Refined power. The new M-Class Body You need look no further than the design of the new M-Class, with its beguiling blend of strongly contoured surfaces and taut lines, to admire the majestic character of the second-generation Off-Roader. The swept-back windscreen, striking front wings and rising shoulderline of the new car sets the unashamedly sporting tone, a theme developed by the proportions of the body: the new M-Class is 150mm longer (now 4780mm), 71mm wider (now 1911mm) and 5mm lower (now 1815mm with roof rails) than its predecessor. The wheelbase has grown by 95mm to 2915mm. Click to enlarge The interior The interior of the M-Class also exhibits typical Mercedes quality, thanks to higher-quality materials, more pleasant touch and feel characteristics and significantly improved spaciousness for all the vehicle's passengers. For example, at 880mm, the distance between the front and rear seats is 15mm greater than that in the outgoing model, achieving a level more familiar in a luxury-class saloon. Knee-room for the rear passengers has been increased by 35mm and elbow width by 32mm. Engine and transmission The ML 350 and ML 500 boast a repertoire consisting of smoothness blended with top performance and high torque levels. The new ML 350 deploys four-valve technology to elicit up to 200kW (272hp) of power and a peak of torque of 350Nm from the V6 engine. It reaches a top speed of 225km/h and is propelled from 0 to 100km/h in 8.4 seconds. You will experience the ride comfort and power delivery of an 8-cylinder engine in the ML 500: its virtual statistics of 225kW (306hp) of power, 460Nm of peak torque, a top speed of 240km/h and a lighning-quick 0 to 100 km/h acceleration time of 7.0 seconds make this the most powerful M-Class. The unique seven-speed automatic transmission 7G-TRONIC is fitted as standard in all variants of the new M-Class. Intelligent shift management allows the transmission to make optimum use of the engine's enviable reserves of power, while making a major contribution to fuel economy. 7G-TRONIC can now be operated electronically using a gearshift lever positioned close to the steering wheel, a new system which Mercedes-Benz calls DIRECT SELECT. Additional steering-wheel gearshift buttons enable the driver to glide manually through the seven gears. The off-road package with AIRMATIC Mercedes-Benz has taken the permanent four-wheel drive and 4ETS traction systems to the next level by incorporating additional functions such as Downhill Speed Regulation, Start-Off Assist and the off-road ABS system. The M-Class can be ordered with two different variants of the four-wheel drive system, allowing it to meet the varying requirements of off-road drivers: in addition to the basic version, the new Off-Road Pro engineering package is optionally available; it enables the M-Class to master even the toughest routes across rough terrain. The air suspension also significantly improves ride comfort, which is why Mercedes-Benz offers a road-going version of this technology as an option. AIRMATIC teams up with the Adaptive Damping System (ADS), which adjusts shock absorber response to suit the current driving situation. All this accelerates the M-Class into a new dimension in driving dynamics and ride comfort.