Grand Sport Tourer?
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Sacramento Ca
Grand Sport Tourer?
Has anyone seen the Grand Sport? been doing some reading on it and it sounds impressive, the diesel/electric motor and the spaciousness sound enticing. Looking forward to checking it out, looks like it will go into production the end of this year?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: NYC
2002 ML320
The Vision GST (Grand Sport Tourer) will be called the R-Class in production form. The one shown at the Detroit Show now is a slightly more refined version (as in, more production-ready) of the same concept shown at the New York Auto Show in April '03.
Basically, it's intended as a luxury crossover - longer and slightly lower than the next-gen ML, the R-Class will have seating for six. The powerplants in the production version will be normal ones (gas, diesel, etc.) although MB may decide to put in others, such as a diesel-electric hybrid (as in the Detroit vehicle).
The R-Class will be built on the ML platform, also sharing the 4wd system and drivetrain options. It'll likely have a tad less ground clearance and will probably be a bit faster. Also, the top-end AMG R-Class model (which some are saying will be the R63 AMG, with a 6.3L V12) is rumored to be quite a bit more potent than the top-end next-gen AMG ML.
It's a niche vehicle - following the market trend of diversification with more product lines and less numbers for each. MB thinks it has a market - appealing to those wanting a stylish, sporty luxury tourer, more sporty than bland luxury wagons, but not having the height issues of SUV's. It's similar in concept to Chrysler's Pacifica - but the GST (R-Class) is of course bigger size-wise.
The R-Class is going into production right alongside the new ML (W164) in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The ML will be coming late-summer-'04 as a 2005 model, and the R should come very shortly after that, also as a 2005 model.
HTH
Basically, it's intended as a luxury crossover - longer and slightly lower than the next-gen ML, the R-Class will have seating for six. The powerplants in the production version will be normal ones (gas, diesel, etc.) although MB may decide to put in others, such as a diesel-electric hybrid (as in the Detroit vehicle).
The R-Class will be built on the ML platform, also sharing the 4wd system and drivetrain options. It'll likely have a tad less ground clearance and will probably be a bit faster. Also, the top-end AMG R-Class model (which some are saying will be the R63 AMG, with a 6.3L V12) is rumored to be quite a bit more potent than the top-end next-gen AMG ML.
It's a niche vehicle - following the market trend of diversification with more product lines and less numbers for each. MB thinks it has a market - appealing to those wanting a stylish, sporty luxury tourer, more sporty than bland luxury wagons, but not having the height issues of SUV's. It's similar in concept to Chrysler's Pacifica - but the GST (R-Class) is of course bigger size-wise.
The R-Class is going into production right alongside the new ML (W164) in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The ML will be coming late-summer-'04 as a 2005 model, and the R should come very shortly after that, also as a 2005 model.
HTH
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 4,781
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From: Boston
'05 A4 1.8TQM6
Check out www.MBUSA.com
it's on their front page...atleast it was last night. Should be a link at the bottom for it.
-G-
it's on their front page...atleast it was last night. Should be a link at the bottom for it.
-G-
