GLE Mercedes ML-Class SUV – W166 (Spy pics & info)

[K-A]

For the first time since the G-Class, I'm looking at a Benz SUV and I'm seeing a BENZ. Shocking! I hope it plays out without all the chamo.

I can already see it, every Soccer Mom and their Soccer Mom will have one, this thing is going to be a mega Sales hit, just like the E-Class.

 

[fortuner]

WOW nice video i wish i understood what she said ....It seems to have good offroad ability..Cant wait for official release..

 

[Wolfgang]

Can somebody german give us a general overview of what the video says?

Ellen Lohr seem to like the W166. She's in motor sports for 25 years and played with the W166 for a day off-roading. Many new features. Climbs a hill with a 60 to 65% slope in offroad program II without problems. Says "unbelievable, fascinating". Then downhill with DSR, which stands for downhill speed regulation. That's where she takes both hands and feet off. DSR is set at 5 km/h. It's adjustable between 2 to 18 km/h. Says the later is quite, maybe too fast. Next is the test on asphalt using the automatic program. She adjusts the level all the way up, 8 cm, which she thinks is a lot. It has three levels. Then she enters the water, which is quite high. No problems encountered.

Overall the W166 showed no flaws, was a lot of fun, so she could complete all tasks to satisfaction. She had a good day.

BTW, besides her well known racing successes for AMG/DTM/truck racing she also has some M-Class racing experience.

Ellen Lohr on the Dakar 2006 http://www.emercedesbenz.com/Jan06/05Update3KwikpowerMercedesBenzDakarRally.html

 

[fortuner]

thank you wolfgang does she say anything off its on road ride and the interior and quality..

 

[Wolfgang]

thank you wolfgang does she say anything off its on road ride and the interior and quality..

The interior was covered up, and she wasn't supposed to comment I believe. At the end when back on the highway, she remarked about the on-road manners: everything's perfect, feels good as well. At the start, the door opening and closing sound could be better. Compare the 57SC.

 

[Shining Star]

Thanks Wolf, it's much appreciated.


Mercedes-Benz Passion Blog is now referring to the W166 using solely "M" for instance:

The new M-class runs in the Group under the series is W166 and are available in many engines, so as a 4-cylinder Diesel M 250 CDI BE and 204 hp and 500Nm, but also as a 300 CDI hybrid with uprated 224 hp - this then until 2012. Other variants will be the M 350 BlueTEC, or M 350 CDI with 265 hp and 620nm BE. Similarly, in the offer: BE M 350 with 306 hp and 370 Nm and 400 hybrid V6 (probably from 2012). The most powerful engine of V8 BiTurbo is the M 500, of course, in addition to the usual AMG version with a V8 BiTurbo and more than 500 hp.

 

[Shining Star]

Subtitles in English!

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Some more screen shots of the interior.

 

[data]

Electric handbrake and combined control over the speed control lever ...

 

[fortuner]

Seems good from the video in english subtitled lets hope we can see the real pics soon...

 

[klier]

It looks horrible imo. Way too much like a Van, again. MB doesn't know how to properly build a SUV. Fact. This, the GL and the GLK all look retarded.

 

[martinbo]

Whaaat? Maaaan...?

^ That's a wholly inappropriate, unobjective and baseless opinion klier especially in this section. Shoo shoo - off with you back to the F20 thread. You need to go and defend its honour.

 

[SCOTT27]

Yes it will be a success in the USA , at the expense of the Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse T-Modell.

 

[adolfonikolas]

Hello,

Mercedes ML-Class SUV – W166 color suggest to me..

Thank You..

 

[tennmb]

Yes it will be a success in the USA , at the expense of the Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse T-Modell.

I've worked with MB for going on 13 years. And I can count on one hand the number of wagons we've sold in the last 3 years. So, saying that sales will come at the expense of the T-model shows you to be devoid of any understanding of the US wagon and SUV market, and who buys what.

Not sure why MB keeps trying to make the ML such a compitent off-roader. I'd say less than 1% of these will ever see anything worse than a gravel driveway. The things that win for a mid-sized SUV are on the road manners, back seat room, and cargo space. Things the ML has lagged behind on for quite a while.

 

[Wolfgang]

Not sure why MB keeps trying to make the ML such a compitent off-roader. I'd say less than 1% of these will ever see anything worse than a gravel driveway. The things that win for a mid-sized SUV are on the road manners, back seat room, and cargo space. Things the ML has lagged behind on for quite a while.

USA probably wont get the off-road package?

The 163 is a good off-road racer. Agreed, prob no longer necessary.

Mercedes-Benz M-class carries off two trophies in FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies

Stuttgart, Nov 14, 2000

• Pierre Strugo wins "Marathon Trophy" in ML 430

• Mercedes-Benz takes manufacturers' title for series cross-country vehicles

• M-class shows its colours in the toughest rallies in the world

• Technical superiority based on 4ETS four-wheel drive and V8 engine

In this year's FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, the Mercedes-Benz M-class gave an impressive display of its technical superiority and reliability: at the wheel of an ML 430, independent French driver Jean-Pierre Strugo won the "Marathon Trophy" drivers' title in the series cross-country vehicles group. Though not represented by a works team, Mercedes-Benz carried off the Marathon Trophy manufacturers' title.

The 55-year-old rally driver for the Georges Groine team from Aubiere near Clermont-Ferrand in central France obtained a total of 255 points, putting him well ahead of the second-placed driver, who collected 142 points. With a total of 186 points, Mercedes-Benz took the manufacturers' title for series cross-country vehicles by a comfortable margin.

The FIA "World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies" this year comprised nine long-distance rallies through France, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Russia, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates. These rallies, each lasting several weeks, such as the Paris-Dakar-Cairo rally, are held for the most part in rough terrain, barren desert and primeval forest, and rank among the most gruelling in the world.

The ML 430 was entered by the Groine Developpement Compétition team in group T 1 for "series cross-country cars". Technical features of this vehicle include the electronically controlled 4ETS four-wheel drive system. Using microcomputer control, 4ETS distributes the drive torque to the front and rear axles as the situation requires and ensures that optimum tractive power is directed to the wheels with good grip. This system replaces conventional differential locks. The driving force behind the ML 430 is a powerful V8 engine with twin-spark ignition and three valves per cylinder.

In the FIA World Cup overall rankings, ML 430 driver Jean-Pierre Strugo came fifth in a field numbering well over 100 drivers.

All results subject to confirmation by FIA.

Source: Daimler and FIA

 

[tennmb]

it shows you how rapidly that segment developed and changed. When the 163 launched its competitors were body on frame US domestics. Now the segment is dominated by unitized chasis Euro and Asian imports. Even the Ford Explorer abandoned the body on frame.

The 163 was certainly competent in those competitions. Sadly it was a joke in so many areas. MB dumbed down that vehicle to American SUV standards in terms of content and materials, and they've been paying for it for years. The reality is that the ML could have cost $10k more at the time it was launched and it still would have sold just as many, and it would have preserved the brand image. I still get people who comment on what a piece of crap those 163s were. Many abandoned the brand because of it. Funny, I still see a lot of those 163s with 250k miles and still going strong. But the US market just didn't like all the early problems, quirky styling and the cheap as hell plastics. I particularly don't miss the door locks that would rupture your ear drums when operating. Getting tarry adhesive all over your side window glass when you rolled them up. Window switches falling out of the center console. Plus depending on the setting, you would either have this foul sulfur smell when you shut off the car, or the car would virtually stall on 1st acceleration. But if I had to drive across the Sahara, I'd pick one.

 

[K-A]

it shows you how rapidly that segment developed and changed. When the 163 launched its competitors were body on frame US domestics. Now the segment is dominated by unitized chasis Euro and Asian imports. Even the Ford Explorer abandoned the body on frame.

The 163 was certainly competent in those competitions. Sadly it was a joke in so many areas. MB dumbed down that vehicle to American SUV standards in terms of content and materials, and they've been paying for it for years. The reality is that the ML could have cost $10k more at the time it was launched and it still would have sold just as many, and it would have preserved the brand image. I still get people who comment on what a piece of crap those 163s were. Many abandoned the brand because of it. Funny, I still see a lot of those 163s with 250k miles and still going strong. But the US market just didn't like all the early problems, quirky styling and the cheap as hell plastics. I particularly don't miss the door locks that would rupture your ear drums when operating. Getting tarry adhesive all over your side window glass when you rolled them up. Window switches falling out of the center console. Plus depending on the setting, you would either have this foul sulfur smell when you shut off the car, or the car would virtually stall on 1st acceleration. But if I had to drive across the Sahara, I'd pick one.

I rode in a girls high-mileage, Auction bought, Used W163 facelift ML.... Talk about a rickety rattling PIECE of crap. That interior and the noises it made were just atrocious.

 

[Wolfgang]

Google translated Daimler Blog: The new M-Class off-road test

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

The new one is looking promising. I hope it's true to the new MB's and just a damn well built, nice, refined luxurious vehicle to travel in.

 

[K-A]

Have we determined whether the new Jeep Cherokee is in fact based on the W166 before the W166 even comes out (meaning that the W166 is in fact based off of the Cherokee), or is it based on the current ML?

Whatever it is, the thing is getting RAVE reviews, and it is apparently flying off of Dealer lots. I'd say that it is seemingly and apparently the most perfect example of what an SUV is supposed to be (not speaking on styling, which is so so to me, not sure how I feel about it, but it's certainly secondary with that car).