsLevel 1. Overall factors1. Plan when you need to use your car to avoid unnecessary journeys.2. Plan your journey to avoid peak hour and congested roads.3. Measure your fuel consumption and take pride in reducing it.4. Choose an energy efficient vehicle.Level 2. Anyone can try1. Concentrate on driving smoothly and anticipate traffic flow to conserve momentum.2. Keep tyre pressures at maximum recommended.3. Avoid any excess weight in the vehicle and remove accessories which affect the aerodynamics (e.g. roof racks).4. Choose a manual transmission and learn to drive it properly for optimum fuel efficiency.Level 3. Hard-core methods1. Avoid use of airconditioning and keep windows closed.2. Do not use cruise control but do focus on keeping a constant speed and conserving momentum.3. Drive at low speed - most cars are at their most efficient at around 75km/h in top gear.4. Drive off as soon as the engine is started, especially from a cold start.GREEN STARSMake-model weight price combined fuel con1. Mitsubishi -MiEV 980kg $leased 02. Toyota Prius 1370kg $39,990 3.93. Smart Fortwo 750kg $19,9904.44. Honda Insight 1205kg $29,9904.65. Suzuki Alto 880kg $11,790 4.8GREEN DUDS1. Ferrari 599 1690kg $677,250 21.32. Ferrari 612 1849kg $698,000 20.73. Nissan Patrol 4.8 2440kg $75,690 17.24. Maserati GT S Coupe 1880kg $345,900 16.65. Mercedes ML 500 2148kg $132,400 16.5