THE 2007 MERCEDES BENZ R CLASS COMBINES THE TRAITS OF A SEDAN, MINI-VAN AND SUV INTO ONE WORLD-CLASS TOURING MACHINE. THE R320, R350, R63 AMG AND THE R 500 WE DROVE ARE CONVINCING EVIDENCE THAT THE COMBINATION WORKS.
MERCEDES' CORPORATE COUSIN, THE CHRYSLER PACIFICA, MAY HAVE BEEN THE FIRST INCARNATION OF THE CAR-MINIVAN-SUV RECIPE, BUT THE R CLASS TAKES THAT CONCEPT TO ENTIRELY NEW UPMARKET LEVELS. THIS IS A LUXURY VEHICLE THAT PROVIDES SEATING FOR SIX BY WAY OF THREE ROWS OF TWO SEATS, AND MERCEDES PREFERS TO CALL THIS ALL-PURPOSE CONFIGURATION A "PREMIUM SPORTS TOURER".
R CLASS SUVs ARE POWERED BY A SELECTION OF ENGINES INCLUDING A V6 AND TWO V8'S. OUR R-500 HAD A 5-LITER 302 HORSEPOWER V8 THAT WORKS UP 339 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.
ALL R-SERIES POWERTRAINS INCLUDE AN OUTSTANDING SEVEN-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND ALL COME WITH A FULL-TIME ALL-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM.
THE R CLASS IS BIG AND THERE'S NO HIDING IT. THERE'S LITTLE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT STYLING-WISE, AND THE LONG REAR DOORS ARE AN IMMEDIATE TIP-OFF THAT THE R CLASS'S MISSION IS TO ACCOMMODATE AS MANY PEOPLE AS IT CAN... IN UNCOMMON COMFORT.
THE INSIDE IF THE R CLASS IS TYPICALLY MERCEDES, WITH ELEGANT MATERIALS PROVIDING A PLUSH, AFFLUENT ATMOSPHERE. THE SECOND ROW SEATS ARE MOUNTED ON CONVENIENT SPRING-LOADED BASES, WHICH QUICKLY SWING THEM OUT OF THE WAY FOR EASY ENTRANCE INTO THE THIRD-ROW SEATING AREA. WITH THE SECOND AND THIRD ROW SEATS LOWERED, THERE'S 85 CUBIC FEET OF CARGO SPACE.
OUR R500 HAD A LAUNDRY-LIST OF STANDARD FEATURES INCLUDING 18-INCH WHEELS, DRIVER SEAT MEMORY, HEATED FRONT SEATS, BURL WALNUT WOOD TRIM, TELEAID AND A SIX-CD CHANGER. OPTIONS INCLUDE CORNER-ADAPTIVE H.I.D. HEADLIGHTS, HEATED REAR SEATS, SATELLITE RADIO, A REAR-SEAT ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM, A POWER LIFTGATE, A NAVIGATION SYSTEM, KEYLESS GO AND AIRMATIC AIR SUSPENSION.
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES INCLUDE ABS, A TIRE-PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM, STABILITY AND TRACTION CONTROL, THREE-ROW SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS, AND A ROLLOVER SENSOR THAT CAN ACTIVATE THE SEATBELT TENSIONERS AND SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS. REAR SIDE AIRBAGS ARE AVAILABLE AS AN OPTION.
THE BASE STICKER PRICE FOR THE 2007 V8 POWERED MERCEDES-BENZ R500 IS $50,500. THE V-6 POWERED R32O STARTS AT $44,000. OPT FOR THE R63 AMG AND YOU'LL SPEND $87,400.
BUT THIS ISN'T YOUR BLUE-COLLAR, THROW THE KIDS AND THE DOG INTO THE BACK FOR A RUN TO THE BEACH KIND OF SUV WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. IT'S A SERIOUS LUXURY TOURING MACHINE THAT INTEGRATES THE MOST DESIRABLE ATTRIBUTES OF A SEDAN, MINIVAN, AND SPORT-UTE-ALL WEARING THE MERCEDES PEDIGREE.