 The Stuttgart-based brand Seven-Speed, Four-Wheel-Drive V6 or V8 Power
|
ALL-NEW MERCEDES-BENZ R-CLASS LUXURY VEHICLE MAKES DEBUTCarmel, CA - Mercedes-Benz is launching a new class of vehicle and a brand new way for six adults to travel.
Three Rows of Luxury With a sharp focus on design, comfort, space and performance, the new R-Class is designed as a roomy vehicle with space for six adults - three pairs of comfortable single seats in a spacious interior. The new R-Class is about 14 inches longer than the M-Class sport utility. With an optional panoramic sunroof, the new R-Class provides an unprecedented sense of interior space. Create Your Own Environment The R-Class allows its occupants to create their own sense of space with features such as individual reading lights, armrests, air vents and cup holders as well as seat adjustments for each seat and separate-source audio plugs for the 1st and 2nd rows. This individualization is further enhanced with options such as an iPod integration kit or dual-screen video entertainment system. And, everybody has a window seat. The front row of the new R-Class can be compared to first-class seating, with business-class seating in the 2nd and 3rd rows. Add the optional panoramic sunroof, and the overall sense of interior space in the new R-Class is unprecedented. The R-Class is an inch longer than the flagship S-Class sedan. As an indicator of comfort and roominess, cabin space in the new R-Class represents 65 percent of its total volume, and there are up to 40 inches between the first and second seat rows, with more than 30 inches between the second and third rows. With 2nd and 3rd-row seats down, the R-Class boasts 85.0 cubic feet of cargo room. The R-Class cockpit features a four-spoke multifunction steering wheel with brushed aluminum accents on the lower spokes. The instrument binnacle is designed with large chronometer gauges, and the center console houses climate control and a modular COMAND unit that integrates audio with the optional navigation and telephone. It's a Concert Hall, Too The standard R-Class audio system uses eight speakers, and an optional surround-sound system features eleven speakers, including an extra sub-woofer. The audio system includes AM/FM/weatherband radio and a single-slot CD as well as optional satellite radio. A six-disc CD changer in the glove box (optional on the R350, standard on the R500) includes an auxiliary plug that allows MP3 devices to be played through the car's audio system, and an optional kit allows most iPod units to connect to the car as well. iPod titles and playlists appear in the COMAND and dash displays. Separate audio plugs allow front occupants to listen to one source, while 2nd-row passengers can listen to a separate source. Where's the Shift Lever? Unlike in most vehicles, there's no shift lever dominating the center console of the new R-Class. Thanks to the latest electronic technology, a small stalk on the right side of the steering column now serves the purpose. Selecting gears is simpler than ever - lift the stalk up for reverse, push down for drive, and push a button on the end for park. Once underway, pushing one of the Touch Shift buttons on either side of the steering wheel provides manual shifting. Mercedes-Benz Safety The new R-Class features unit body construction with front and rear crumple zones that help protect occupants during a collision by absorbing and dispersing crash energy. More than 60 percent of the body structure is formed from high-strength steel, and its "dual-phase" steel alloy (used in some of the most critical areas) even falls into the very-high-strength category, contributing to the protection provided by the passenger cell. Every body panel in the new R-Class is zinc-galvanized and coated on both sides with rust-preventing zinc pigments. A six-section plastic undercladding provides protection against stones, water and dirt, eliminating the need for any conventional PVC undercoating. Substantial wheel-well cladding (1/8-inch thick) also helps protect against stones and gravel. The new R-Class comes with two-stage adaptive front air bags, side air bags for the driver and front passenger, window curtain side air bags that span all three rows of seats, and adaptive belt tensioners and belt force limiters for all six seating positions. The R-Class also comes with a number of Mercedes-Benz active-safety innovations: · ABS anti-lock brakes, which help maintain steering control during emergency braking · ESP stability control, technology that has been shown in government studies to reduce single-car accidents by up to 67 percent! ESP senses skids, then reacts in a split-second to help restore control by applying the brakes on one or more wheels. · Four-wheel traction control that's integrated with the 4MATIC all-wheel drive; counters wheelspin by applying brakes individually. · Brake Assist, which can shorten stopping distances by sensing emergency braking and automatically applying full-power brake force. Chassis like a Sports Car The new platform makes use of power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering and four-wheel independent suspension with double control arms in the front and a four-link suspension at the rear. Ample braking is provided by large four-wheel disc brakes with vented discs and double-piston calipers up front. The R350 has 17-inch seven-spoke light-alloy wheels shod with 235 / 65 R 17 tires, and the R500 comes with 18-inch wheels fitted with 255 / 55 R 18 tires. Either model can be ordered with an AMG sport package or Appearance package that includes 19-inch wheels and tires. U.S. Assembly Plant The R-Class is produced at the Mercedes-Benz assembly plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. While Mercedes cars were manufactured under license in the United States from 1905-1907 by the Steinway Piano Company, the Tuscaloosa plant was the first real U.S. passenger vehicle production facility for Mercedes-Benz. Since its opening in 1997, more than 570,000 M-Class sport utilities were produced at the plant. To add R-Class production, the plant has undergone a $600 million expansion over the past four years, doubling production capacity to 160,000 vehicles a year, doubling the workforce to 4,000, and doubling the size of the plant to about three million square feet. The expanded plant includes two assembly shops, two paint shops and a larger body shop. About Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. In 2004, MBUSA achieved an all-time sales record of 221,610 new vehicles, setting the highest sales volume ever in its history and achieving 11 consecutive years of sales growth.
|
HOME |
CARS AND VEHICLES |
MERCEDES-BENZ
P. CARS |
R-CLASS
| MOTORSPORTS |
The all-new R-Class combines the distinct advantages
of several disparate vehicles - the sure-footedness of a four-wheel-drive
sport utility vehicle, the performance and comfort of a fine sports sedan
and the versatility of a luxury wagon. Innovative design and useful technology
now make possible an automotive decathlete - a vehicle that can excel
at an unprecedented range of owner needs. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail
Pricing (MSRP) for the 2006 R-Class will begin at $48,000 for the 268-horsepower
V6-powered R350 and $55,500 for the 302-horsepower V8 R500 (plus a $775
destination fee for both models). All R-Class models come with a seven-speed
automatic transmission and full-time 4MATIC four-wheel drive. The basic vehicle
is loaded with standard equipment such as eight-way power front seats with
leather inserts, birds-eye maple interior trim, split 2nd and 3rd row seats,
load-leveling suspension and rain sensing wipers.