After studying Norb’s posting with this great link http://www.beckimports.net/ (thanks Norb), without a doubt I now prefer the forthcoming 4WD R Class over the 2006 M Class.
In actuality, the 2006 M Class now is a slightly jacked-up squatty looking passenger car. Before the 2006 model year, the M was an authentic SUV like the Jeep and Range Rover are still. The R Class is not going to pretend to be something it is not as the 2006 M now does. The R has all the functionality and same equipment as the 2006 M PLUS it has third row seating, a panorama sunroof, AND it looks a hell of a lot better than the M. As I understand it, the R will be priced only slightly higher than the current M.
Question: Why would someone prefer the 2006 M to the new R?
After studying Norb’s posting with this great link http://www.beckimports.net/ (thanks Norb), without a doubt I now prefer the forthcoming 4WD R Class over the 2006 M Class.
In actuality, the 2006 M Class now is a slightly jacked-up squatty looking passenger car. Before the 2006 model year, the M was an authentic SUV like the Jeep and Range Rover are still. The R Class is not going to pretend to be something it is not as the 2006 M now does. The R has all the functionality and same equipment as the 2006 M PLUS it has third row seating, a panorama sunroof, AND it looks a hell of a lot better than the M. As I understand it, the R will be priced only slightly higher than the current M.
Question: Why would someone prefer the 2006 M to the new R?
While I agree the R-Class is handsome and versatile, the statement equating the ML to a "jacked up passenger car" does not ring true to me. While the ML may now be unit body (as is the Jeep Grand Cherokee), it is still much more of a truck than the R, better adept at towing, and with the forthcoming dual range transfer case and locking diffs, at off-roading.
The R, while having a similar cargo capacity and weight, is nearly 15" longer while being 5" less tall (not including MLs roof rails). The R-Class will start around $50k, compared to the ML at $40k; while the R will probably have more standard features, that's a significant difference. Loaded R500s will be pushing $70k.
They're both great vehicles, but the R-Class is definitely of the station wagon genre, while the ML is a sleek truck, in my mind. If you need to carry more than 5, of course, the R is superior to strapping the kids to the roof rails.
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<B>Greg</B> Lake Oswego, Oregon, USA
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<B>2006 ML350</b> - Pewter/Charcoal Alcantara/Aluminum; Packages: Comfort, Lighting, Entertainment, Appearance, Airmatic, Sunroof; Options: Nav, Sirius, hitch, heated seats, power liftgate, roof rack; Mods: ML500 skid plates, ML63 20" wheels.
<B>2001 BMW M3 Coupe</B> (5/01 prod.) - Titanium/Cinnamon w/ many mods.
The R-Class will start around $50k, compared to the ML at $40k; while the R will probably have more standard features, that's a significant difference. Loaded R500s will be pushing $70k.
The Spies have the lead on everyone else with the official pricing and marketing initiative details for the new R-Class coming this fall
Correct and verified by my dealer. Problem with the MB marketing plan is all the September R500 builds are "Forced Factory" orders. That means absolutely no changes to any R500 September build allocations. As a result, my R500 will now be built in the first decade of October..:-(
__________________ 2008 SL550. Black on Black. AMG Pkg., Parktronic, P1 Pkg.
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