The W163 was the first M-Class produced. It was produced inbetween 1998-2002. This vehicle was shown in a Jurassic Park episode. Also, it was modified to become a Popemobile. It was a very fresh idea. The luxury marque Mercedes-Benz, famous for creating luxury sedans is now introducing an SUV. Everyone expected a car of Mercedes-Benz quality. Quality was good, but reliability was poor due to the bad economy of the world at that time.
Although fresh, the exterior styling of the W163 many felt was too dull. It didn't look aggressive. It also didn't look elegant. It looked crude. However, this made a rugged SUV with good off-road capabilities. People were satisfied with the W163 going off-road. In 2002, the W163 received a minor facelift to freshen up the look. This made the ML look less crude but still unattractive.
The interior of the W163 is great. A nicely made centre console adorned in wood. Leather covered most of the interior. The interior was well made. Carefully designed and was beautifully handcrafted. The seats were very comfortable to sit in. The second row seats could move fore and aft to create as much legroom as required. Under normal circumstances, the third row sat very comfortably. All this is coupled with an automatic climate control system and a Premium Bose audio system. This made the interior extremely comfortable even in the most extreme off-road conditions.
The W163 was the first SUV ever to feature ESP(Electronic Stability Program). This aided the W163 greatly in rough terrain. It also boasted numerous airbags. The W163 featured a selection of engines. This chart will help you understand the classification better.
ML270 CDI 2.7Litre Inline-5
ML400 CDI 4Litre V8 Diesel
ML230 2.3Litre Inline-4
ML320 3.2Litre V6
ML350 3.7Litre V6
ML430 4.3Litre V8
ML500 5Litre V8
ML55 AMG AMG 5.5Litre V8
The W163 wasn't extremely popular. Customers had problems with reliability. Also, the ugly rear end gave the W163 the nickname of the "Shoebox". Production ceased in 2005 to be replaced by the W164.
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