Island Life Magazine Ltd January/February 2006 | Page 62

MOTORING

Mercedes-Benz
a real multi-tasker
Called a Sports Tourer, this six-person crossover is designed for utility—
without sacrificing luxury, comfort or driving enjoyment.

So what is it? The R-Class is a vehicle that can comfortably carry six
adults (or four adults with ample legroom and plenty of luggage
space), but still drives like a high-performance luxury car.
The exterior design of the R-Class cleverly disguises the vehicle's size,
particularly from the rear view. The R-Class offers a fun-to-drive
element that is hard to find in a traditional SUV or minivan. The sixpassenger R-Class offers individual seats in each seating position.
Second- and third-row seats can be folded separately to create
additional cargo room. The rear seats fold to create a flat cargo floor,
and the optional second-row centre console can be removed.
The R500 has enough power to satisfy all but the most hard-core
enthusiast, yet the R350 still delivers in the performance department
with a 268-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine combined with the sevenspeed G-Tronic automatic transmission and 4MATIC all-wheel drive.
The R350 delivers enough power for confident passing on two-lane

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highways; even without the optional air suspension the handling is
good. Amazingly enough, for a vehicle with this level of passenger
and cargo volume the fun factor remains.
The R-Class design is immediately recognizable as a Mercedes-Benz,
with the signature grille that relates it to other models in the lineup.
The R-Class has a large volume of interior space for passengers or
cargo, but it really shines in the driving department. The R-Class is a
people mover that enthusiasts can love.
For the Affluent Late-Forming Family or the Socialite Empty-Nesters
that Mercedes-Benz has identified, or anyone who enjoys driving
sports cars but needs the capacity for passengers or cargo, the RClass might fit the bill—just don't call it a minivan.
Prices will range from £42,000 to £55,000 when this stylish Merc
goes on sale spring 2006. The R-Class will be offered in both long
and short wheelbase versions, but the extra £1500 asked for the long
wheelbase version is more than worth it, if for nothing else than how
good the car looks with a few more inches on the wheelbase. Both
petrol and diesel versions will be available.
For information contact:
Esplanade Ltd
Medina Avenue
Newport
Isle of Wight
01983 52 32 32
www.esplanade.co.uk