Mercedes-Benz M-Class News

...plus, we put the Mercedes 320cdi through its paces and Rolls Royce CEO Ian Robertson tells us more about the Rolls Royce Ghost.

With sales down 25 per cent this year on the back of the fallout from the new luxury car tax threshold and now the global and local economic situation, Mercedes is hoping the facelifted M-Class will reinvigorate interest in its off-roader.The five-model lineup remains unchanged, starting with the $81,000 ML 280 CDI and rising to the stellar $167,500 ML 63 AMG.Prices have shifted slightly, up $255 to $3022 depending on the model but equipment upgrades make up for the differences.Apart from more equipment, the big wagon gets a distinctive remake of its front end and revised rear. Larger exterior mirrors complete the exterior makeover.Inside there is a new four-spoke multi-function steering wheel with standard shift paddles, new trim, redesigned seats with four-way lumbar support as well as the option of new two-tone dashboards.There are also new wheels _ 18-inch alloys on the ML 280 CDI _ with the option of 17-inch wheels for off-roading, as well as 19 and 20-inch combinations.Mechanically the car remains unchanged with the same V6 petrol and diesel engines and V8s as previously.The latest generation of Mercedes-Benz telematics system has been improved with an integrated iPod connection with steering wheel controls and displays on the instrument panel and centre console.A premium 12-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound package with an output of 610 watts is $1600.The range opens with the 140kW/440Nm 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel ML280 CDI, which gets an upgraded audio system with a colour monitor and Bluetooth.The 3.0-litre turbo-diesel develops 140kW at 4000 revs and 440Nm from 1400 revs and returns 9.6 litres/100km.The 3.5-litre V6 petrol ML350 and 3.0-litre V6 diesel ML320 CDI boast the latest voice activated COMAND APS system, which adds navigation, an SD card slot and 4GB hard-disc.The 3.5-litre V6 develops 200kW at 6000 revs and 350 Nm between 2400 and 5000 revs, returning 11.7 litres/100km.The ML 320CDI shares the same 3.0-litre V6 as the 280 but develops 165kW and 510Nm.Moving up to the 5.5-litre V8 ML500 and buyers get a wood and leather steering wheel, sunroof and 20-inch alloys.The ML500 delivers 13.4 litres/100km.The range-topping ML63 AMG carries over the 6.2-litre petrol V8, while returning 16.5 litres/100km.The ML63 develops 375kW at 6800 revs and 630Nm at 5200 revs.In keeping with its AMG heritage the big V8 gets a more muscular front end treatment and larger grille. 

Having largely eschewed mid-life refreshes of models, successful or not, Mercedes has opened the floodgates with a range of largely cosmetic external and internal tweaks for its ML, GL and R-Class models.The updates were revealed in concert with the launch of Benz's BlueTEC diesel engines in the US last week. Australia will get the refreshed cars _ but not the engines _ in September.“It's something of a new strategy that started with the substantial refresh of the SL range,” Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman Peter Fadeyev explains.“Previously, it was more usual to allow the product to run a cycle without really changing the look. That meant owners of cars bought early in the cycle retained the look of a current car longer.“This time, the external changes bring the look of the cars into line with our new styling directions, but the interior changes were largely driven by customer feedback.”The M-Class features a new- generation telematics system, developed by Mercedes, which offers a range of integrated features including a hands-free telephone system based on Bluetooth technology (something Mercedes has been slow to adopt) and an auxiliary-in connection for mobile audio devices, such as iPods.Likely to be optional is a full media interface that will integrate all the functions of an iPod or other MP unit into the on-board electronics and control system, giving a full information display on the centre console and control via the steering wheel-mounted audio buttons.For the first time in an ML, the voice-operated Linguatronic control system will be offered as an option, along with a new style of rear passenger DVD screen.Unlike the previous system, where the screens were integrated into the rear of the headrests, the wireless DVD will be a bolt-on to the back of the front seats, allowing it to be offered as a retro-fit or dealer option.New, sportier seats and a new four-spoke steering wheel with standard shift paddles complete the interior improvements.The exterior look is most evident in a more aggressive front end with redesigned bumper, recontoured headlamps and a larger, more dominant grille. The rear view also sports a new-look bumper with integrated reflector strips which emphasises the vehicle's width.There is also a new range of 17-, 18-, 19- and 20-inch rims.The hero of the range will again be the AMG 63 model, with a 6.2-litre V8, 6.3 badging and a maximum output of 375kW and 630Nm.On the road, there's precious little that isn't visual to set the revised M-Class apart from the previous version _ 300,000 of which have been sold since its release in 2005.The steering on the test fleet sampled in Vermont was noticeably lighter and more nervous than that on Australian MLs, but Mercedes engineers were quick to point out that this steering feel was specific to North America. Cars bound for Europe and Australia will retain a more connected feel.There is a marginal improvement in fuel economy _ around 0.4 of a litre per 100km _ but as the launch-drive cars were all fitted with BlueTEC diesel engines, comment on the petrol models bound for Australia was impossible.The interior improvements give the ML a more refined feel; the new seats are supportive and comfortable, particularly when fitted with the optional adjustable lumbar support.The telemetrics are highlighted by intuitive controls and a clear screen, with the adoption of Bluetooth hands-free technology for the phone a long-overdue step.If the changes to the ML are subtle, those to the GL and R-Class are even more so _ to the extent that only train-spotters are likely to pick them.All three models will be available here in September, and a “small” price increase is predicted.BlueTEC diesels could be bound for Australia within 12 months of the technology's availability in Europe later this year.Although Mercedes-Benz Australia is maintaining the line that there are no firm plans to bring the advanced engines here, the attraction of being the first company to market a Euro 6-compliant vehicle _ a step that would put Mercedes almost a decade ahead of proposed government regulation _ is almost irresistible.“It's something that is under strong consideration, and certainly something we would like to resolve as quickly as possible,” Fadeyev says.“Our philosophy is always to be first into the market and not wait until government regulation requires it.”Australian regulations require vehicles to meet Euro 4 emission levels, with a move to Euro 5 in 2015. The diesels Mercedes now offers in Australia will meet the Euro 5 regulations, but a jump to Euro 6-compliant technology would be a huge selling point in a market that is increasingly environment-aware.“As much as we would like to have BlueTEC now, there are a couple of issues we are still working through _ but I don't believe they will be insurmountable,” Fadeyev says.It is understood the two key sticking points are cost _ BlueTEC would add around two per cent to the price of the ML, GL and R-Class models it would immediately be available on _ and a requirement for a heat shield over the particulate filter to protect against accidental ignition of dry grass under the vehicle.Michael Angel, who is responsible for managing worldwide emissions regulations and market confirmation for Mercedes, says he's aware of the need for a heat shield but doesn't see it as a deal-breaker.“I don't think it's a major problem ... it's just a piece of material,” Angel says. “There is no great complexity or technology involved.”Paradoxically, the BlueTEC system is already available in Australia in three Mercedes-Benz trucks _ the Actros, Axor and Atego models. The system was launched to meet new government regulations for heavy-vehicle emissions.BlueTEC is best described as a modular system for treating exhaust gas _ in particular, for reducing the nitrogen-oxide levels from diesel engines. Nitrogen oxide is the only exhaust-gas component that remains higher in diesel engines than in petrol engines. 

The bandages have come off Mercedes' face-lifted ML range and the redesign has delivered a more muscular look with more power and modest fuel-economy gains.However, Australian buyers will have to wait for the new range. A Mercedes Australia spokesman says it is unlikely to reach here until October or November.The current five-model lineup of two turbo-diesels and three petrol engines are likely to carry over, along with the car's 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system and seven-speed automatic gearbox.That means buyers can expect the ML350 V6, ML500 V8 and ML63 AMG petrol models and ML280 and ML320 CDI variants.Power ranges from 140kW to 285kW for the ML500. The AMG's 6.2-litre V8 will pump out 375kW. Fractional gains have been made in fuel economy, which has improved by 0.4-litres/100km.Australia is expected to continue with all five models when the car eventually goes on sale.The front and rear of the big Merc has been tweaked to freshen the car's looks. The front gains a redesigned bumper, recontoured headlights and a more dominant grille.The rear also gets a new bumper with integrated reflector strips and smoked-glass tail-lights.Inside there is a new, four-spoke, multifunction steering wheel with paddle shifters and increased specification.It now includes the pre-safe and neck-pro head restraints and an all-new, high-performance telematics system.Apart from the bread-and-butter models, the ML63 AMG gets a muscular makeover with more distinctive front and rear ends, a chrome underguard and larger AMG grille.The range-topping model also gets 20-inch alloy wheels.The M-Class has been a big success for Mercedes-Benz locally since the second generation was launched here in September 2005.Last year it sold 2459 of the four-wheel-drives, the company's second-best seller behind the new C-Class.Prices and final specifications are yet to be determined but the current range starts at $79,100 for the 280 CDI and tops out at $161,100 for the AMG. 

Germany had previously said the baby four-wheel-drive, which is a size down from the M-Class and pitched directly into battle against BMW's X3 and the upcoming Audi A7, would not be produced in right-hand-drive, ruling it out for local showrooms.But now the man who heads research and development at Daimler has raised hopes that it could, after all, make it here. Dr Thomas Weber, at the opening of the Detroit motor show, gave a hint there is a small chance the decision will be reversed in time for Australian customers to get the car, which the company is showing publicly for the first time.“So far, its not finally decided,” Weber says. “The focus is on the left-hand-drive market. I know there are some discussions in all the other markets. We will see.”The GLK was launched in Detroit in two versions — the urban-focused Townside and the more adventurous Freeside — with an economical and eco-friendly turbocharged 125kW Bluetec common-rail direct injection diesel four-cylinder with 4Matic all-wheel-drive system.GLK is Daimler's response to the global boom in compact softroaders and Mercedes-Benz knows the GLK must become an important contender in a segment which reaches as far down as the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V at the bottom end.“We are a huge player in the SUV segment,” Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche says. “Now, with the GLK, we have a model for it.“It's an important part of our growth strategy. We see huge potential in Europe, in the US and also in other parts of the world.”However, the right-hand-drive markets would likely have to commit to considerable volume to get a decision in their favour.“Really important will be what is the volume behind it,” Weber says.“It costs a lot of money.“And so we need volume. It takes some action to make a left-hand-drive AWD vehicle right-hand-drive.”Still, he concedes the importance of having the GLK for all countries.Mercedes wants lift overall sales to fight BMW and Audi on all fronts.GLK might also be a launchpad for the upcoming hybrid models.“But, of course, we need all these technology packages also for markets with right-hand systems,” Weber says. “The next question is what will be possible later on with hybrids.The good news for Australia is that it would be relatively easy and fast to prepare a right-hand drive model.“No real technical issues. Again, it's a question of volume behind it and what are the costs,” Weber says.“But all the countries with right-hand-drive at the moment, they are building up a team to discuss this issue: how can we handle this for the future, what the question for the engineering is, how fast in the future can we come with right-hand-drive cars to the market?” 

The Mercedes-Benz ML 500 has undergone surgery to insert the 285kW V8 petrol engine under its more shapely hood. Benz claims the new powerplant is more refined and produces more power using less fuel. The 5.5-litre V8 engine has an extra 60kW of power and 60Nm of torque over the outgoing 5.0-litre engine. The seven-speed automatic transmission remains unchanged but the 0-100km/h time has dropped to 5.8 seconds and the governed top speed is 210km/h. Benz says the new drivetrain combination also returns better fuel-economy figures of 12.9 litres per 100km, down from 13.4 litres per 100km. The rest of the M-Class features remain unchanged, with a double-wishbone suspension using the Airmatic air system. The ML500 has the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system as standard; with traction and stability control or, for the more serious off-road driver, the car can be optioned up with the Off-Road Pro engineering package. This package adds two manually selectable differential locks; a low-range transfer case and a reinforced rear-axle differential. The M-Class range has anti-lock brakes, eight airbags, active head restraints and the brand's award-winning Pre-Safe occupant protection system. Mercedes-Benz says the M-Class is the first car in its class to offer this life-saving technology, which uses its ABS and stability control sensors to detect an imminent impact before it occurs. The car then prepares all of its passive safety features, primes the airbags and seat belts, and closes windows and the sunroof to maximise the level of occupant protection. More than 18,000 M-Class SUVs have been sold in Australia since 1998. So far this year, more than 1800 have been sold, making it one of the top-selling luxury SUVs behind the Lexus RX and the BMW X5. The only ML model above and beyond the $120,874 ML500 is the stove-hot $160,874 ML 63 AMG, which is anything but an off-roader. Packing AMG's first effort at a stand-alone engine, the ML 63 offers 375kW of power and 630Nm of torque, which equates to a five-second sprint to 100km/h and an electronically-limited top speed of 250km/h. The ML 63 gets the AMG high-performance brakes as well to haul it back to a standstill quicker than your average 2.3-tonne 4WD. It sits on 19-inch wheels with 45-profile tyres. There's no OffRoad Pro package option box to tick; you can't get the proper 4WD goodies on this hot rod. With a claimed average of 16.5 litres of fuel for every 100km travelled and a 95-litre tank, the range off the beaten track is not going to be great either. Does the new ML500 sound appealing? Does it need a bigger fuel tank to be practical?

The Mercedes-Benz ML 500 has undergone surgery to insert the 285kW V8 petrol engine under its more shapely hood.Benz claims the new powerplant is more refined and produces more power using less fuel.The 5.5-litre V8 engine has an extra 60kW of power and 60Nm of torque over the outgoing five-litre engine.The seven-speed automatic transmission remains unchanged but the 0-100km/h time has dropped to 5.8 seconds and the governed top speed is 210km/h.Benz says the new drivetrain combination also returns better fuel economy figures of 12.9 litres/100km, down from 13.4 litres/100km.The rest of the M-Class features remain unchanged, with a double-wishbone suspension using the Airmatic air system.The ML500 has the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system as standard; with traction and stability control; or for more serious off-road drivers, it can be optioned up with the Off-Road Pro engineering package.This package adds two manually selectable differential locks; a low-range transfer case and a reinforced rear-axle differential.The M-Class range has anti-lock brakes, eight airbags, active head restraints and the brand's award-winning Pre-Safe occupant protection system.Mercedes-Benz says the M-Class is the first car in its class to offer this technology, which uses its ABS and stability control sensors to detect an imminent impact before it occurs.The car then prepares all its passive safety features, primes the airbags and seat belts, and closes windows and the sunroof to maximise the level of occupant protection. 

Mercedes-Benz swamped the Frankfurt Motor Show with a range of eco-friendly cars, including seven hybrid cars, eight ultra-clean diesel Bluetec models and several new engines that meet Euro 5 emissions targets due in 2009.However, show goers were stunned by the striking F700 concept sedan, which uses an innovative DiesOtto and hybrid drive system that uses just 5.3 litres per 100km and delivers 127g/km CO2 emissions.The DiesOtto engine, housed in a sleek luxury body called the F700 research vehicle, is claimed to provide the best elements of both diesel and petrol engines. The engine is mated to a new hybrid starter/generator and seven-speed automatic transmission. It is a four-cylinder, 1.8-litre two-stage charging petrol engine that Mercedes says combines the frugal virtues of a diesel with the low emissions of a petrol engine.It can deliver 175kW with the electric motor producing an extra 15kW while torque is 400Nm.Mercedes executives say the car will accelerate to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds and has a top speed of 200km/h. Apart from the engine and powertrain, the F700 has a sophisticated suspension that uses two laser scanners to view the road ahead and adjust the suspension.The luxury Mercedes also uses a new “human machine interface” with a virtual operating assistant called the avatar which can assist the driver with specific functions, such as adjusting the airconditioning or dialling a phone number.Visually, the F700 is based on the S-Class sedan but has an extra 285mm built into the wheelbase. The rear doors are rear hinged to allow for easy access to the roomy cabin.The big Merc is one of the varied ways carmakers at the show are attempting to create greener machines. Car industry green expert Ted Grozier says the show illustrates how the industry is faring in its efforts to reduce its reliance on gas-guzzling larger vehicles.“The conventional wisdom is that the US will go hybrid and in Europe the diesel is being challenged,” says Grozier, of Green Order, a New York-based advisory group that counts General Motors, among others, as clients for its advice on how to make cars cleaner. “This may be a pivotal year for the industry in the battle for greener cars and the gloves have come off.”Indeed, BMW, Porsche, Volkswagen and DaimlerChrysler are among those showing cars with low-emission diesel engines and hybrids, featuring electricity to augment traditional fuel motors, as well as hydrogen fuel cell concepts that BMW is researching. It is all part of the effort to make high-mileage, cleaner cars that also meet drivers' expectations for performance.Nissan showed its Mixim concept car, an electric car powered by lithium ion batteries, with the driver's seat in the middle and steering controls inspired by video-game controllers.Unsurprisingly, it is geared toward younger drivers who spend a lot of time behind a computer keyboard. Ford showed off the current models under its ECOnetic label that produces a lower level of emissions.France's PSA Peugeot-Citroen has its 308 BioFlex compact at the show. The car uses biofuels, or fuel obtained from crops. GM goes a step further with a car powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The show is also a chance for carmakers to explore new concepts and designs that may or may not take shape on the assembly line. Ford is eager to pique consumer interest in its new subcompact concept car, the Verve.If successful, it could be the basis of a new small car for global sales. It would come to Australia as the next generation Fiesta.Designed in Europe, the Verve concept has a rounded design and is demonstrably smaller than most cars on US roads.The president of the German Association of the Automotive Industry Matthias Wissmann says 1081 companies are at the Frankfurt Motor Show.In total, 88 new models are debuting at the biennial event which runs until September 23.

The brain's logical left lobe would probably dictate a highly specced and relentlessly reliable Japanese model.The riotous right side might love something Latin.Call it a feeling from the gut, then, but some part of you simply must have a badge featuring either a blue-and-white roundel or a three-pointed star. Or even four rings.Never mind that they're almost always over-priced for the package on offer and about as suited to Australian roads as Beethoven to a Shannon Noll audience, but we seem unable to get enough of the wares offered by BMW, Mercedes-Benz and increasingly, Audi.Which is just as well, given that there will be releases from all three marques this month.June marks the opening salvo of a second-half-of-'07 product offensive on three fronts, using every type of armament at the makers' disposal; from diesel hatchbacks through high-end sports machines to ferociously powerful SUVs.In popular terms, the most significant of these is the new-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class.The W204 series arrives next month with the four-cylinder Kompressors, V6 petrols and two diesel models.A six-cylinder purchase gets you a seven-speed auto transmission, but the fours make do with five speeds.Hard to say where the pricing will sit at this point, though a slight increase on the current model is possible.A more dynamic driving experience is promised, something to which Merc's Agility Control system is central.Indications from the world launch in Spain are that Mercedes' best-selling product has achieved that stated aim within a veneer of sexier, or slightly less conservative, styling.Of course, this launch took place on European roads, not our Australian tarmacs.The vastly improved new Smart fortwo coupe and cabrio arrive in November, to the delight of at least several hundred people.Between then and now, though, comes something altogether more potent.The ML 500 SUV and R 500 MPV cop a 285kW V8, up 60kW on the hardly deficient current version.These should be among us by early October, along with a 320 CDI model of the S-Class, marrying the marque's superb V6 diesel to its luxury limo.BMW fires two shots; one small-calibre, the other medium, from its locker this month.The One Series evokes mixed reactions but a coupe version is due next year and the five-door hatch receives a new four-cylinder diesel engine, minor inside and out facelifts and mechanical upgrades for greater efficiency.The updated Five Series gets new front and rear bumpers, restyled headlights and tail lights with LED.Better yet, it gets a quicker-shifting six-speed automatic tranny, controlled by the electronic gear selector from the X5 off-roader.The 530i Sedan and Touring gain 10kW of power and 15Nm of torque for totals of 200kW and 315Nm, and smarter 0-100km/h times throughout the range.New Seven Series Executive and Sport models arrive next month, but the lip-smacking becomes deafening in the fourth quarter with the new M3 coupe.Forsaking the straight six, this fourth-gen M3 packs an all-new, 309kW/400Nm V8 of four litres.Driven by the rear wheels (of course) through a six-speed-manual, it promises acceleration to 100km/h in only 4.8sec.The M3 is billed as the first production vehicle in its segment to feature a carbon fibre-reinforced roof; an innovation to save weight and lower the centre of gravity.Audi's counter-offensive begins next week with the local release of its S3 hot hatch and a ragtop version of the TT. Expected to outsell its hard-hat cousin, the open TT dispenses with the coupe's comedy back pews, increasing its boot space.Nor does it command an unreasonable premium over the coupe, with the front-drive 2.0 TFSI starting at $77,500, the V6 quattro at $92,900. But the roadster's sole transmission is the manual-matic S-tronic.No such pandering for the S3, which unites a creamy six-speed manual with quattro. And how all-wheel drive is needed.Hosting a rebuilt and “up-gunned” version of the VW Golf GTI's two-litre, direct-injection turbo four, the S3 can call upon a V6-daunting 188kW and 330Nm. At an estimated $65,000, it will come in cheaper than the top-whack, but decidedly lesser, A3.If the S3 is a genuine Q-car (there being little to visually distinguish it from Audi's milder hatches), there's no denying the latest Q7.Due in November and priced from $124,000, the already imposing SUV packs a turbine-like 4.2 TDI, a turbo diesel dreadnought that generates 240kW at 3750rpm and a warping 760Nm between 1800 and 2500rpm.As Wagnerian as it is, its thunder may be stolen as early as October. Not so much by the A5 and S5 (touring coupes with Walter da Silva style and nice engine notes) but the R8 sports car.Though it will be priced in the region of $270,000, you won't be able to buy one for ages, even if you have the readies.Audi has been taking orders for the instantly desirable, mid-engined V8 quattro two-seater since it was unveiled at last year's Sydney Motor Show.That car evokes a profound response from a region lower even than the gut.

Drivers wanting to steer clear of the road to perdition should abide by 10 new commandments handed down by the Vatican.Speeding and dangerous overtaking are forbidden, as are rude hand signals.Pope Benedict XVI's choice of wheels is the sluggish Popemobile, in the Vatican City there are hardly any cars and the speed limit is less than 50km/h.But the pontiff is so concerned about road rage he has asked his staff to draw up a list of rules for the highway, including thou shalt not use a car “for sinful purposes”.A 58-page Vatican document, Guidelines for Pastoral Care of the Road, urges drivers to avoid road rage, to respect the rights of pedestrians, and to make the sign of the cross before setting off.Road users must not make “rude gestures” at other drivers, or use cars to show off and “arouse envy” — a tough call in Italy, where aspiring to own a Ferrari to demonstrate power and affluence (and impress women) is considered a male birthright.“Cars tend to bring out the primitive side of human beings, thereby producing rather unpleasant results,” the document said. It appealed instead to the “nobler tendencies” in the human spirit.Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Vatican Office for Migrants and Itinerant People, said the Vatican felt it necessary to address “the pastoral needs of motorists” because cars formed such a central part of modern life.He cited World Health Organisation statistics that said an estimated 1.2 million people were killed in road crashes each year and as many as 50 million were injured.“That's a sad reality, and at the same time, a great challenge for society and the church,” he said.The fifth commandment — “Cars shall not be an expression of power and domination or an occasion for sin” — referred in part to motorists who used their cars to pick up prostitutes, which was “an offence to human dignity”, Cardinal Martino said.Some drivers behaved in an “unsatisfactory and even barely human manner”.They should avoid “unbalanced behaviour” such as “impoliteness, rude gestures, cursing, or blasphemy” and would do better to use the time spent in a car for prayer, which would “immerse them in the presence of God so that they remain under His protection”.While earthly concerns have tended to focus on careless use of mobile phones, the Vatican suggests that passengers can safely recite the rosary because “the rhythm and gentle repetition does not distract the driver's attention”.The document urges dioceses to help set up chapels along motorways, with priests holding mass or offering spiritual comfort at service stations.Motorist's codeThe Vatican's office for migrants and itinerants has issued 10 commandments for drivers:You shall not kill;The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm;Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events;Be charitable and help your neighbour in need, especially victims of accidents;Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin;Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fit condition to do so;Support the families of accident victims;Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness;On the road, protect the more vulnerable party; andFeel responsible towards others.