New Mercedes-Benz ML 350 CDI Launched

The W164 or the current generation M-Class has had a pretty long and steady life cycle in India. Now Mercedes has just launched the all-new M-Class at a starting price of Rs 5,690,000 (ex-showroom Delhi) which is sure to take the game far ahead of the competition

It was a long time coming but it’s finally here. Mercedes-Benz has finally rolled out its brand new M-Class in India. Now in its third generation, the all-new M-Class (Read : First Drive) is pretty much in its most visually distinctive avatar. Exhibiting a strong identity, its elegant and powerful lines make quite a bold statement. Apart from that the V-shaped styling of the rear apron and radiator area is complemented by many other design details to give the vehicle a particularly impressive presence.

The interior has been upgraded, with more standard equipment, more ergonomic controls, and beautiful blocky burl walnut trim on the dash and doors. The front seats are extremely comfortable, with lots of travel up and down and back and forth. 

The rear seat seems even roomier than before because the seat backs now recline. Measured against comparable predecessor models, the new engine range for the new M-Class offers an increase in performance of up to 23 per cent with a simultaneous reduction in fuel consumption and emissions of up to 28 per cent.

Under the hood, the V6 unit puts out 258PS @ 3600rpm. Precise and fast piezo injectors, a high injection pressure between 1600 and 2400 bar, and an optimised turbo-charger combine to produce an immense peak torque of 619Nm. Handling transmission duties is the enhanced 7G-TRONIC Plus 7-speed automatic transmission and the Direct Select lever on the steering column. Seven forward gears allow optimum revs at all times, thus reducing fuel consumption. 

In city traffic especially, the 7-speed automatic transmission brings about a further reduction in fuel consumption thanks to the ECO start/stop function which stops the engine automatically when the vehicle comes to a halt. 

To handle situations other than tarmac, the ML comes with 4MATIC all-wheel drive system as standard. This coupled with the direct steer system and the Airmatic suspension package means the ML can get out of a lot of tricky situations. The all new M-Class has been priced at Rs 64,78,589 for the Launch Edition and Rs 55,85,365 (ex-showroom Mumbai) for the Bridging Edition.

ML 350 CDI Launch Edition

Ex-SH Delhi - INR 6,600,000

Ex-SH Mumbai - INR 6,478,589 

ML 350 CDI CBU Bridging Edition

Ex-SH Delhi - INR 5,690,000

Ex-SH Mumbai - INR 5,585,365