Design is really new on the 2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class, it has been treated to a substantial facelift. Every inch of sheet metal forward of the A-pillars — including the hood, fenders, grille, and bumper. The completely redesigned front end completely transforms its overall appearance, taking its inspiration from Mercedes-Benz sedans and SUV models. Alongside its fresh exterior, the inner values of the redesigned 2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class also speak for themselves. These include the spaciousness of a luxury SUV, as well as the safety, style and exclusivity of a Mercedes-Benz sedan.
Forwarded to the appearance LED running lamps — one staple of the revamped GL — lurk in the lower bumper openings in lieu of fog lamps. 17-inch, five-spoke aluminum wheels are standard, although a new sport appearance package adds AMG-designed 19-inch rims, along with smoked tail light lenses.
The interior are slightly less extensive. It has six-passenger seating remains standard, although a 7-passenger arrangement, which replaces the second row of buckets with a split bench seat, is optional. For the most part, the R-Class’s cabin is left untouched, although it is now available with either a beige-on-brown or gray-on-black two-tone scheme.
For North America, the R-Class remains a two-model lineup. The 2011 R350 continues to utilize Mercedes-Benz’s 268-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6. Diesel fans will likely want to spring for the R350 Bluetec, which uses the same 215 horsepower, 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6 as the ML350 Bluetec and GL350 Bluetec. Both the gasoline and diesel engines are mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission, which channels power to all four wheels via Mercedes’ 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system.
