63Bonneville
Sunday Driver
True.
The sculpted side profile looks intriguing.
2012 Mercedes-Benz R-Class Crossover (August)
R350 4MATIC new direct-injection V6 engine (302 hp, 273 lb-ft), more fuel-efficient 7speed automatic transmission & standard 4MATIC all-wheel drive.
R350 BlueTEC 50-state V6 turbodiesel (210 hp, 400 lb-ft) continues
Model line features standard LED DRLs, directional lines on rearview camera and minor interior updates.
New standard equipment includes COMAND system with hard-drive navigation, enhanced voice control for audio, telephone and navigation, Gracenote® media database, HD Radio®, SIRIUS® satellite radio with SIRIUS real-time traffic service, Zagat® Survey restaurant guide, 4GB hard-drive with Music Register
http://www.germancarforum.com/mercedes-benz-lounge/37433-mercedes-benz-my-2012-updates.html
The addition of the new 3.5L V6 is indeed a very wise move for the R-Class, and puts it back to what the V8 version of this put out, back when it was first introduced and available, for the V8 then had similar performance numbers, close to HP but likely less torque, but, a 7-speed tranny will help. The Diesel version, though with only 210HP, but with 400lb-ft of torque, will carry this very well. There doesn't necessarily have to be an AMG version of the R-Class again, that's well covered by other models in the lineup.
This reminds when I was at a Chrysler promo a few years back, and I test-drove the now-defunct Pacifica. I drove it with the old 3.5L V6 (four-speed auto), which was smooth, but was simply pedestrian as far as power, not a slouch, but not a tire-smoker. Then I got to drive it (it's last model year) with the then-new 4.0L V6 for SUV applications, with the new 6-speed auto, and it had far more noticeable punch to it, for I got to drive them back to back. My point - this is likely how the R-Class with the new 3.5L 305HP mill will compare to the previous V6.
