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2002 Mercedes G500
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| Leave the Butler home...this SUV does it all |
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| Updated |
Jun 10, 2004 21:52:43 |
| Rating |
 611 ( -83 -13.58% ) | | Author | Sue Mead |
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Description:
Leave the Butler Home.
Mud bog or ball room--it's all the same for the new Mercedes-Benz G500
On the Road Review
Although the G500 is designed for a market in which functionality can come second to luxury features, this SUV offers more than just a pretty face.
Autobytel Inc. operates the popular automotive websites Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com, Carsmart.com, and Autosite.com.
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Mercedes-Benz, the brand long associated with refinement and sleek sophistication, knows what discerning luxury car customers really want---mud flaps, four-wheel drive and the ability to climb mountains with a shift on-the-fly. Adding another posh SUV to its U.S. fleet, Mercedes is introducing the 2002 G500. Already known in Europe as the Gelaendewagen, which may be loosely translated as "SUV/station wagon that can pull stumps while hauling champagne," this crossover vehicle offers all the capabilities of a true off-road vehicle, combined with this German automaker's legendary comfort and cutting edge technological features. In recent years, the luxury SUV market has grown remarkably, and shows no signs of shrinking despite an economic slowdown. The M-Class, Mercedes' first foray into the high end sport ute market, helped boost Benz sales to record levels in 2000, when this carmaker sold almost 206,000 vehicles in the U.S. alone. The G500, or "G-wagon," as it has been affectionately nicknamed on the Continent, will help answer what has become a seemingly limitless demand for big-performance, big-price tagged SUVs. Mercedes hopes to sell some 2,000 G500s in this model year. More suited for a snowstorm than a shopping trip, the G-wagon has full-time four wheel drive and can climb grades up to 36 degrees for easier access to the mountain chalet or a Grand Canyon ranch. Its looks echo the "new classic" Mercedes design with smooth, slightly rounded corners and a powerful front grille - with no real visual surprises, either good or bad. Under the hood, power comes from the same 5.0-liter V8 as the S-Class sedan and SL roadster. This all-aluminum engine develops 292 horsepower while operating at clean emissions levels. Preliminary EPA fuel consumption test estimates are pegged at 13 mpg city/15 mpg highway. The G500 engine uses a twin-spark/three-valve-per-cylinder arrangement. Two intake valves are accompanied by one exhaust valve per cylinder, which makes room for two spark plugs per cylinder. A dual-path intake manifold boosts low-range torque for quick acceleration and quicker response at all engine speeds. Matched to the G-wagon's V8 is an electronic five-speed adaptive automatic transmission with manual "Touch Shift" and a full-time four-wheel-drive system, which includes a transfer case with electronically controlled high and low ranges. Its fully synchronized low range can even be engaged on the fly, at speeds up to about 15 miles per hour. True off-road credentials come with this suv's torque distribution system, which includes three separate differential locks, at the front, center and rear. Unique amongst current U.S. production vehicles, the system helps drivers reduce wheelspin in extremely low-traction situations. The center and rear mechanical differential locks can be engaged anytime that the G-Class is off-pavement, and if this hardcore runabout gets completely stuck, the front differential also can be engaged for maximum traction.
...Already known in Europe as the Gelaendewagen, which may be loosely translated as "SUV/station wagon that can pull stumps while hauling champagne," this crossover vehicle offers all the capabilities of a true off-road vehicle, combined with this German automaker's legendary comfort and cutting edge technological features... With all due respect to off-road amateurs, most situations won't call for the G500's exceptional drivetrain capabilities. While differential locks are much appreciated by experienced off-road enthusiasts, the G500 also comes with four-wheel electronic traction control for less experienced drivers that will well in most driving conditions. Traction control is integrated with Mercedes-Benz's ESP stability control, which detects an impending spin or slide and applies the brakes to one wheel - front or rear, left or right - to keep the car on track. Calling its chassis "bulletproof," Mercedes has also emphasized safety for its new utility vehicle. The G-wagon features body-on-frame design with a torsionally rigid chassis. Four-wheel vented disc ABS is backed by Benz "Brake Assist," which automatically ensures full-power braking in panic stops and Electronic Brake Force Distribution for stability when braking on curves. Safety is also at the heart of the technological features that make G500 a gadget lover's dream drive. A Tele Aid telematics package provides automatic communication between the G-Wagon driver and emergency services, including GPS tracking and a manual "SOS" button in the cabin when the airbag is deployed in a crash. On a recent ride and drive that included highway, secondary road and backcountry off-road driving, the G- wagon showed refined road manners in all locations. On road, power is ample, steering is linear and the suspension guides it gracefully through corners at speeds up to 80 mph. Above, its square-box design and off-road worthiness begin to show with increased wind noise and the need for more attentive driving. In the backcountry, it's a true charmer with its narrow, short track; high ground clearance and laudable angles of approach and departure; as well as low range gearing and locking differentials that provide the goods to get-up-and-go over a wide variety of obstacles and track conditions. For 2002, Mercedes adds to Tele Aid travel reservations, concert, sporting event and other entertainment tickets, hotel reservations, golf course information including tee times for over 300 U.S. courses, dining information and reservations and other web-based customized information including news, stock quotes, sports and weather. To round out the suite of services in the cabin of this new flagship, a button marked with the symbol of a wrench puts drivers in immediate contact with Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance. Another button marked with the letter "i" connects users with the Mercedes-Benz Client Assistance Center for questions about the vehicle's features, while an additional benefit of Tele Aid is vehicle theft tracking, which can actually help authorities locate the car if stolen. Mercedes wraps all this into a package for just over $73,000. Although G500 is designed for a market in which functionality can come second to luxury features, this SUV offers more than just a pretty face. Its four-wheel-drive and performance capabilities mean that drivers can feel comfortable really roughing it. And, with all the technological creature comforts of a small concierge staff, they can even feel comfortable leaving the butler at home. |
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