LAUNCHED: NEW MERCEDES-BENZ R-CLASS FACELIFT

Mercedes-Benz might not readily admit that its R-Class is not a fire cracker on the sales charts, but the fact that two facelifts have been performed on the luxurious people mover so far, on its own speaks volumes. Merc ain’t givin’ up though. The crossover is now available from dealerships around the country, sporting a new look courtesy of several updates.

Mzansi first got a taste of the biggie over two years ago when we received stock of the facelift model from Europe. Now we are getting a second facelift. In keeping with recent facelift tradition, only a few touches were made. They may or may not be noticeable, depending on how much interaction you’ve had with the R-Class. A new front end with a refreshed bonnet, front grille and surround is featured. Integrated LED daytime running lights and bi-xenon headlights are installed. On the whole the front end is much more attractive than before and falls in line with Merc’s latest product offerings. The same applies to the rear end which now has new tail lights and a rear bumper.

Three models are sold at this point. The baseline is an R300 sporting a 3.0-litre V6 engine pushing 170kW at 6000rpm and maximum torque of 300Nm between 2500rpm and 5000rpm. Company claims 9.6 seconds for the 0 – 100km/h sprint and top speed of 222km/h. A spirited drive between George and Port Elizabeth did not produce the latter figure but we did manage over 170km/h, which is more than adequate for such a car.

Following the R300 is the R300 CDI, a turbo diesel motor running at 140kW at 3800rpm and at 440Nm between 1400rpm and 2800rpm. The engine behind the scenes is a 3.0-litre V6 that accelerates from 0 – 100km/h in 9.5 seconds, just topping off at 215km/h. Average fuel consumption is 7.7 litres per 100km. C02 emissions are 234g/km. It seems a new trend to use big engines but downsize their power in less expensive models. Funny enough these figures are similar to ones made by the BMW 530d of two generations ago. I did enjoy putting the R300 CDI through its paces though. While it may not have sheer acceleration on its side, the torque is thick enough to pull it at a reasonably pacey speed.

At the top is the R500, a petrol V8 of 5.5-litre displacement. Power is 285kW at 6000rpm and torque is rated at 530Nm. It should be quite strong on the freeway and on take-off. Drive for the R500 comes through Merc’s 4MATIC AWD and the SA operation has decided to offer this model only in long-wheel-base (LWB) which means it is longer and can take up to 7 passengers with all the seats up.

All three are suited with a 7G-Tronic gearbox which is best left at automatic mode rather than using the paddles behind the steering wheel to shift it (where applicable). Apart from the R500, the other two are rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and come fitted with 10-spoke alloys of 18-inch size and 255/55 R 18 tyres. The R500 has 255/50 R 19 tyres.

Because this is a family vehicle, safety becomes much more of a concern than in other cars. That means technologies like ABS brakes with Brake Assist, an Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), an array of air bags, ISOFIX attachments for child seats, belt tensioners and the PRE-SAFE system.

I’m must admit to being a little disappointed with the dashboard though. One expects updates to filter through into the interior as well, but it seems Mercedes-Benz was only happy to put on a new face for the R-Class. If you’ve been inside a new Merc over the past three years you’ll feel right at home here. I was thinking the S-Class’s look would be transferred into the R-Class as well, but instead it keeps the old dials, radio system. At least buyers can now choose a two-tone colour scheme.

An entertainment system accessed through the COMAND APS centre with a 6-CD changer, a 16.5cm display, 4GB for storage and a reverse camera if installed. Harman Kardon came to the party with their Logic7 sound system.

A number of hacks present at the launch shinding in Knysna last week questioned the very idea of a people-moving Mercedes-Benz, forgetting that the brand is also offered on busses and massive trucks as well. “What’s the point of it?” mused one. I actually get the point. When you own a number of cars but none of them fulfil the dream of carrying all your people in sumptuous surroundings while maintaining a certain level of status, then an R-Class is but one of a handful of solutions.

Mercedes-Benz R-Class Pricing

R300 V6 (R577 400)

R300 CDI (R582 400)

R500 4MATIC LWB (R823 400)