Debut for pioneering - R-Class Sports Tourers The groundbreaking new R-class Sports Tourer is the talk of the motoring industry. The R-Class Sports Tourer is a totally new kind of vehicle - no manufacturer has ever produced a model that has such versatility. It is equally suited to devouring long distances on the open road, or making the short trip to deliver the kids to school. Although the R-Class is most definitely an all-rounder - excelling in all areas - nothing has been sacrificed. It delivers the best of all worlds, with its sporty performance, luxurious interior and svelte looks. And, as the model carries the Mercedes-Benz marque, it is a given that it will have a wealth of advanced and sophisticated safety features as standard. Admiring glances Be prepared for some admiring glances at the traffic lights and in queues when taking the R-Class Sports Tourer out for a spin - it is a handsome vehicle with smooth, clean lines and a distinctive design. At first glance, people cannot always work out whether it is a Sports Tourer, or a saloon - which is understandable given that it is in fact all these things in one neat and exquisitely designed package. In short, the R-Class Sports Tourer is whatever the driver and passengers want it to be - which makes it the perfect town and country vehicle for Hong Kong, versatile enough to be used for everyday urban usage and for special occasions such as trips out into the more far-flung regions, or even across the border to China, where it will easily cope with the less-smooth road conditions of Guangdong. Powerhouse unit Where to begin when listing the merits of the R-Class Sports Tourer? Well the engine is as good a place as any; this is the powerhouse unit that allows the vehicle to carry people in quiet, yet quick, style. The R500L version with a V8 petrol engine has ample muscle and can shoot away from a standing start to 100 kilometers per hour in seven seconds flat - leaving many so-called sports cars foundering in its wake. That model, and others in the R-Class range, is equipped with 7G-TRONIC Automatic Transmission System, a unique transmission design that is so smooth gear changes are almost imperceptible. That is but one of the factors making the ride as smooth as silk. The R-Class models have permanent, all-wheel drive advanced axle design, rear air suspension, a long wheelbase and a range of vehicle dynamic systems that help to minimize the effects of bumps and potholes encountered along the road. For even greater comfort, there is the option of the Airmatic package, a system which adjusts the damping forces to reduce pitch and roll. This meticulous attention to how the vehicle glides along the road becomes particularly important with a full load - there is space for up to six people in the capacious interior. The design gives passengers a higher elevation than is usual; the two rows of rear seating allow each of the four rear-section passengers to have a window seat. For an even better view - of the sky above - there is the option of having a Panoramic Glass Roof that occupies the entire roof area, not just a portion of it. Creature comforts Staying with the creature comforts, each of the single seats is more like a comfortable favorite chair at home, or the kind of plush office seat that the chairman of the board would occupy. Travelers can sit back and relax - dozing off is easy given the contouring of the seats - or perhaps choose to listen to a selection from the CD player, or watch a DVD, if the vehicle is fitted with the optional Rear Entertainment System. Viewing screens can be neatly fitted to the rear of the front seat head restraints. There is no chance of being too cold in winter, or too hot in summer. The Mercedes-Benz special multi-zone Thermotronic Air-Conditioning System allows for a precision controlled climate. A total of 13 sensors throughout the R-Class Sports Tourer models means the temperature is exactly as requested. Six people can travel very comfortably in the vehicle, but there are many other ways of configuring the R-Class Sports Tourer; with a few deft flicks, it converts into a two-seater with ample room in the back for all kinds of bulky objects such as golf bags, surfboards, tennis racquets, or even suitcases for a weekend away. In fact this is the most spacious car that Mercedes-Benz has ever made, quite a statement considering that most models are fairly roomy with plenty of storage space. Even if the configuration of six on board is kept, there is still ample room for passenger personal effects - two golf bags can easily be slid into the back. The door can also be opened automatically - just one of the many finger-tip controls offered as optional equipment. The driver can, at a glance, check on most functions of the car using the easy-to-read instrument cluster, with its white lighting and sporty appearance. The 7G-TRONIC Automatic Transmission can be operated by controls on the steering wheel. Optimum safety Finally - and very importantly - there is the safety aspect. Everyone knows that Mercedes-Benz is committed to optimum safety, a policy that means almost every new model has an extra little engineering touch that cuts down the risk for driver and passengers. It would take way too much space to list all the advanced safety features of the R-Class Sports Tourer; it taps into a legacy of some 46 years of constant improvement since the first crumple zones and safety passenger cells were introduced. Let's just say that an awful lot of engineering ingenuity can be found on board: the names pretty much tell the story, Pro-Safe, Perform-Safe, Pre-Safe, Passive-Safe and Post-Safe. There are even more examples of the care and attention that German engineers take when building a car such as the R-Class Sports Tourer. The driver and front passenger are protected by two-stage front airbags and sidebags; in the event of a rear-impact accident that reaches above a certain level of force, the active Neck-Pro head restraints are deployed upwards and forwards, thereby reducing the impact of whiplash injury. Once the decision has been made to choose a R-Class Sports Tourer model there is more fun in store. Owners can customize vehicles to suit their own tastes, opting for alloy wheels, metallic paint, the Rear Entertainment System, walnut interior trim, heated front seats, interior and exterior mirrors that dim automatically, or a special surround-sound system that has 11 strategically placed speakers. The R-Class models are available now in Hong Kong and can be viewed at the Zung Fu showrooms where our sales consultants are on hand to explain just what a fabulous car it is - an all-occasion vehicle that is easy on the eye and packs a real punch beneath the bonnet. click to enlarge click to enlarge click to enlarge click to enlarge click to enlarge click to enlarge click to enlarge