R-Class (crossover Minivan)

The R-Class is a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) offered by Daimler AG in 2006 model year under the Mercedes-Benz brand. It is the first full-sized multi-purpose vehicle ever produced by Mercedes-Benz. It was first seen at the 2001 Detroit Auto Show as the Vision GST (Grand Sports Tourer) concept, and the final production vehicle was shown at the 2005 New York International Auto Show. The R-Class is built on the W251 chassis, and is assembled in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Mexico City. It is priced between the M-Class and the GL-Class. It was initially marketed by Mercedes-Benz as a "Sports Cruiser" and later as a "Family Tourer". The AMG version of the W251, the R63 AMG, was introduced at the 2006 North American International Auto Show as a 2007 model. It features a handbuilt 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, but the R63 features AMG-calibrated shift times with shifting buttons on the back of the steering wheel. The R63 AMG is electronically limited to a top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h), with 0-62 mph time of 5.0 seconds. Due to low sales, as the majority went for diesel R's, the R63 was taken out of production in 2007 with the first facelift for the R-Class.

The new, high-torque engines in the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter harmonise perfectly with the likewise new ECO Gear six-speed manual transmission. This makes a major contribution to fuel economy and the improved driveability and agility of the new-generation Sprinter. The new transmission was completely newly developed for use in vans, and is likewise produced in-house. The outstanding feature of this new transmission is a particularly wide ratio spread, with a low-ratio first gear and a high sixth gear for lower engine speeds. This is a dedicated design for vans, and takes typical situations such as moving off uphill with a trailer under difficult traction conditions or long-distance motorway journeys into account. The new transmission makes for generally much lower engine speeds in the interests of low fuel consumption and great economy. These are accompanied by lower exhaust and noise emissions and improved ride comfort. Compared to previous transmissions, the most noticeable difference is the slightly lower first gear ratio and the roughly 15 percent higher sixth gear ratio, which is a precondition for keeping the engine speed low even when driving at higher speeds.

The lower first gear assists the driver during slow-speed manoeuvring and allows the vehicle to move off without a slipping clutch. It also makes moving off easier in difficult conditions. The housing of the new transmission is of aluminium. Both the dimensions and weight correspond almost exactly to those of the previous manual transmissions. The quieter operation of these transmissions also has acoustic advantages. As before, Mercedes-Benz favours a wire-controlled gearshift system with an ergonomic joystick-type shift lever in the dashboard for the Sprinter. This is completely isolated from the transmission. The new operation with a transverse shaft concept leads to highly precise gearshifts. The rear drive axles for the Sprinter have remained generally unchanged, and the final drive ratios are also the same as in the previous models. Thanks to the powerful new-generation engines and the wide transmission ratio spread, the lowest of the final drive ratios previously available has now been omitted, however, though it still remains available on express request for special purposes.

Customers have a choice of two final drive ratios for normal road operations, and in conjunction with the wide range of engines these allow the Sprinter to be perfectly configured for the type of operation intended. In conjunction with the new, agile high-torque engines, the new transmission with its wide ratio spread allows a very relaxed style of driving. The generally low engine sped level and the numerous technical innovations considerably reduce both exhaust emissions and fuel consumption. Depending on the output variant, the NEDC fuel consumption is between 0.5 and 1.0 litres per 100 km lower than that of the preceding models. The difference is even greater in the case of the V6 CDI: depending on the configuration, a lower NEDC consumption by up to 1.5 litres per 100 km is achievable. This fuel saving spells striking financial advantages for high-mileage operators: for an annual mileage of 50,000 km, and depending on the model, the new-generation Sprinter saves between around 250 and 750 litres of fuel per year.