Discovered America with the SUV Mercedes-Benz GL ~ Car news

Interestingly arranged the human brain: the places and events that we do not own information, we, as a mosaic, make up of scraps of other people's experiences. When I found that test-drive a new generation of Mercedes GL SUV will be held in the U.S., the head automatically surfaced collage of images seen in movies, gleaned from books. Statue of Liberty and the skyscrapers of New York intricately entwined with the Golden Gate in San Francisco, Miami Beach, and the lights of Vegas, of course, letters of Hollywood in the hills of Los Angeles.
Albuquerque's only town, in the state of New Mexico, in a string of these pictures were not. And I had to go to the right place. I'll tell you that over the right location for the presentation of the car, perhaps, does not exist.

The answer to the question "Why U.S.?" Really simple. Captain Obvious says: "America - the main market for large SUVs in general and for the Mercedes GL in particular." In the last year alone, to go all over numbered 27,000 Interstate gone "gee-ales" of the past generation. In Stuttgart the hope that the new car is not only not to lose face, meryayas sales to its predecessor, but will be the winner in this contest. To do this, the car will try to improve everything from the comfort and quality of interior finishing and off-road performance and fuel efficiency. Two days for a couple with a new "gee-ale" I discover this nekinoshnuyu America and through a variety of mountain landscapes of New Mexico figured out how much the Mercedes GL, succeeding generation.

Changes in appearance can not be called radical, but an entirely new form of headlights, a modified grille and larger niche diode running lights significantly freshened face SUV.

On the first day of the test insidious dzhetlag made me wake up at 5 am local time. Looking at how the first rays of the sun paint the mountains surrounding the hotel in all shades of orange, I decided to see how high I was. GPS-receiver showed childish 2,300 m above sea level. During the presentation, a figure confirmed by saying that it is this location would allow us, if you have time, take the diesel GL 350 BlueTec to the Pacific Ocean on one tank. And this, in between times, more than 1,350 kilometers to go, though most of the time should be downhill. Claimed consumption in the combined cycle with a car - 7.4 liters per 100 km with a power 258 hp

Adding horizontal podshtampovki leading from the front wing under door handles, gives a stylish large vehicle agility.

Sorry, that will come to us with a diesel car engine easier - GL 350 CDI. Is the problem in the unavailability of urea AdBlue? No, we meet her, you can top up as part of planned TO. The fact that the engines on heavy fuel, calculated under ekostandart Euro 6, organically digest domestic diesel fuel, even at its best. It's sad, but, according to mersedesovtsev, the situation slowly improving, so that environmentally friendly diesel future for our country is not far off.

The smoothness of acceleration inherent GL 450 version, can play a cruel joke: acceleration, better keep an eye on the speedometer.

And here we go to the mountains themselves. However, while on the petrol version of the car in the GL 450. Under its hood, supercharged V-shaped "eight", giving out 365 hp This engine propels the car to 100 km / h in 6.3 seconds. Dynamics can not be called an explosive - here used low-inertia turbine starts to work from the bottom, as a result - pull very smooth, with no dips and peaks. Literally on the road to the hotel amazed soundproofing - signals cut me to the local truck driver and can hardly hear my own horn, as if the ears are pressed against the pillow. This new technology of sound insulation fault - applying sound absorbing material coating. Just like on the new roadster Mercedes SL. So still I feel very uncomfortable, and I omit the glass. Through the open window, along with an unusual mixture of smells of the mountains, steppes and deserts roar burst thoroughbred engine and exhaust system.

Feed the car - the most controversial part of the updated look. Round lights some do not tally with chopped forms dominant in appearance "gee-ale."

Much later, discussing the experience of machines with colleagues, went on the road to top-end GL 500, surprised dissonance in the testimony. They claim that their car is very quiet, and with the release of the motor almost inaudible, even though the car is much more powerful and faster than ours. It turns out, so did special. In Stuttgart decided that people who are ready to spend a lot of money on the most expensive SUV modification, in addition to the speed they want to get as quiet as possible in the cabin.

The current generation of Mercedes GL SUV built on the platform predecessor. However, the latter has been thoroughly redesigned to make the car easier and more comfortable. As a result, the car lost as much as hundredweight!

But back to the road. After passing a short period is as smooth as ice, highway, piercing through tiny villages, which grew in the middle of the desert landscape as if only thanks to the road, turn onto a secondary road. Here, among the sparse vegetation and loose soil cracked commune built Earthship - it established the people who illogically create away from the city centers of civilization in clay and glass bottles, to supply themselves with everything you need: food, electricity, clean water. We are "gee-ale", as if yielding to the spirit of a local rebellion, leaving behind the asphalt and head into the desert.

Only your photos, I was able to see how many stones and pebbles on the bottom of the drums and the arches "gee-ale." Reached the ears of the riders only sounds the largest of them, the others got stuck in sprayed on body parts soundproofing.

Next change of road surface does not make a tangible difference in the comfort of movement. The only change is the background noise, and that tone rather than volume. Just half an hour on the road, and we are coming to the canyon such a stunning beauty that is not purely a tourist stop for a photo shoot with a partner, we simply can not. Imprinting themselves for posterity, raise the car body to its highest position by increasing the clearance to 306 mm, and start going down the path strewn with boulders. And then climb up again and again going to the bottom of the canyon on the current Rio Grande, this time a little faster - we Mercedes posing for cameras and camcorders. Bathing residents look with understanding.

Comfort in driving on rough roads added reduction of unsprung masses. Due to the wide application of high-strength aluminum alloys have to throw to 18 kg from each axis.

And I look forward, and not so much to the side, but on the screen in front. It is broadcast in real time road image, obtained with four cameras and ranked panorama. In the center - the car, and all together gives a sense of the good old game of "Mikromashinki." It takes time to learn to trust the electronics and "go for Instruments", and then I realize that this is a great way to control the parts of the environment, which are hidden behind the windows or the edge of the hood, so - the closest to the car. This especially helps when backing up because the side mirrors have a Mercedes GL just catastrophically small.

Descend the rocky serpentine is not quick at first, but more and more is growing confidence in the abilities of the car.

Once out of the gorge, I get ... No, not in the mountains, or even back to the desert. When the walls of the gorge make way before me a view of the valley where the green grass grazing horses and cows, and on a purely rustic cabin hanging signs "sell fresh eggs." I do not remember at what point it occurred to me that it's in, or an hour later, when I climbed the winding roads unpaved, get in the mountains covered with pines, but I finally figured out why in America are so fond of large SUVs and pickup trucks.

Landing in the car is not the most off-road, I feel like in a car. First, it makes subconsciously doubt the ability of "gee-ale" not head out to catch that suspiciously large bump, but then with increasing confidence comes to understanding what the driver's seat only facilitates control of the car on winding roads.

In Russia climatic zones - great extent, from the one in which you live, the car you can never in my life and did not leave. We can go four hours, and the window will grow all the same trees. Americans, it appears more difficult - I went to visit my grandmother just something for 100 miles, and came as if on another planet and, moreover, has been on the road in two worlds. Then if you really bought the car, be prepared for any syuprizam or look for detour routes. But if you want a sense of freedom - you need a machine that allows you to choose the road itself. Me acquisitive impression of the previously unknown continent, Mercedes GL was the ideal mate. Thanks to him, I saw the parts of America that are hidden from the eyes of people carrying on straight as an arrow highway.

In the new "gee-element" appeared useful for machines of this size function Crosswind Assist, actively suppress lateral wind gust effect on the trajectory of the car. With trucks driving past it, too, must cope.

The same evening, in the sensations of comfort on the move again, my colleagues disagree, but in the back than before, away. No, do not get me wrong, on the pavement even average, by our standards, quality, and certainly frustrating for both the American version - model of comfort. The difference starts to be felt when the road ends and begins just direction. All the difference in the discs. We drive wheels 18 inches in diameter, and colleagues - dvadtsatidyuymovye. We partner with American stones only seen, but also colleagues felt his backside. Engineers say that our option is best for the "gee-ale" in terms of the ratio of the mass of the wheel and tire sidewall stiffness. But the big wheel with AMG logos are so beautiful and so attractive ... It is unlikely that many buyers will refuse the opportunity to have them for the sake of comfort for the broken primer.

These slides with diagonal display GL with off-road package overcomes effortlessly.

The next day I finally took a key from a diesel SUV Mercedes GL 350, and the road that lies mostly on the highway Interstate 25. In appearance - the highway as a highway, but as it turned out, it was in his place in the old days was the legendary Route 66 highway. Then I got a chance to touch the past and the future of America's automotive industry. It is on the main road of America for the first time I was able to trust the electronic control of the car, at the mercy of the system Distronic +. I admired the scenery, noting that it was from these places pictured famous town of Radiator Springs, and the computer will keep the distance to the vehicles running ahead, and in their absence - the set speed.

Architecture of the front one to one repeats what we have seen previously on the model Mercedes ML. In some places, there is a painted metal plastic, which is somewhat confusing. Multimedia System Command pleased beautiful graphics, but very upset unobvious navigate the various menus. Many activities, such as choosing a new destination for the navigation or the track on the connected player suddenly require a lot of manipulation. But now there is integration with Facebook and Twitter, so that in the name of entertainment consoles appeared Online. Cup holders in the center console can be warm or cool drinks, the selected mode is eloquent colored lights.

A couple of times along the way I came across the city, in their line GL properly braked for traffic lights stopped on the machine, but to re-start, the driver must be involved. True, you just touch the gas pedal on automatics take everything on yourself. But the control system for road marking behavior is less clear. When crossing the dotted line without turn signals included steering trouble starts to vibrate, and is a solid pick up the car trying to get back into the strip. This is done not by the drive electric power steering and short braking impulse. Corrective movement because of this becomes quite sharp, and the car rushes to the opposite side of the band, rather than just to correct the trajectory.

Front seats are equipped with solid lateral support reverse ventilation system. Immediately after turning it works like drawing, taking a warm and humid air from the seated person, and only then starts to blow. It is believed that this method is significantly more effective than the traditional one. At least likely to catch a cold should be less.
Rear seats, despite a flat profile, very comfortable. Both rear series are motorized and can be folded out of the car as well as from the trunk.

On subjective perception of the dynamics and acoustic comfort Mercedes GL with a diesel engine is as good as the version GL 450, and on the economy is much superior. Diesel "six", despite a decent gap in the power of the motor version GL 450, clears the moment. It is already 616 N ? m, so that acceleration seems even a little more emotional, while the mark of 100 km / h the car overcomes a half seconds later - after 7.9 seconds. Perhaps this version I liked more than others. She is the family ... or something. After all, is not created GL driver egoist compensating big car small complexes, and for frequent travelers families with three or more children. I've been sharing first place of his wife, and then each of the offspring of the reference collection. And you know, each of these characters, it turns out, is quite comfortable and at ease.

When folded, the third number of seats in the rack holds 680 liters of luggage. The distance from the tailgate to the average sofa backs - 1250 mm. It is encouraging that even in the presence of passengers in the gallery is free space is quite palpable.

Space on the back of the lot is not prohibitive, but absolutely enough. The passengers middle couch own power the climate control, and a host of air - in the center console, the B-pillar and above the doors. Sitting in the gallery that luxury is not allowed, however, has its own ventilation is theirs. But the most important thing in the interior, "gee-ale", in my opinion, not even the high quality finishes and an abundance of advanced entertainment features, and the fact that none of the seven seats in the whole not close the road, I never tired.

While prices are known only to the version of GL 500 - 5 200 000, and later on sale will be a diesel SUV GL 350 CDI. What're to Russia modification GL 450 and how much it will cost is unknown. Live to see the car will be at the Moscow Motor Show. By the way, it will become a platform for the premiere of the "charged" version of the GL 63 AMG.

Whether it's America to me so affected, or Mercedes GL, but the main thing I wanted - do not stop. Go on and on without even thinking about the purpose of travel, and enjoying his process. Ideally - in a diesel engine, with 18-inch wheels, a package of Off-Road Package, make the most untie yourself from following the chain of gas stations and have the opportunity at any time turn to vending path. Continue to discover America. As rightly observed in the conversation simple American taxi driver: "You, Russian, because the country is the same as we do, a lot of places, everywhere is different climate, you want to apply the same car, as we do!" But he did not realize that in our country audience for expensive Mercedes somewhat different, which means that not many "gee-pel" go with the owners to open Russia.

Technique?Mercedes-Benz GL

V8 engine of 4.7 liters will be available in Russia in two versions - with indices 450 and 500. The difference between the motors only in the degree of boosting. Power dvuhnadduvnogo options rose 12% compared to its predecessor, the atmospheric "eight" in volume of 5.5 liters, and the torque is increased by as much as 32% (435 hp and 700 N ? m against the forces of the old 388 and 530 Newtons). Fuel consumption is reduced by 18% - to 11.5 l/100 km in the combined cycle. This was achieved by low-inertia turbochargers, and multiiskrovoy piezo ignition system. Younger version produces 365 hp and 550 N ? m
Mercedes GL second generation became lighter predecessor to 100 kg. To do this, the suspension arms and the hood and front fenders are made of aluminum, applied a new, lighter windshield cross in front of the amp is now made of magnesium alloy, and the front engine support - made of plastic.
For a comfortable cabin temperature meets an extensive network of ducts. Its portion of the conditioned air goes to each of the possible seven passengers.

The system is a set of circular view modes, one will be useful for something the. Parking in enough free space, you can display a combination of the top view and rear view camera readings. If you want to squeeze into the narrow space, will help with the picture of the two side chambers. If we have to move out of the yard with poor visibility of the road, useful panoramic picture from the front and side cameras, covering almost the entire front hemisphere.
Active Curve system controls the front and rear stabilizer bars, disconnecting or locking them, depending on traffic conditions. When the car is traveling in a straight line, stabilizers are open, thereby achieving greater independence of vertical wheel travel, and irregularities that fall under one of them, feel weaker. In turns the same for each of the stabilizers, independently of the others, can be fed extra torque, thereby increasing their effectiveness. In slow moving on the road stabilizers also opened, thus increasing the suspension moves and, as a consequence, the cross.
Crosswind Assist system detects moments when sudden gusts of crosswinds trying to knock down the car with the trajectory and podtormazhivaya wheels on the windward side, the machine returns to the place.

When you create a machine a lot of attention was paid to acoustic comfort. In particular, the reduction of aerodynamic noise. We measured the sound level in the A-pillars and door mirrors. Mirror housings optimized, resulting in a volume with reduced wind noise and the size of the mirrors themselves.

Safety?Mercedes-Benz GL

Front airbags with two-stage opening, knee airbag for the driver and side "curtain" for all three rows of seats are included in the basic equipment "gee-ale." To protect passengers compartment cell surrounded by numerous longitudinal and transverse amplifiers resist deformation. Pedestrians in a collision is to protect against injuries active bonnet, which also includes "the base." To better define the criteria for its intervention in the front bumper has two built-in accelerometer.

Story?Mercedes-Benz GL

Before the official premiere, which took place in 2006 at the International Auto Show in Detroit, Mercedes GL for many saw replacement Gelendvagenu antiquity. Clarity have creators: Mercedes GL was changer rover, once created by the Army patterns, and became the founder of a new class in mersedesovskoy family. Appearance, created by designer Steve Mattin, has been controversial - long car looked too narrow, causing many owners prefer to install the extensions of arches from the list of original accessories. The model GL is a stretched platform of the Mercedes ML second generation. The "gee-ale" more base 160 mm (up to 3075 mm), and total body length - at 308 mm (up to 5088). Coupe was carrying the body, fully independent air suspension (front and dvuhrychazhka multilever rear) and a comprehensive range of engines. Diesel was modified GL 320 CDI (V6 3.0, 224 hp and 510 N ? m) and GL 420 CDI (V8 4.0, 306 and 700 forces N ? m), and gasoline - GL 450 (V8 4.7, 340 and 460 ) and GL 500 (V8 5.5, 388 and 530 respectively). Transmission - a seven-step "automatic machine? 7G-Tronic. As an option for Europeans to be available off-road package Off-Road Pro with three preset modes of the air suspension - with a high ground clearance of 30, 80 and 110 mm (with standard 197 mm to an impressive 307).

In spring 2009, the seven-seater Mercedes GL upgraded. Slightly retouched appearance (mainly optics), slightly altered the interior, but powertrains update does not affect. But the Germans have raised numerals markers diesel versions - up to 350 and 450 respectively. Production of 'gee-ales "engaged in two plants - in Tuscaloosa (USA) and Toluca (Mexico). The United States was the main market. For example, from 2006 to 2010 in the United States implemented the 106,455 cars. And one more interesting fact: the development soplatformennikov Mercedes GL, ML and R Germans spent a modest $ 300-400 million

Source: http://mrcfreemanmr.blogspot.com/2012/08/discovered-america-with-suv-mercedes.html

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