| The M-Class sports a familiar face with substantial three-point star, three-bar grille with cutouts in the bars, an air slot right through the middle of the bumper that sweeps up to the headlamps, and a skidplate to make it look more off-road worthy.
The V8 models have a blunter, more menacing front-end, the lower part easily mistaken for a chunk of conrete with inset fog lamps and grilles set to inhale anything not anchored down.
The rear bumper incorporates recessed red reflectors below the taillight clusters, and a stainless-steel skid plate that wraps around dual exhausts and taillamps that gives the impression they are inset by cuts into the tailgate, the whole effect one of more movement.
With dark glass and rear-most pillar, the substantial rear door pillar makes the roof look like it's cantilevered over the back of the car and merely floating in place.
In profile, all ML model wheel arches loom large and prominent.
There's an unmistakable character line rising front to rear with a widening rub strip as it goes, and a forward-slanting C-pillar that frames trapezoidal rear side glass.
A high-tech scratch resistant paint, embedded with thousands of flecks of ceramic, is standard.
It should be welcomed by those owners who actually decide to challenge overgrown trails, or those who share their garages with kids, toys and bicycles.
The Premium 1 package includes an optional power liftgate operated with the key fob.
Several cargo organizing devices are available as accessories.
The ML63 AMG is not as readily distinguished from the ML550 as in the past.
The divider between the upper and lower cooling slots in its front bumper is black rather than body color, suggesting one huge opening (an aesthetic improvement); and its 20-inch wheels feature a five-spoke design with intriguing three-dimensional curves.
Quad oval exhausts provide some distinction at the rear. |