W164 M-Class Facelift

The M-Class receives a facelift in the year2008/2009. The front fascia has been significantly redesigned. The headlights, the bumper and the grille have been made sportier and more aggressive. The rear fascia also had it's changes. A completely new bumper has been fitted. LED lights are now fitted. Reflective strips are also redesigned. The ML63 also had it's share of redesigning. It too had a redesigned front and rear fascia. After the facelift, the ML63 has an extremely wide stance. Another new feature are 21"Alloys. This gives the ML63 a superb, commanding stance. The interior is also reworked. There is now two-tone leather upholstery. A long awaited strip of wood now adorns the edge of the glovebox. The also long-awaited leather insert in the door panel is now fitted on. The M-Class has never been so perfect.

W164 M-Class Edition 10

The M-Class Edition 10 is a special edition of the M-Class to commemorate it's 10th Anniversary. Exterior colour is either Obsidian Black or Polar White. Special equipment includes black inserts in the headlights. Also, the 20" alloys are given a smoked appearance. The grille is metallic titanium and privacy glass is also standard. Also, the rear tailights have a smoked appearance. The interior is either two tone leather(black/beige) or black. The M-Class Edition 10 is well loaded for a cheaper price than an exactly same M-Class(without Edition 10). Enjoy the images!

W163 M-Class Mid-Size SUV

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.

W164 M-Class Mid-Size SUV (Current)

The W164 is the current M-Class. It was first introduced in 2006. $600 Million was spent on redesigning the ML. The design has changed greatly. The predecessor was crude and unreliable. The W164 is a big change. It must be good. Mercedes-Benz wants to redeem itself.

With $600 Million spent on design, the product must be great. Out of the $600 Million, most of the money was spent designing the back. It is now sporty and elegant. It also looks strong and hardy, fit for off-road driving. The front has been inspired by fighter jets. The louvring grille, sharp headlights and creases on the hood makes the ML look sporty. Overall, the new ML has been redesigned to improve aerodynamics. Drag coefficient is now reduced to 0.34. The length of the vehicle also grew by 150mm, making the vehicle more spacious. The body is also adorned with powerful looking fender curves over the wheels. The exterior is brilliant. The exterior of the M-Class has turned from below expectation to leaving amazed.

The interior is also wonderful. The dash is simple and elegant. Below the sporty air vents is a COMAND APS and then the climate control system. Elegant wood trim adorns the door panels and the dash. Base models feature Artico Leather as standard with Leather as an option. Higher models have Premium leather as standard equipment. Soft leather and elegant wood trim is coupled with Thermatic automatic climate control system or Thermotronic luxury climate control. A Harman-Kardon Premium sound system ensures a flawless ride. Just sit in the M-Class and no matter where nature takes you, travel in prestige and luxury.

Various new features have been added. A Pro Off-Road Engineering package adds differential locks, low gear ratios and off-road suspension to improve off-road performance. Airmatic DC air suspension allows the ride height of the vehicle to be tuned. Also, ADS(Adaptive Dampening System) allows different stiffnesses of the suspension for whatever conditions the vehicle is driven in. Other features such as ESP(Electronic Stability Program), ABS(Antilock Brake System), BAS(Brake Assist System) and advanced airbags are standard on all W164s. Various engines are offered for the M-Class. Note some engines may not be available in your country. Please inquire at your local dealership for more details. This chart will help you understand the different engine litrages and classification.

ML280 CDI 2.8Litre V6 Diesel
ML320 CDI 3.2Litre V6 Diesel
ML420CDI 4.2Litre V8 Diesel
ML350 3.5Litre V6
ML500(ML550 North America) 5.5Litre V8
ML63 AMG AMG 6.2litre V8

The new ML has definately redeemed it's name with it's wonderful build quality and luxury. Mercedes-Benz plans on making an M-Class Edition 10 to celebrate the 10 Anniversary of the M-Class. The M-Class is also due to receive a facelift in 2008/2009.