What's most remarkable about the announcement of the new R-Class minivan/wagon from Mercedes-Benz that's coming to Canada later this year in two models is what's missing.
Most importantly, there is not a single word on why the potential buyer should hope that the latest effort from the Stuttgart-based firm will not have the same kind of lamentable quality record as the company's other cars.
The extent of this quality problem for Mercedes was made clear in the recent Consumer Reports annual auto survey, when thousands of owners of various Mercedes models put the brand second from the bottom on a ranking of all car companies, regardless of price.
The other missing element on the R-Class is the lack of some hyper-geeky new technology. It might sound childish to expect something new, but this is a big-ticket luxury firm that likes to display its self-styled global engineering leadership with displays of new toys. About the only novelty on this vehicle is the truncated shift lever for the seven-speed automatic transmission, about which more later.
Canada will be getting two models of the Alabama-built minivan this fall -- the R350, and the R500, both of which get the automatic transmission and full-time 4Matic four-wheel-drive.
The R350 will be powered by a 3.5-litre V-6 good for about 270 hp and about 260 lb-ft of torque from 2,400 to 5,000 rpm.
The R500 gets a 5-litre V-8 that produces 302 hp and about 345 lb-ft of torque from 2700-4750 rpm.
JoAnne Caza, marketing manager of Mercedes-Benz Canada, says the 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.''
Caza says that ''innovative design and useful technology now make possible an automotive decathlete -- a vehicle that can excel at an unprecedented range of owner needs.''
The key to this vehicle's range is its size and shape. Following the classic minivan formula, it's long, high and wide, and doesn't have much ground clearance, all of which results in a large cabin.
''With a sharp focus on design, comfort, space and performance,'' says Caza, ''the new R-Class is designed as a roomy vehicle with space for six adults -- three pairs of comfortable seats in a spacious interior. The new R-Class is about 120 mm longer than a Cadillac Escalade and 250 mm longer than a Cadillac SRX, giving it the commanding size that many customers want.''
In comparison to other Mercedes-Benz models, the R-Class is 25 mm longer than the flagship S-Class sedan.
''As an indicator of comfort and roominess,'' says Caza, ''the new model boasts 860 mm between the first and second seat rows, and there is more than 760 mm between the second and third rows.''
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| 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class (photo : Mercedes-Benz) |
The extent of this quality problem for Mercedes was made clear in the recent Consumer Reports annual auto survey, when thousands of owners of various Mercedes models put the brand second from the bottom on a ranking of all car companies, regardless of price.
The other missing element on the R-Class is the lack of some hyper-geeky new technology. It might sound childish to expect something new, but this is a big-ticket luxury firm that likes to display its self-styled global engineering leadership with displays of new toys. About the only novelty on this vehicle is the truncated shift lever for the seven-speed automatic transmission, about which more later.
Canada will be getting two models of the Alabama-built minivan this fall -- the R350, and the R500, both of which get the automatic transmission and full-time 4Matic four-wheel-drive.
The R350 will be powered by a 3.5-litre V-6 good for about 270 hp and about 260 lb-ft of torque from 2,400 to 5,000 rpm.
The R500 gets a 5-litre V-8 that produces 302 hp and about 345 lb-ft of torque from 2700-4750 rpm.
JoAnne Caza, marketing manager of Mercedes-Benz Canada, says the 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.''
 |
| 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class (photo : Mercedes-Benz) |
The key to this vehicle's range is its size and shape. Following the classic minivan formula, it's long, high and wide, and doesn't have much ground clearance, all of which results in a large cabin.
''With a sharp focus on design, comfort, space and performance,'' says Caza, ''the new R-Class is designed as a roomy vehicle with space for six adults -- three pairs of comfortable seats in a spacious interior. The new R-Class is about 120 mm longer than a Cadillac Escalade and 250 mm longer than a Cadillac SRX, giving it the commanding size that many customers want.''
In comparison to other Mercedes-Benz models, the R-Class is 25 mm longer than the flagship S-Class sedan.
''As an indicator of comfort and roominess,'' says Caza, ''the new model boasts 860 mm between the first and second seat rows, and there is more than 760 mm between the second and third rows.''