Traction for the discerning.
Lake Placid, New York - Once again, Mercedes dished out the big bucks to get a large contingent of journalists to this part of the World, normally known for its winters and all matters of activities related to this time of the year. Once again, the Gods of Weather were in a completely different frame of mind as the 2006-07 winter has been the mildest on record and they date back 130 years. (To see what I am talking about, click here: AMG)
Usually, when car enthusiasts are asked to mention a well known AWD system, their answer is Quattro. This is normal as Audi has, over the last 26 years, done some massive research and won many rallies with their famous and sophisticated 4-wheel traction system.
4MATIC, or Mercedes' version of an AWD system, is not as well known however it can trace its roots back to 1907 when Paul Daimler built the first AWD and 4-wheel-steering vehicle. It was actually created for Bernhard Dernburg, therefore earning the nickname "Dernburg wagen", who was a State Secretary located in Namibia.
To ensure that the Wagen was good enough, it was test-driven over a distance of 1,677 km to make certain that everything worked fine. With today's standards, an average Mercedes in development is evaluated over a distance of over 6 million kilometres, what a difference! This vehicle paved the way for future AWD and 4WD vehicles from Mercedes including the UNIMOG, the G-Class and the first E-Class (W124) with the 4MATIC system in 1985.
4MATIC has evolved considerably over the last 22 years. For 2007, it has undergone some substantial revisions one of which is a considerable reduction in weight. The old 4MATIC added 215 to 225 lbs to the weight of the car. The new layout lobs off 70 lbs and is more compact as the transfer case is integrated into the 7G-TRONIC transmission. Likewise to keep the drivetrain more compact, the front differential is located mere centimetres away from the engine block to keep the weight in the same general area.
At the moment, the S-Class is the only car to use the new 4MATIC system and its ratio is of 45/55 for more predictable handling. The E-Class, with the older system, benefits from a 40/60 front to rear power split for more dynamic RWD biased driving.
All-in-all, there are 48 different ways to get 4MATIC with your new Mercedes-Benz. The truth of the matter is that M-B offers 48 combinations of classes and engines however they are not necessarily all available in every market. In North America for example, we get well under half of them (17 total). This is mostly due to the absence of the smaller and diesel powered engines.
The following is a breakdown of the 2007 Mercedes-Benz 4MATIC vehicles that are or will shortly be in Mercedes showrooms (prices are in Canadian dollars):
C 280 (231 hp) and C 350 (272 hp) sedan
From $45,400 to $53,600
E 280 (228 hp), E 350 (272 hp) sedan/wagon and E 550 (382 hp) sedan
From $65,500 to $85,000
S 550 (382 hp)
From $122,000
R 320 CDI (215 hp), R 350 (268 hp), R 500 (302 hp) and R 63 AMG (503 hp)
From $64,400 to $102,000
ML 320 CDI (215 hp), ML 350 (268 hp), ML 500 (302 hp) and ML 63 AMG (503 hp)
From $58,300 to $96,800
GL 450 (340 hp)
From $76,500
G 500 (292 hp) and G 55 AMG (469 hp)
Prices not available
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| A small sample of Mercedes products available for testing. |
Usually, when car enthusiasts are asked to mention a well known AWD system, their answer is Quattro. This is normal as Audi has, over the last 26 years, done some massive research and won many rallies with their famous and sophisticated 4-wheel traction system.
4MATIC, or Mercedes' version of an AWD system, is not as well known however it can trace its roots back to 1907 when Paul Daimler built the first AWD and 4-wheel-steering vehicle. It was actually created for Bernhard Dernburg, therefore earning the nickname "Dernburg wagen", who was a State Secretary located in Namibia.
 |
| The 1907 Dernburg wagen. |
4MATIC has evolved considerably over the last 22 years. For 2007, it has undergone some substantial revisions one of which is a considerable reduction in weight. The old 4MATIC added 215 to 225 lbs to the weight of the car. The new layout lobs off 70 lbs and is more compact as the transfer case is integrated into the 7G-TRONIC transmission. Likewise to keep the drivetrain more compact, the front differential is located mere centimetres away from the engine block to keep the weight in the same general area.
 |
| The S 550 looks good in any setting. |
All-in-all, there are 48 different ways to get 4MATIC with your new Mercedes-Benz. The truth of the matter is that M-B offers 48 combinations of classes and engines however they are not necessarily all available in every market. In North America for example, we get well under half of them (17 total). This is mostly due to the absence of the smaller and diesel powered engines.
The following is a breakdown of the 2007 Mercedes-Benz 4MATIC vehicles that are or will shortly be in Mercedes showrooms (prices are in Canadian dollars):
C 280 (231 hp) and C 350 (272 hp) sedan
From $45,400 to $53,600
E 280 (228 hp), E 350 (272 hp) sedan/wagon and E 550 (382 hp) sedan
From $65,500 to $85,000
S 550 (382 hp)
From $122,000
R 320 CDI (215 hp), R 350 (268 hp), R 500 (302 hp) and R 63 AMG (503 hp)
From $64,400 to $102,000
ML 320 CDI (215 hp), ML 350 (268 hp), ML 500 (302 hp) and ML 63 AMG (503 hp)
From $58,300 to $96,800
GL 450 (340 hp)
From $76,500
G 500 (292 hp) and G 55 AMG (469 hp)
Prices not available
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