jtorrebl

A near $60k car with no xenons is rediculous. Gl's and r classes in this price range also suffer from this. Why mb? Hopefully just the led headlights will be delayed at launch. I don't want to have to wait till Jan for a basic luxury car option.

GregW / Oregon

HIDs were available at launch for the W164. Must be a supply issue. No mention of an LED headlight option has been mentioned that I've seen, and I doubt it would be available on the ML for at least a few years.

jtorrebl

The order guide.
And shown down in this thread
https://mbworld.org/forums/new-m-cla...ml-review.html

GregW / Oregon

What's mentioned is "LED daytime running lights," not headlights. I would say that's what the band of LEDs in the headlight photo are.

jtorrebl

Sorry about confusion. I know no led headlights, but hoping that only the headlight with integrated LED drls is delayed and not a regular headlight with xenon and no LED drls in it.

GregW / Oregon

Gotcha. I guess the question is whether you lose the lower valance LED strips with the headlight-integrated ones. Both might be overkill.

GregW / Oregon

Here's a comparison of halogen and HID/LED setups.

lkchris

Not ridiculous at all.

There are plenty of we old-time Mercedes owners to whom you couldn't give HID lighting.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...dvantages.html

GregW / Oregon

Of course, that article was written in 2003, when HID automotive lighting was in it's infancy (both the light source and the light assembly/optics design), and he still concludes, "HID headlamps can be an improvement over halogen ones...." As an architect who deals with lighting, I know in the 8 years since, with advances in HID (Xenon) technology the color rendering has gotten better. Projection systems with self-levelling have also been refined. Add the 2-3 times more light output, up to 50% lower energy consumption and 700% life expectancy and halogens don't stand a chance. If you believe halogens are better you truly are "old-time."

jtorrebl

Deal breaker. Looks like I'm gonna get another audi. ML without the options I want on launch will likely make me get a q5 (coming from a q7). That and timing, we have been without a second car for a month now and just can't wait to for basically a base ML. I'll might wait till sept to look at it but it doesn't look good.

lkfoster

+1. I won't even consider a new car that doesn't have them.

dougiebear

this Rant not so much for you personally Greg so please dont feel attacked but a general observation of comments in 2012 ML blogs

Thanks for the photos and link so all the ?????? can see that the LEDS are blinker/signal lights DUH
Must be American to think luxury cars must have Bixenons.
Europe has a much higher lighting standard then North America
first Audi Q5 does not really have them only the non active kind(boring) you pay extra to get active, except the high end models A6-8, Q7?
US cars for the money you pay are so decontented its not funny.
Americans simply would not pay what Canadians and the rest of the world pay for a Mercedes. even the hood is different here and you do realize bixenons are optional in 2011 USA ML's?
Sorry to rant just tired of people here whining.

The 2012 ML Bi's are actually ACTIVE HIGH BEAMS check it out on merecedes benz TV on youtube. Its worth waiting for.
READ MORE FOLKS SPEAK LESS

Stesl

yes you are right, but in the rest of the world, italy for example a ml 350 bluetech cost about 65.000 euro not 55.000 dollars..it's a bit different..

jtorrebl

My Rant is due to not having a car well optioned out at launch (with Xenon's, would you really want a car for 3 years with Halogens? )and personally for me since I have to get another car soon for a growing family. Other SUV's are out now and have xenons which are a must have for me.
I also want the sport appearance package but not available at launch. Probably available in Europe, but I'm not sure. It's just that we get shafted with options here in the US, but do get better prices though.

So it's a rant to MBUSA to get these good options available sooner.

GregW / Oregon

Any clue why the HID package is not available until later? It was available on the W164 at launch.

jtorrebl

Probably just a supply issue (japan quake delay?)
In audi it's delaying a chip for reverse cameras. They have to install at a later date.

YYZ-E55

The bi-xenons will be available in the spring (in time for ML 550/63 launch). Development delays/supplier issues.

AF330i

I agree with the OP why Xenon's are an option on these cars I have no idea. I jsut picked up our second GL450 and I could not find one with the Xenon's ... I know it is late in the year but my other 3 cars have the Xenon's and they light the road much better then the GL does with the Halogen's.

jtorrebl

Need the car for September and will then buy European parts to install when available. Was going to hold off due to unavailable sport exterior but stock white looks pretty good as is. I have some 20" AMG cls type rims that I was going to put on anyway. Should be good to go. I saw a factory car yesterday in long beach and posted it's video in another thread. Looks good!

phil17

i read a review today saying they switched the location of the turn signal/cruise control on the new ML...what do you guys think of that?

remoey

According to the Norwegian price list, Bi-Xenon will be available Q1 2012 - my dealer says this has to do with the earthquake in Japan.

Does anybody know why cars are so cheap in the US compared to Europe?
The ML 350 BlueTEC starts at $ 50.000 in the US, but in Europe the price normally starts at US$ 80-90.000.
A few European countries (like Denmark and Norway) have additional taxes on cars. Hold on to your hats boys , the price for the ML 350 BlueTEC starts at US$ 185.000 in Norway.
Expect to add another US$ 30.000 to get a decently equipped one.

GregW / Oregon

These are the prices in Germany, base and with 19% sales tax.

ML 250 BlueTEC 4MATIC €46,200 / €54,978
ML 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC €49,350 / €58,726.50
ML 350 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY €47,700 / €56,763

European countries do tend to tax vehicles heavily, but even the base price is higher than the US, as you can see. Different market forces at work. The US has no federal tax, and where I live there is not state sales tax either.