Utilisateur:Vascer/Classe A

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Mercedes-Benz Classe M de 2^e génération

La Mercedes-Benz Classe M est un SUV de luxe de taille moyenne avec des capacités légères de tout-terrain. La première génération a été introduite en 1997 et 1998 et était devenue un symbole de la maison à Stuttgart. Elle est le premier vrai 4x4 de luxe sortie après toutes les Range Rover. Elle est construite à Vance dans l'Alabama et était développée dans la perspective du marché américain car à cette époque, seules les classes C et E se vendaient relativement bien. Pour le marché européen, elle a été fabriquée pendant 2 ans entre 2000 et 2002 à Graz en Autriche. La seconde génération a été présentée en 2005 au salon automobile de Detroit. Celle-ci ajoute plusieurs fonctions techniques

[modifier] W163 (1998-2005)

Modèle:Infobox Automobile generation

La Classe M était le premier SUV qui incluait un système de stabilité conçu pour détecter une perte de contrôle et pour ainsi intervenir instantanément avec le freinage qui permet de remettre le véhicule sur sa trajectoire initiale. Ce système a été maintenant vérifié par des experts en matière de sécurité et ces études ont démontré que ce système de stabilité électronique est capable de réduire le taux d'accident jusqu'à 30%. Celui-ci est nommé ESP comme sur tous les modèles de Mercedes-Benz. En plus, la Classe M ajoute des airbags frontaux et latéraux dans les portières avant et après et une meilleure détection de l'occupation du siège du passager avant. Ces nouvelles fonctions ajoutées à la structure légendaire des Mercedes-Benz en ont fait un des modèles ayant recu une des meilleures cotes de sécurité. Pour le modèle de 2007, on la classée comme supérieure dans les critères de sécurité.

Initial quality was poor, and jokes about an "Alabama Mercedes" began to make the rounds. A road test on the BBC programme Top Gear revealed that the presenter, Jeremy Clarkson, could put his fingers into the gap below the rear lights and above the rear bumper. This improved over the years, especially after a mild facelift for 2002. However, owners are often unhappy with the car's quality - for example, the car was placed last out of 142 cars in the Top Gear Motoring Survey 2004. DaimlerChrysler spent US$600 million on improvements at the Alabama factory before launching the second-generation ML in 2005.

The modified W163 that appears in Steven Spielberg's movie The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997).

Before the vehicle was launched, Mercedes-Benz allowed the producers to use two pre-production M-Class SUVs in the film The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and used the vehicle's appearance in the film as a way to advertise it when it was launched. As a result, a Mercedes-Benz ad appears before the film on original VHS copies of the film.

Major model variants have included the ML320, ML350, ML430, ML500 and ML55, along with the 4-cylinder ML230 and the turbodiesel ML270 CDI and ML400 CDI in Europe. The ML55, or ML55 AMG, featured a V8 engine made by AMG, modified body-work, and other performance features. Pricing initially was US$33,950 for the base model in 1998. The ML350 replaced the ML320 as the base model in the United States in 2004.

The M-Class was Motor Trend magazine's Truck of the Year for 1998. The ML320 was voted the 1998 North American Truck of the Year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, in January 1998.

Pope Benedict XVI in his 2002 ML430 Popemobile

The current Popemobile is based on a W163 ML430 and has been in service since July 2002.^[1] VW had offered to build a new vehicle based on the Touareg, but Pope Benedict XVI declined as he prefers to ride in a Mercedes-Benz.^[2]

The W163 was also the chassis of choice for Formula One medical cars in 2004. ML55 AMGs were on standby at strategic locations around the track to deliver emergency medical personnel in case of a serious accident.

[modifier] W164 (2006-present)

Modèle:Infobox Automobile generation The redesigned M-class (chassis name W164) was introduced to the public in April 2005 as a 2006 model after showing at the North American International Auto Show in January. It is almost entirely new, with a more sporting, aerodynamic look—the coefficient of drag is down to 0.34. Mercedes-Benz has also made the new M-class larger, measuring 150 mm longer than the first model. The M-Class was named "Best New Sport Utility Vehicle" in the 2006 Canadian Car of the Year awards. The back was commonly referred as a shoebox so Daimler Chrysler spent most of their $600 million dollars on redesigning that part.

Due to public knowledge of poor quality control at the Vance, Alabama factory (in Tuscaloosa County), Mercedes-Benz extensively publicized the US$600 million that was spent to update the factory and add additional manufacturing space for the new R-Class. According to early automotive press reports, the 2006 M-Class vehicles demonstrate vast improvements in build quality.

The W164 platform used for the new M-Class is shared with the new GL-Class and is a unibody type rather than the former (W163) body-on-frame used by the M-Class vehicles produced from 1998-2005. The X164 GL-CLass, a longer 7-seater version of the W164 platform, is also available.

New features in the 2006 M-Class include the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed transmission, optional Active Curve-Illuminating Bi-Xenon headlights which "steer" in the path of the vehicle, and an adjustable-height air suspension. The base price for the ML350 in the US is about US$43,500.

4-valve engines are replacing the previous 3-valve SOHC V6 and current 3-valve V8:

ML350 - 3.5 L 4-valve V6, 272Hp(258 ft·lbf)
ML500 - 5.5 L 4-valve V8, 382HP(550 N·m)
ML550 - 5.5 L 4-valve V8, 382HP(550 N·m)(North America)
ML63 AMG - 6.2 L 4-valve V8, 510HP (347 kW)
ML280 CDI - 3.0 L V6 Turbo Diesel, 188HP (325 ft·lbf)
ML320 CDI - 3.0 L V6 Turbo Diesel, 224HP (376 ft·lbf)
ML420 CDI - 4.2 L V8 Diesel, 306HP (700 N·m)

Models using Bluetec Diesel engine with urea injection will be introduced for the 2009 model year.

[modifier] ML63 AMG

The AMG version of the W164, the ML63 AMG, was introduced at the 2006 North American International Auto Show as a 2007 model. It features a 6.2 L M156 V8 engine producing 503 hp (375 kW) and 465 ft·lbf (630 N·m) of torque. Mercedes-Benz's 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission is standard. It's capable of pushing the ML63 AMG from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.8 seconds.