Mercedes unveils 2012 M-Class

[ifcar]

More:
http://www.insideline.com/mercedes-benz/m-class/2012/2012-mercedes-benz-m-class-revealed.html

[cawimmer430]

Wow. First BMW with the new 1er, now Mercedes' with this monstrosity. What an ill-proportioned car. Hideous. Absolutely hideous. 

The interior doesn't appeal to me at all. Very "Americanized". I get the feeling that this new ML was designed for the North American market from ground up.

[Laconian]

It doesn't look like they went "out there" with this model - very conventional IMO.

[cawimmer430]

Strangely, on Japanese-car forums "they seem to like this design". 

The responses over at Club Lexus for example have been mostly positive regarding this thing. 

[CALL_911]

The Jeep GC looks more upscale, IMO.

[Colonel Cadillac]

I never really liked the way the ML looks. The proportions work much better on the GL, which I imagine will look like a bigger this, but better.

[Colonel Cadillac]

On the note of the GL, BMW really dropped the ball canceling plans for the X7. I see loads of Mercedes GLs around here.

[Submariner]

Wow. First BMW with the new 1er, now Mercedes' with this monstrosity. What an ill-proportioned car. Hideous. Absolutely hideous. 

The interior doesn't appeal to me at all. Very "Americanized". I get the feeling that this new ML was designed for the North American market from ground up.

Hideous?  Maybe not anything fantastic, but hideous? 

I'll reserve my judgment until I actually see one, but I think it looks pretty good.   

The interior, OTOH looks great off the bat. 

[ifcar]

The profile is shaky toward the rear; I think the rest looks pretty good. Interesting that Wimmer dislikes it so -- it looks very much like a conventional Mercedes.

And the rear is a vast improvement over the current model.

[cawimmer430]

Hideous?  Maybe not anything fantastic, but hideous? 

I'll reserve my judgment until I actually see one, but I think it looks pretty good.   

The interior, OTOH looks great off the bat. 

Yep, hideous. Look at how "small" the tires look compared to the hugeness of the car. That creates an ill-proportioned car. I'm just not feeling it. 

[Atomic]

Wow. First BMW with the new 1er, now Mercedes' with this monstrosity. What an ill-proportioned car. Hideous. Absolutely hideous. 

The interior doesn't appeal to me at all. Very "Americanized". I get the feeling that this new ML was designed for the North American market from ground up.

looks too much like the 2011 ford explorer! however, i think the 'benz was in the planning longer judging from early spy photos of the 'benz shown long ago.

wow... whoever would could have predicted a far better looking mercedes m-class based dodge durango (2011) and '11 jeep grand cherokee (although always better looking than the 'benz suv offerings), imo.

the interior? not bad at all, actually. everything looks simplified and controls appear straight forward. kudos for this.

[Madman]

The styling doesn't really break any new ground but it will sell in droves bacause of the three-pointed star on the grille.

[Submariner]

The styling doesn't really break any new ground but it will sell in droves bacause of the three-pointed star on the grille.

Merc's lineup for the most part, is top notch (though, the SL is showing it's age and the G needs to be dramatically overhauled)

[Submariner]

Yep, hideous. Look at how "small" the tires look compared to the hugeness of the car. That creates an ill-proportioned car. I'm just not feeling it.  

One of the best looking SUV's on the road (along with the G-class) is the Range Rover (IMO)...I don't see much of a proportional divverence between overall vehicle size and wheel size.



The same goes for the G-class.



I wouldn't call the new ML a great design, but I think in person, it could turn out to be pretty good.  

[Catman]

Looks decent

[BENZ BOY15]

I agree, decent. But i like the GL & the Range Rover better.

[CJ]

I think it looks pretty good.  The rear looks a little odd, but I think it looks alright.  The interior looks great.

[cawimmer430]

@ Submariner

You know I like Mercedes (History & Heritage in excess, baby!  ).

But I simply don't like this design at all. Maybe it'll look better in person, but from the press photos right now, which already try to show the product in a good way, the car looks horrible.

Interestingly enough, the responses from North Americans about this car are quite positive leading me to believe that this car was specifically styled for the North American market. Porsche did the same with the new Cayenne.

[hounddog]

The Jeep GC looks more upscale, IMO.

And better in every way.

The Impala derived rear wheel swoop looks ghastly on their other cars but rises to the level of hideous on this thing.

I would rather have an X3 every day of the week, and twice on Sundays.

[Tave]

Looks like every other modern Mercedes to me. Northing "Americanized" about the design: all the design cues are pulled directly from existing models.


I don't particularly like it, but I don't dislike it, and I see northing that rises to the level of revulsion.

[Atomic]

The styling doesn't really break any new ground but it will sell in droves bacause of the three-pointed star on the grille.

not too sure if that "three-point-star..." led to extraordinary m-class sales pre-2012 model year. i could be wrong, but don't m-class sales pale in comparison to acura, audi, bmw, infiniti and luxus brands' top suv/crossovers? needless to say, it MUST be generating $$$ or their wouldn't be a new model that's not such a far departure from its predecessor.

[ifcar]

not too sure if that "three-point-star..." led to extraordinary m-class sales pre-2012 model year. i could be wrong, but don't m-class sales pale in comparison to acura, audi, bmw, infiniti and luxus brands' top suv/crossovers? needless to say, it MUST be generating $$$ or their wouldn't be a new model that's not such a far departure from its predecessor.

Infiniti doesn't have a strong seller in that class, and Audi is missing an M-Class slot in its lineup between the Q5-GLK and Q7-GL matchups. The MDX and X5 do better than the M, but Mercedes has somewhat split its luxury SUV customers among the M, R and GL; Acura and BMW only have the one vehicle in that segment.

Lexus is the clear leader with both the popular RX and -- for some reason -- GX, however.

[omicron]

It's less objectionable than the GLK or E, that's for sure. It almost looks too short in that front 3/4 view, but it's relatively inoffensive and recognisably Mercedes.

[Colonel Cadillac]

Infiniti doesn't have a strong seller in that class, and Audi is missing an M-Class slot in its lineup between the Q5-GLK and Q7-GL matchups. The MDX and X5 do better than the M, but Mercedes has somewhat split its luxury SUV customers among the M, R and GL; Acura and BMW only have the one vehicle in that segment.

Lexus is the clear leader with both the popular RX and -- for some reason -- GX, however.

And there's your complete market analysis

[Cookie Monster]

It looks OK I guess. The back is kind of weird.

And I keep getting a Chrysler vibe from the interior for some reason.

[S204STi]

I don't mind this at all.  Whereas BMW's styling team is apparently retarded, Merc and Audi appear to be on an even keel, and their design language is still handsome.  Not bad at all.

[Colonel Cadillac]

Merc and Audi appear to be on an even keel, and their design language is still handsome.  Not bad at all.

I agree there.

[Atomic]

here are additional pics... some how, the pics look more appealing below or i am getting to like (err... tolerate) the 2012 m-class, which BTW (past/2011 models), never looked that great to begin with:

http://carscoop.blogspot.com/

[cawimmer430]

Although the rear light design on the new M-Class are clearly evolved from the current W245 B-Class, the organic design of the rear in general reminds me of the Fiat Stilo Weekend which had a similar design back in the day.

[Galaxy]

Must be something in the water over here, since I also think the exterior looks horrid. However I quite like what I see of the interior.