Mercedes sets sights on SUV segment

Updated: 2012-04-23 07:58

By Zhuan Ti (China Daily)

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Mercedes sets sights on SUV segment

GL Grand Edition

R-Class and GL-Class

Also making appearances at Auto China 2012 are the R 350 and the GL 450 Grand Edition.

Ideal for both business and families, the R-Class exudes self-confidence and enhances the merits of its vehicle category, with a noticeably more attractive appearance underlining its unique character.

Boasting the robustness and all-wheel-drive properties of Mercedes-Benz SUVs, the R-Class provides effortless power delivery while offering lower fuel consumption, better vehicle acoustics and smoother idling.

The attention-grabbing GL 450 Grand Edition features a more striking, dynamic design, with exterior highlights such as dark-tinted headlights, a black radiator grille, and a redesigned front bumper with integrated LED daytime running lamps. Its new interior offers luxury, style and exclusivity through the use of high-quality materials.

Further diversifying the Mercedes-Benz SUV lineup, both models have performed remarkably in the China market, with sales of the GL-Class seeing a 150 percent year-on-year increase over the first quarter of 2012, and the R-Class adding 1,300 new customers in March, a growth of 64 percent year on year.

China is currently the largest market worldwide for the R-Class.

All-wheel drive

Though they each have distinctive features, company executives say the collection of SUV models will captivate the hearts of car enthusiasts thanks to a shared characteristic: all-wheel drive.

The company's patented 4MATIC drivetrain is one of the best-performing permanent all-wheel drive systems in the market. It offers high traction reserves, excellent directional stability, a high degree of safety as well as exceptional vibration and acoustic comfort levels that meet the highest standards expected of Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

The 4MATIC all-wheel drive system features a 45-to-55 torque split between the front and rear axles and a multi-disc limited-slip center differential with a basic locking torque of 50 Nm.

This design enables high levels of traction because the dynamic shift in axle load toward the rear axle that occurs during acceleration delivers more drive torque to the rear wheels. The multi-disc differential lock is also able to shift the drive torque between the front and rear axles, varying the split based on road conditions.

Consequently, interventions by the ESP, 4ETS or ASR electronic control systems can be delayed for as long as possible, and the bulk of the drive torque converts into traction, even on slippery roads.

Interventions go virtually unnoticed, yet drivers know right away if they are driving on the limit via highly visible prompting from the instrument cluster.

The drive mechanism's permanently engaged design offers key advantages over other systems that first need to diagnose a lack of grip before activating the all-wheel drive. The 4MATIC system on Mercedes-Benz models will have already made use of this valuable time to start transmitting drive torque through the wheels to the road.

The latest-generation 4MATIC all-wheel drive system stands out for its higher efficiency, lower weight and more compact design, which translate into superior traction and greater fuel economy.