Mercedes R Class 2010 / 2011 revealed

The 2010 / 2011 Mercedes R Class will be revealed at the New York Motor Show

The Mercedes R Class is the lost sheep of the Mercedes family of cars. From the outside it looks like a posh people carrier. Which is exactly what it is. But for some reason Mercedes doesn’t seem to have allocated much in the way of a marketing budget for the R Class, and the money it has spent has gone on proclaiming the R Class as a sort of Sports Tourer. An S Class Estate substitute, of sorts. Or something.

So with such muddled marketing, and a less than convincing looking product, it would be no surprise were Mercedes to knock the whole R Class on the head. But instead they’re having another go with a heavily facelifted model which is going to get a debut at the New York Motor Show later this week.

Gone is the droopy and ineffectual nose to be replaced by a sharper snout with a more upright grill, new headlights and the double-fogs we’ve already seen on the new E Class. A huge improvement on the old front end. Round the back there’s a few tweaks and mid-cycle refreshed but nothing on the scale of the nose.

Inside the changes are less extensive, but then there’s nothing much wrong with the inside of the R Class in the first place. There’s new colour choices for the leather and you’ll be able to order an AMG interior (which makes us wonder if we’ll get an R55 model), and goodies like NECK-PRO head restraints and Blind Spot assist are added to the extensive options list.

All great improvements to what is essentially a very sound car. It just needs marketing differently. What about pitching it as a big, luxury, seven seat SUV but without the grief from the eco-mentalists? Or a low-riding luxury people carrier? Either say what it is. The current marketing is as confused as the currents car’s ineffectual looks.

More details when we get the official release at New York.

By Cars UK