Hey guys. I was just handed a brand new chrysler pacifica as a loaner car for my ml350 and was told it was a preview car for the 2006 m-class. I was asked to evaluate it cause it's what the new ml is based on. It's a true 7-seater. so far it feels really good. it drives more like a car and has quite some power. I have three babies in car seats so I'll update later this week as to how it fairs fully loaded.

Get a load of this...I took in my car for a "due bill" item (replacing a dented sill plate) and they hooked me up. You see, last week my kid threw a stone at the ML and dented and chipped the left rear door. I told the service rep about it and he's gonna have it repainted and repaired at MBs expense. Can you believe that? And they're paying for the rental...I think their strategy is working...

 

are you serious? Wow. Dunno about the pacifica tho...

 

need pics!!!

 

try this link

http://www.chrysler.com/pacifica/fea...dex&type=left#

 

Lol - you actually believed someone telling you that the W164 ML is on the Pacifica platform?

For your info, the W164 is based on its own architecture - it has absolutely nothing at all to do with the Pacifica. The upcoming R-Class and G-Class are also based on the W164 M-Class platform.

See this thread for more information:

https://mbworld.org/forums/m-class-w163/84176-05-m-class.html

Hope this helps

 

I was just reporting what my dealership told me. And since Chrysler and Mercedes are the same company, it wasn't totally implausible. It seems like they went really far with their evaluation request to be entirely wrong. Is it possible that they share something in common? We've already seen chrysler/MB share model designs, you know...

 

They don't share anything in common - the Pacifica is related to the Chrysler minivans and gets most of its drivetrain components (engine, tranny, etc.) from them.

The only parts "sharing" that's been done is Mercedes to Chrysler, not vice versa. The Chrysler Crossfire is a rebodied first-generation SLK320 (built in Germany by Karmann, which makes the SLK), and the Crossfire SRT-6 has the SLK32K AMG's supercharged V6, de-tuned a bit. Other than that, the 300C / Dodge Magnum use a W210 (last-gen) E-Class rear end and suspension, and the HEMI V8-powered and AWD models have the MB 5-speed auto transmission, in addition to some MB electronics and other parts.

But no MB has incorporated (or will incorporate) Chrysler parts or platforms.

 

thanks. sounds like you know more than my knuckle-headed dealership. I'll be printing your response and handing it the dealership. I can't believe they went through such great lengths to deceive me...

 

Since when does anyone believe what a dealer has to say.

 

actually, the service rep said it, not a dealer salesperson. And I just spoke with him and he said they all went to a class a few weeks ago for some new MB tech bulletins and they were shown a picture of the new m-class and one of the techs made the observation that it looked like a pacifica and that one of the engineers agreed that it did indeed, and further stated that MB engineers had a hand in the designing of the pacifica body. The service rep agreed that the power train or anything else under the body wasn't necessarily related to the pacifica, only the actual body.

he could still be making this up, i'm just happy they're taking good care of my ML!

 

K yeah - that may be. I guess maybe he thinks there's some similarity in the headlight shape or maybe the fenders or something - slightly photoshopped ML:



Chrysler Pacifica:



Well, we'll see the validity of his design analysis a bit closer to January