|
 i am a hundred odd kilometers outside Pune with my better half for a short weekend getaway. It seems we have the perfect vehicle for this small adventure drive away from the usual work load and hustle-bustle of the city. While I didn’t exactly have a particular destination in mind , my wife happened to spot a huge water body in the distant horizon. Minutes later , we were near a huge lake formed due to a nearby dam. It seemed to be the perfect spot to have a packed lunch and just laze around for a while. However the road , rather the dirt path , leading to it wasn’t exactly inviting. What lay between us and the shore of the lake were a few broken tree branches , a couple of big rocks and a steep downhill descent. As I said previously , we had the perfect tool for these little off-road excursions. Pressing two switches on the central console , we were past all ‘tiny’ obstructions in no time. The next couple of hours were spent soaking ourselves in the serene isolation of the lake. The vehicle in question , the face-lifted Mercedes ML320 , churned out super quality music giving us company till the sun started setting into the horizon. The same tiny path was dismissed without a protest from the Mercedes thanks to all those electronic aids. By the way , those two buttons in question are for DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation) and for raising the ride height.
Most high end SUVs these days are owned primarily for showing off rather than for utilizing their potential. Besides the owners who don’t care to Venture out into the unknown , the vehicles themselves aren’t capable of anything more than negotiating a small off-road stretch. Today’s SUVs might look big and burly with selectable / real-time or all-wheel drive systems but when it comes to taking the owners (and the occupants) through some serious off-road sections , most of them have their tails between the  legs , literally. The ML320 , on the other hand , tries and excels in justifying its very existence. The pictures you see on these pages were taken in terrains that would make a lot of SUVs lose their dignity. The ML , true to its nature , not only impressed but also pampered and cocooned us like a luxury set of wheels should or rather a four-wheeler with the three-pointed star on the grille should.
The latest generation ML was officially launched in India a month ago. There are minimal yet significant design changes to the vehicle. Sharper angles with prominent creases lend a muscle packed aspect and fine lines define its dynamic proportions. The ML is more like Daniel Craig than Arnold Schwarzenegger – muscular yet an elegant , smart looking SUV. The front grille now sports a chrome trim and the front apron has been reworked with a sump shield. The windshield slopes more and the front styling is more car like than ever before with a low , wide perforated grille that displays the tri-star and is flanked by complex , faired projector beam headlights. The lamps have been redesigned and as you move your eyes towards the rear; the distinctive , sweeping exterior mirrors and the darkened tail lamps in the redesigned rear bumper as well as the dual-flow exhaust system make the vehicle’s sporty and aggressive nature clear at the very first glance. Mercedes is also offering optional accessories like clear-glass-look tail lamps with LED units.
Behind the four-spoke steering wheel , as a driver or as an enthusiast , you always feel that you have spend your money well when it comes to the ML’s faultless , lavish interiors. Quality is the usual Mercedes affair and usage of lighter colour for the fascia and seats lends a very airy feel. There is an array of buttons on the central console with each responsible for a particular , well defined task (like the DSR and ride control switches I talked about earlier). Ergonomics are very good , and in fact , you feel a  lot more comfortable with negotiating City traffic in the ML as compared to a few of its rivals. Room for passengers is also impressive. There are just five seats but they are very comfortable nonetheless. Being a five-seater , there is ample space in the ML’s boot for not only luggage but also a couple of Saint Bernads , the four-legged toys of the rich and famous! Leg and knee room at the back is again a tad better than the ML’s direct competitor (yes , you guessed the vehicle right). Add to it a better ride quality and voila! – you literally float over undulations on the road.
Talking of the suspension , there is a provision on the central console to switch between sports and comfort mode. Toggling between them alters the way the suspension behaves. Flying over typical , small state road highways in the comfort mode was super easy and when we were back on the Bangalore-Pune highway , switching to sport mode saw the ML simply shred the Kambhatki ghat twisties without drama. The Mercedes does tend to roll a lot sometimes , making you feel as if its top heavy. When I drove the BMW X5 last year over the same stretch , it felt a lot more composed. But it was at the cost of a soft ride. I for One wouldn’t mind compromising on comfort at the cost of handling. The ML is no sports car. It wasn’t made for drifting across curves and the emulators of Lewis Hamilton will never be its owners. And then you realize that the ML really is like a true SUV.
It will cover kilometers on the highway faster than other powerful premium saloons. This , while you are unaware relaxing in the back seats or behind the wheel without knowing that you are doing twice the speed limit. At the same time , the ML will take you to places you have always dreamt of whether it is the high altitudes of Leh-Ladakh , the deserts of Rann , the virgin beaches of the west coast , the  backwaters of Kerala or perhaps just a short day drive as I did. During my 250km trip , I felt and experienced the big ML through literally every kind of environment and road surface it will ever be subjected to. The 234bhp 3.0-litre diesel motor not only felt quite refined but also had a solid thrust even at triple digit speeds for overtaking. The 535Nm of torque kicks in at just 1600rpm , and came in handy while negotiating steep off-road hill sections near Panchgani. The ML remains as quick (and fuel efficient) as its predecessor and the highly technologically advanced seven-speed automatic transmission performs best when left in the auto mode. However , there is a fraction of a lag when you wish to close in on highway traffic as the ‘box takes some time before kicking down.
The ML has a lot of other aids like the 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive system and the start-off assist that really comes handy when starting off from steep ascents. Mercedes has emphasized on safety a lot with features like PRE-SAFE and NECK-PRO systems. All this (and other upgrades) come at the same sticker price of Rs 54 lakh (ex-showroom) which is bang in the company of the likes of the Audi Q7 and the BMW X5. It might not have the sheer road presence of the mammoth Q7 or the sporty character of the X5 , but if you want a SUV that performs while pampering you in typical tri-star fashion , the ML is the vehicle to have.
More photos:
|
Most high end SUVs these days are owned primarily for showing off rather than for utilizing their potential. Besides the owners who don’t care to Venture out into the unknown , the vehicles themselves aren’t capable of anything more than negotiating a small off-road stretch. Today’s SUVs might look big and burly with selectable / real-time or all-wheel drive systems but when it comes to taking the owners (and the occupants) through some serious off-road sections , most of them have their tails between the
legs , literally. The ML320 , on the other hand , tries and excels in justifying its very existence. The pictures you see on these pages were taken in terrains that would make a lot of SUVs lose their dignity. The ML , true to its nature , not only impressed but also pampered and cocooned us like a luxury set of wheels should or rather a four-wheeler with the three-pointed star on the grille should.
The latest generation ML was officially launched in India a month ago. There are minimal yet significant design changes to the vehicle. Sharper angles with prominent creases lend a muscle packed aspect and fine lines define its dynamic proportions. The ML is more like Daniel Craig than Arnold Schwarzenegger – muscular yet an elegant , smart looking SUV. The front grille now sports a chrome trim and the front apron has been reworked with a sump shield. The windshield slopes more and the front styling is more car like than ever before with a low , wide perforated grille that displays the tri-star and is flanked by complex , faired projector beam headlights. The lamps have been redesigned and as you move your eyes towards the rear; the distinctive , sweeping exterior mirrors and the darkened tail lamps in the redesigned rear bumper as well as the dual-flow exhaust system make the vehicle’s sporty and aggressive nature clear at the very first glance. Mercedes is also offering optional accessories like clear-glass-look tail lamps with LED units.
Behind the four-spoke steering wheel , as a driver or as an enthusiast , you always feel that you have spend your money well when it comes to the ML’s faultless , lavish interiors. Quality is the usual Mercedes affair and usage of lighter colour for the fascia and seats lends a very airy feel. There is an array of buttons on the central console with each responsible for a particular , well defined task (like the DSR and ride control switches I talked about earlier). Ergonomics are very good , and in fact , you feel a
lot more comfortable with negotiating City traffic in the ML as compared to a few of its rivals. Room for passengers is also impressive. There are just five seats but they are very comfortable nonetheless. Being a five-seater , there is ample space in the ML’s boot for not only luggage but also a couple of Saint Bernads , the four-legged toys of the rich and famous! Leg and knee room at the back is again a tad better than the ML’s direct competitor (yes , you guessed the vehicle right). Add to it a better ride quality and voila! – you literally float over undulations on the road.
Talking of the suspension , there is a provision on the central console to switch between sports and comfort mode. Toggling between them alters the way the suspension behaves. Flying over typical , small state road highways in the comfort mode was super easy and when we were back on the Bangalore-Pune highway , switching to sport mode saw the ML simply shred the Kambhatki ghat twisties without drama. The Mercedes does tend to roll a lot sometimes , making you feel as if its top heavy. When I drove the BMW X5 last year over the same stretch , it felt a lot more composed. But it was at the cost of a soft ride. I for One wouldn’t mind compromising on comfort at the cost of handling. The ML is no sports car. It wasn’t made for drifting across curves and the emulators of Lewis Hamilton will never be its owners. And then you realize that the ML really is like a true SUV.
It will cover kilometers on the highway faster than other powerful premium saloons. This , while you are unaware relaxing in the back seats or behind the wheel without knowing that you are doing twice the speed limit. At the same time , the ML will take you to places you have always dreamt of whether it is the high altitudes of Leh-Ladakh , the deserts of Rann , the virgin beaches of the west coast , the
backwaters of Kerala or perhaps just a short day drive as I did. During my 250km trip , I felt and experienced the big ML through literally every kind of environment and road surface it will ever be subjected to. The 234bhp 3.0-litre diesel motor not only felt quite refined but also had a solid thrust even at triple digit speeds for overtaking. The 535Nm of torque kicks in at just 1600rpm , and came in handy while negotiating steep off-road hill sections near Panchgani. The ML remains as quick (and fuel efficient) as its predecessor and the highly technologically advanced seven-speed automatic transmission performs best when left in the auto mode. However , there is a fraction of a lag when you wish to close in on highway traffic as the ‘box takes some time before kicking down.
The ML has a lot of other aids like the 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive system and the start-off assist that really comes handy when starting off from steep ascents. Mercedes has emphasized on safety a lot with features like PRE-SAFE and NECK-PRO systems. All this (and other upgrades) come at the same sticker price of Rs 54 lakh (ex-showroom) which is bang in the company of the likes of the Audi Q7 and the BMW X5. It might not have the sheer road presence of the mammoth Q7 or the sporty character of the X5 , but if you want a SUV that performs while pampering you in typical tri-star fashion , the ML is the vehicle to have.
More photos:
Content courtesy:
marvaleous car
tuje pane ki icha le jange dil wale tuje le ke jange I am sure u r my dream