2011 Mercedes Benz m Class
The 2011 Mercedes ML class, or "M class" as it's usually referred to, played a huge role in the onslaught of luxury and near-luxury SUV’s that the late nineties and early 21st century brought. Initially, the Tuscaloosa, Alabama-produced truck was received with an equal amount of praise and criticism. Some on the left praised Mercedes-Benz’s attempt at the SUV market (the older G class notwithstanding), while others condemned its exterior styling as “minivan-like” and its cabin more like a Ford than a Mercedes. The last major update in 2009 changed all that.
Now, the ML benefits from a much larger selection of trims. Not only that but it's also made, inside and out, light years better than the original model. For 2011, the M class is available in either a 6- or 8-cylinder engine. The six-banger includes: the ML350, ML350 BlueTEC diesel, and the ML450 (which is also the Hybrid version of the bunch). The upper-level V8’s are the ML550 and the blazing fast super-sport ML63 AMG.
While the ML350 and ML350 BlueTEC have a respectable average of 230 horsepower, the ML450 Hybrid boasts an even heartier 335 horses. What’s more is that the former gets as good or even slightly better gas mileage than its 350 siblings—to the tune of 20/24. The ML550 is where the big-boy power is, though. It commandeers a powerful 5.5L V8 that’s worthy of 382 horsepower and comes standard with Mercedes-Benz’s 4MATIC technology. Finally, for those who aren't satisfied with anything but the best (and whose wallets are near bottomless), the ML63 is one of the meanest, fastest SUV’s on the planet, boasting a whopping 503 horsepower V8 beast within. Expect to pony out around $93,000.00 for the former.
The styling of the 2011 ML class continues to be a fantastic success. The 3-point star grille, angular headlamps, and the contouring of the front and rear couldn’t be any better. The standard 18-inch alloy wheels look great on it, but the optional 20” ones (standard on the V8, optional on the sixes) look far better for an SUV of these proportions (which isn’t either too large or too small, by the way, and seats five people comfortably). All in all, it’s a fresh, much bolder-looking ML than previous models.
The ML class’s interior is, by far, one of the greatest improvements over the original truck. Gone is the questionable use of plastics, vinyl, and rubber. Now, the ML comes standard with deep, lustrous burl walnut wood trim. To cradle your butt in firm goodness there are both vinyl/cloth combos as well as super-high-quality leather seating available. In any trim, however, the fit and finish is near flawless and the design is both ergonomic and gracefully designed—without going overboard (hint: think ‘Navigator’).
Significant options and standard equipment in the ML are pretty generous. It’s a little surprising, though, that a vehicle in this class doesn’t come standard with leather, but nonetheless, the base cloth material still feels upscale. With the Leather Package, items like a wood-trimmed, heated leather steering wheel, a sunroof, and aluminum interior accents are standard. The COMAND system (aka Cockpit Management and Data) is standard across the board, which incorporates many things like navigation, stereo controls, trip information, and so forth. Also standard are a great wealth of advanced safety features as well as other nifty gadgets and gizmos. Naturally, the ML63 AMG has just about every available option in addition to exclusive amenities like super-soft, super luxurious Alcantara leather, a suede headliner, and unique AMG-badging.
The 2011 M class starts out at about$46,000. The 350 diesel runs about $50k, and the V8-powered ML550 levels out at about $58k. Practically in a class all its own, the do-all, has-it-all ML63 AMG will set you back around 93 large. Compare that 30K+ difference to the rest of the pack, and you’ll automatically see why the previous three models command about 90% of sales among the M class line.
