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C1 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, September 22, 1999 Mercedes-Benz SUV races past the competition The only way to describe the Mercedes-Benz ML55 AMG is prestigious and prodigious. It is, in one fell swoop, the fastest sport utility vehicle (SUV) on the plan­ et, while having all the appointments and refinements one expects in the E- and S-Class premium luxury Mercedes- Benz sedans. > T P * * J J IM R O B IN S O N RoadWorthy The ML55 AMG begins life as one of the three versions of ML-Series SUVs built in Alabama by Mercedes- Benz. Early versions of the ML320 suf­ fered from a infestation of minor bugs such as too many plasticky pieces on the inside for traditional M-B buyers as well as assorted mechanical problems that crop up on all cars new from the ground up -- except people don't expect that to happen in a Mercedes. With the current crop of ML320 and ML430 models, that has all been elimi­ nated. Frankly, with the 2000 versions coming in a few months, now is the time for those looking at the two MLs to cruise by and talk to their dealer. If you have about $90,000 (a rough guess based on the $64,900 list price in the U.S.) and you want dust off Mustangs and Camaros while being able to go where only dedicated 4X4 trucks can go, the ML55 AMG is the truck for you. The difference between the other MLs and this version are the three let­ ters "AMG" discreetly placed on the rear lift gate. AMG started as a perfor­ mance after market supplier that offered hop-up kits to normal Mercedes sedans. Pretty soon AMG sedans were beating the factory. AMG got to be so good, it became the unofficial racing arm of the M-B, winning the World Sportscar Championship from Jaguar at the start of the 1990s and is now seeing " " 77)7 Mercedes-Benz now offers the fastest SUV on the road in the form of the 150 mph ML55 AMG. the century out with two-straight FIA- GT Championships with the CLK-GTR Silver Arrows streamliners. Mercedes recently bought a majori­ ty share in AMG and plans to offer spe­ cially produced vehicles that can outrun and out handle almost anything on the road. The ML55 is not simply a ML with a V8 engine and stiffer springs and sta­ bilizer bar. The engine is the three- valve, two sparkplug per cylinder Mercedes 5.0-litre V8 from the ML430 but with the stroke is extended to make it 5.5-litres. With a special forged steel "stroker" crankshaft, it produces 342 hp and 376 ft/lb of torque. The original magnesium intake manifold is replaced by a system that has a long intake tube for normal driving. At 3,700 rpm, a butterfly opens allowing air to take shorter ram tubes for maximum high power. All of this grunt is of little use unless you can get it to the ground, ergo 18- inch, special AMG alloy wheels with P285/15 R18 performance tires. Behind the wheels are truly massive 13.6-inch disc brakes front and 13.-0-inch discs rear. Just so you know, the calipers are printed red, one of the few visible signs this is not your garden variety Mercedes SUV. The only other visible signs are the twin chrome exhausts, aforementioned "AMG" lettering on the liftgate, power bulges on the hood a la 300SL, and a big-boy front spoiler with imbedded xenon lights. Coupled with speed-sensitive steer­ ing and the latest anti-lock braking sys­ tem is Mercedes' extraordinary Electronic Stability Program (ESP) that can sense impending loss of control (grip or slippery surfaces) -- and at either end of the car. ESP can apply braking to one wheel to restore stability and that is something you and I cannot do, no matter how skilled a driver we might be. Now having left the others behind with a 0-100 kmh acceleration time of 6.9 seconds and a top speed limited to 150 mph per hour, what about climbing up a hill? Mercedes uses a four-wheel-drive system with a front, centre, and rear "open" differential. It has the ability to sense slips and applies braking to those wheels with the most grip and on virtu­ ally any road surface. But what sets this apart is the system works even when three wheels lose traction. For true off- roading, a switch on the dash selects 4Lo through a two-speed electronically controlled transfer case. This truck has so much torque it almost climbs steep grades at idle. Once inside, the classic Mercedes- Benz heritage is immediately notice­ able. The deep leather seats are tailored to AMG specifications to cup driver and passenger. At the back the three- seat fold down configuration has been replaced with a 60/40 split rear seat with side airbags for rear passenger. Besides near ideal visibility, the ML55 owner will have the unique five- speed automatic transmission found in the new S-Class. This "Touch Shift" box allows the driver to run in normal automatic or shift up and down manu­ ally by a soft touch of the shift lever left or right. As for amenities, the finest leathers, climate control, cruise control, pollen filtration, power everything, Homelink garage door opener are fitted. You name the option and ML55 has it< As far as safety, the ML just won the highest possible rating for crashability in U.S. testing. On normal highways in and around western North Carolina, the ML was fast, and I mean really fast. One person called it Bambi meets Godzilla cour­ tesy AMG. I expected the ML55 to be quick, but what I wasn't expecting was the stability. Sitting up a good 10 inch­ es higher than a sedan, some SUVs can feel pretty tipsy perched up on those extended suspensions. Not so the ML 55 which we later tested at the new Charlotte Motor Speedway Park near Charlotte, N.C. NASCAR racer Ricky Craven had spun out his stock car on the track the day before, but that didn't deter Mercedes from letting journalists see if all the hype about speed, handling and braking was PR-puff or true grit. Hammering down the back straight, it was interesting to watch at a comer where heavy braking was needed. Around and around they went but no one reported brake fade. Imagine tour­ ing at racecar speeds while listening to Vivaldi on the 80-watt BOSE sound system! Someone else called the car one part cheetah, one part billy boat and one part rhino which is very apropos. The Mercedes-Benz ML55 AMG hasn't simply raised the performance or luxury bar in the SUV segment It has ushered in an age of SUVs where premium luxury appointments with state-of-the-art road holding assure owners they can haul cargo and haul butt. 3 days only, September 23-25. Don't m iss i t on all brand new in-stock ML 320s Until September 3 0 /9 9 Signature Class Wartt 7 year. 160,000km on all demo C and E class Mercedes-Benz ME RAY MOTORS & COLLISION LIMITED • Q.E.VV. & Dorval Drive 845-6623 www.meraymotors.mercedesbenz.ca r - - w nt' li http://www.meraymotors.mercedesbenz.ca RoadWorthy on all brand new in-stock ML 320s Signature Class Wartt 7 year. 160,000km on all demo C and E class ME RAY MOTORS & COLLISION LIMITED • Q.E.VV. & Dorval Drive 845-662 3 www.meraymotors.mercedesbenz.ca l