Nevada Jack

Just saw these on another site. Best images yet of the R Class. The lines are more visible in these photos and really show this in NO mini van

http://members.***.net/pewtersport/index.html

I love it

JackStraw

You make it sound as if a minivan in a bad thing. The R is a crossover vehicle, a cross between a 4WD SUV and a minivan. To my eye it looks more like a minivan than an SUV, but unlike you, I do not think this is such a bad thing.

A minivan is a very versatile vehicle, with room for 7 and decent storage space. Unfortunately minivans are not very attractive and are built to a standard that one expects to find in a $20-30,000 vehicle. Probably the nicest minivan on the market today is the Honda Odyssey Touring, which fully loaded goes for about $39,000. As nice as it is, I don't expect it to hold a candle to the GST, nor should I.

As I said in another post, I applaud MB for designing an upscale alternative to people in the market for a minivan. I don't suspect that the folks who opt for an SUV because they can't bear the thought of driving a minivan will be won over by the GST. If they are, it will be because of the badge.

Nevada Jack

My reference to the "minivan" was to some who call it "nothing more than a high priced minivan." If you are comparing it to the present group of SUV's, then yes I would say it is more minivan than SUV.

My own feeing is that when it comes to the actual product on the street it will not get the minivan label. With more interior room than a S Class, more internal volume than the E wagon, and 4+2 seating (not bench) I think the concept that Mecedes has hyped, the luxury cruiser, is more descriptive than minivan.

JackStraw

I actually believe the world can use a "high-priced minivan" as long as it is worth the high price. They can call it whatever they want to. The term "4+2 seating" spooks me a little because it suggests that the third row seats won't have a lot of legroom.

That being said, I have been waiting over two years to see this thing in person. I am most concerned about ease of access to the third row and sufficiency of the storage space behind the third row. I am sure it will be well appointed, powerful, comfortable and quiet.

Nevada Jack

I agree on the "call it anything." I also have been following this since it was first shown and for the time they are taking to get it to the showroom it had better live up to expectations...:-)

I think the storage behind the 3rd row will be minimal. As far as the access I have not seen any pictures with the 2nd row folded down, nor have I seen any measurements on the knee room for the 3rd row. The knee room for the 2nd row is said to exceed that of the S Class back seat.

I will post anything I find out on this GST forum. I am retired and have all day to search and find anything I can find on this car, so stay tuned.

Nevada Jack

JackStraw send me a PM with your email and I have 3 shots from above that gives you some idea of space available. They are .pdf format captured from the German Car Fan site.

TNblkc230wz

And I call it a station wagon. I very large and nice station wagon. I remember sitting in the third row seat (or was that horizonally opposed facing third row seats) of my dad's Mercury Monterey Wagon back in the sixties.

You can't call it an SUV, because most SUVs today are jacked up station wagons. This doesn't appear to be jacked up. The things rednecks built back in the seventies.

You can't call it a minivan because there are no sliding doors. I've owned two Chryslers and they both have sliding doors. The Honda also has sliding doors.

Sorry for sounding like Andy Rooney