Mercedes W166 differs from most in compact dimensions, high level of safety and wealth of equipment. German designers have developed a universal car according to the canons of the US market - with a voluminous trunk, fast on the highway and providing high off-road capability. In the front part of the body, the W166 model resembles the more expensive Mercedes-Benz GL-Class - almond-shaped headlights are located high on the ledges of the front fenders, the radiator grill has similar three horizontal bars and the Mercedes logo. The W166 has the same huge bumper, equipped with multi-level air intakes, bright accents and stylish LED strips of daytime running lights. The hood is raised above the front, giving the vehicle a solid, arrogant look.

The history of the creation of Mercedes Benz ML W166

It was demonstrated in 1997. These cars were intended primarily for the North American market. They appeared in Western Europe in the spring of 1998. Three versions of the model with. The vehicles are equipped with hydromechanical automatic transmissions with a speed limit system. Also, the package included an independent suspension of all wheels, a transfer case with a reduction gear, a frame chassis.

Mercedes Benz ML-Class (W166) was officially presented in autumn 2011 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. He appeared in Russia in the spring of 2012. With the change of generations, the SUV retained the platform of the previous W164 model, but increased in size.

Technical features of Mercedes Benz ML-Class W166

The vehicle was originally designed to provide the best possible crash safety. Mercedes M-Class provides passengers with protection potential above average. The SUV is made on the basis of a frame structure. Three cross members and two of the rigid box sections are welded to form a staircase-like structure.

The body is securely connected to the frame with ten rubber mounts, which minimize vibration and noise while driving. Thanks to such a solid structure, in any collision, Mercedes passengers are practically not endangered due to the fact that the body is deformed, while the volume of the cabin remains constant and leaves enough space for survival.

In this model, original technical ideas are implemented, first of all, it is all-wheel drive, which is constantly included. The specialists did not use differential locks in the junction box and drive axles, but at the same time they provided an electronic traction control system on each wheel. All models, except ML 230, are equipped with Dynamic Stability Control, which improves the vehicle's stability on all roads.

Mercedes Benz ML-Class (W166) is equipped as standard with the ASSYST active service system, electric windows and mirrors, airbags, anti-theft system, power steering, light-alloy wheels, remote control central locking, air conditioning.

The body color range is quite diverse: standard black, white, obsidian black, tenorite gray, iridium silver, tanzanite blue, citrine brown, pearl beige, palladium silver. The salon is spacious and bright, it has many functions. But the basic properties for comfortable control are provided in additional options.

Interesting facts about the Mercedes Benz ML-Class W166

The Mercedes logo was coined in 1909. According to the official version, it symbolizes the company's success on land, in water and in the air, since the company was engaged in the production of not only cars, but also engines for aircraft and ships. There is also an option according to which three beams mean the trinity of the driver, passenger and mechanic, which guarantees safety for the driver, convenience for the passenger, and reliability for the mechanic.

Test drive Mercedes Benz ML-Class (W166) in Russia took place on July 21 at Panavto. Two versions were presented at the test: Mercedes ML350 petrol and ML350 with sports equipment. The participants agreed that diesel performed better than gasoline. Good acceleration, pleasant sound, silence in the cabin. Mercedes ML has become more luxurious, more ergonomic, but at the same time has not lost touch with previous generations.

Pros and cons of Mercedes Benz ML-Class W166

Mercedes Benz ML-Class (W166) has several advantages: a pleasant and spacious interior, a reliable engine, optimal fuel consumption, a large, convenient display and a spacious trunk.

Among the minuses, one can note not the most convenient flat mirrors, thick front struts, somewhat restricting the view, uncontrolled automatic switching on of low beam, high cost of a car.

The steering wheel in the parking lot and when driving in the city is very light, on the track it becomes heavier, which is convenient. The suspension is soft, comfortable, but if you hit the hole, the impact is well felt. The rear seats fold down flush with the floor for a large, flat surface.

In the 90s, SUVs gained immense popularity, even a brand that had no "civilian" SUV before, apart from the paramilitary "G" -class, released the first generation "ML". The production of the Mercedes ML began in 1997, the model carried the W163 index, and the second generation was launched in 2005, the W164 index. The first two generations sold 1.1 million copies worldwide. The third generation of the Mercedes SUV is produced on a common platform with. The third ML received an index - W166. Mercedes is somewhat inferior in size to such cars as, or, but this is also an advantage in city traffic. The first two generations were very popular in the CIS, as evidenced by the fact that every Mercedes sold in 2012 in Russia was exactly ML - class.

Appearance:

The appearance of the new Mercedes B166, in comparison with its predecessors, can be characterized as more sporty. The car retained the branded rear pillar, which was also found on the W163. Compared to the previous -W164, the drag coefficient has dropped from 0.34 to 0.32 - this is a positive factor affecting fuel economy and acoustic comfort. In comparison with its predecessor, the length of the new item has increased by 24mm, width by 15mm, and height by 14mm. In the basic version, tires with the dimension 235/65 R17, 255/55 R18 are installed, but twenty-inch tires are offered as an option for the all-wheel drive Mercedes. The horizontal line of LEDs installed in the side air intakes looks very impressive.

Salon:

Words about the highest quality of performance will be superfluous. The car is equipped with the Pre-Safe system, which, if necessary (upon impact), tightens the seat belts, closes the windows and sunroof, and sets the seats to the optimal position from the point of view of safety. An optional night vision system is offered - Night Viev Assist Plus, which is known from the S-class W221 executive sedans. The night vision system is able to recognize people. On the armrest, between the seats there is a washer that controls all-wheel drive, the system has six modes: automatic - for daily driving, light off-road - dirt roads and country roads, serious off-road - the area where you need to "climb", Winter - mode for roads covered with snow and ice, trailer - mode for towing a trailer, and mode - Sport. It is very interesting that the sport mode is available only for cars with an optional offroad package, as you know, good cross-country ability contradicts the perfected handling, it looks like the Germans have decided to create the most universal vehicle. spring suspension (adjustments are made using special shock absorbers). The basic equipment of the Mercedes ML W166 includes Thermatic dual-zone climate control and cruise control. The seat adjustment buttons are located in the Mercedes style - on the door cards. For the legs of passengers in the second row, 15mm has increased in comparison with the W166. The luggage compartment holds 690 liters.

Specifications Mercedes W166

The second EmElka from Mercedes in the B166 body was equipped with permanent all-wheel drive, as well as a start / stop system already in the basic configuration. A car with a spring suspension can overcome a ford with a depth of 50mm, and a Mercedes with an Airmatic suspension with the ability to increase the ground clearance to 285mm can overcome a ford with a depth of 600mm. Versions with the on & offroad package, in addition to the air suspension, are equipped with additional body protection from below, as well as a cross-axle differential lock, let alone the assistance system when starting up the hill, as well as the assistance system when descending a hill. The optional Active Cruve System minimizes roll when cornering. the option is only available in Mercedes with air suspension. Off-road, a button labeled offroad helps a lot, which allows the wheels to slip, and also engages higher gears at higher revs than usual.

As a gearbox for any of the versions, only one is available - the seven-speed automatic transmission 7-G Tronic Plus. On tests carried out by foreign journalists, the SUV withstood, without a skid, lateral acceleration with a force of 0.85g.

The base diesel engine - ML 250CDI produces 204hp and 500N.M of torque - this allows you to gain one hundred kilometers in 9s, and the maximum speed, even with such the least powerful engine, is 210 km. A more powerful diesel engine - 350CDI develops 258 horsepower and 620 N.M, with such a diesel the SUV gains a hundred in 7.4 seconds, and on the highway it is able to develop 224 km. The gasoline ML350 with a capacity of 306 horses and a torque of 370 N. M gains the first hundred in 7.6 s, the maximum speed is 235 km. The top ML500 develops a power of 408 forces, which allows it to accelerate to a hundred in 5.6 seconds. ML 63AMG develops 525hp and 700N.M. ML63AMG accelerates to a hundred in 4.8s, the maximum speed is electronically limited to 250 kilometers.

Let's pay attention to the technical characteristics of the petrol Mercedes ML350 W166 with a conventional, spring suspension.

Technical part and characteristics:

Engine: V6 3.5 petrol

Volume: 3498cc

Power: 306hp

Torque: 370N.M

Number of valves: 32v

Performance indicators:

Acceleration 0 - 100km: 7.6s

Maximum speed: 235km

Average fuel consumption: 8.5L

Fuel tank capacity: 78L

Body:

Dimensions: 4804mm * 1926mm * 1788mm

Wheelbase: 2915mm

Curb weight: 2175kg

Ground clearance: 202mm (air suspension, up to 285mm)

Price for Mercedes W166

The Mercedes B166 SUV can be bought for an average of $ 100,000 - $ 120,000. The cost is mainly determined by the engine installed under its hood. The most "affordable" diesel 250CDI is priced at $ 70,000, while 63AMG costs $ 250,000. The petrol ML 350 costs $ 74,000.

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Mercedes Vito W638 - Mini Overview and Specifications

The third generation Mercedes-Benz M-Class (factory index W166) was officially presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in autumn 2011. The new Mercedes ML appeared in Russia in the spring of 2012. In our review, we will try to understand the technical characteristics of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz ML crossover (engine, gearbox, 4Matic all-wheel drive, Airmatic air suspension), evaluate the overall dimensions of the body, the possibility of equipping with rims and tires, choose the color of the SUV, sit in the cabin , look into the trunk, take a test drive, find out prices and find out the nuances of operation and fuel consumption. Our traditional assistants will be photo and video materials, analysis of numerous reviews of the owners of the Mercedes M-class model 2012-2013.

With the change of generations, the German premium crossover SUV Mercedes ML (W166) retained the platform of the previous generation of the model (W164), but slightly increased in size. External dimensions dimensions the bodies of the new ML are: 4804 mm long, 1926 mm (with mirrors 2141 mm) wide, 1796 mm high, 2915 mm wheelbase.

• The ground clearance of the Mercedes Benz ML is 191 mm or 202 mm for crossovers with spring suspension, for cars with pneumatic bellows adjustable clearance from 180 mm to 255 mm.
• Depending on the wishes of the car owner, the car can be shod in tires on light-alloy disks of various standard sizes: 235/65 R17, 255/55 R18, 255/50 R19, 265/45 R20, 265/40 R21, and it is even possible to install rubber 265/35 R22, 285/30 R22, 295/30 R22.

A wide palette is available for body painting colors: non-metallic - Black and White calcite, and metallics - Obsidian Black, Tanzanite Blue, Tenorite Gray, Iridium Silver, Palladium Silver, Pearl Beige, Citrine Brown, the cost of the color is included in the price of the car. The special metallic White Diamond requires an additional payment of 53,789 rubles.
Let's evaluate the appearance of the new Merce Emel visually. It's no secret that the crossover is aimed at the North American market and, of course, German designers tried to make the car truly American - plump, with a mass of chrome elements. The front part of the Mercedes-Benz M-klasse (W166) body is similar to the design of a larger and more expensive one. Neat almond-shaped headlights (xenon) are located high on the ledges of the front fenders, a large radiator grill with three horizontal bars and a large Mercedes logo, a huge front bumper with multi-level air intakes, bright chrome inserts and stylish LED strips for daytime running lights. The bonnet rises above the overall architecture of the front end, giving the car a solid, arrogant look.
When reviewing the body from the side, we observe the familiar proportions of previous generations of the M-class, but the body sidewalls now prescribe more pronounced stampings, the window sill line has become higher, and the original solution of the rear roof pillar and an increase in the glazing area of \u200b\u200bthe stern give the body monumentality. The rear part looks a little heavy, but at the same time solid. Huge chandeliers of dimensional lighting technology go far into the sidewalls, a large tailgate with panoramic glass, a powerful bumper cut from the bottom and decorated with a chrome insert.
We would like to note that the body of the crossover SUV is made of high-strength and ultra-strong steels, aluminum (hood and front fenders) and magnesium alloy parts (cross member between the front struts). The structure of the power frame (cabin capsule) has become more rigid, while the deformation zones have increased, designed to minimize the impact on passengers in the event of an accident. As a standard, the new ML is equipped with an active hood that can be lifted when a pedestrian hits. Also, the developers managed to reduce the drag coefficient of air flow to 0.32 Cx.

The salon of the new Mercedes-Benz ML 2013 greets its five passengers with high-quality finishing materials (fabric, soft plastics, artificial and natural leather, wood or aluminum inserts), there are a lot of variations. The front electric and heated seats (optional ventilation) are comfortable and comfortable, but with insufficient lateral support. A grippy steering wheel with four spokes, a dashboard consisting of two dials in deep wells, only a black and white multifunction screen seems somewhat out of place in a premium car.
The controls are placed traditionally in Mercedes style: on the steering column on the left side there is a multifunctional lever (turn signals, wipers, high beam), under it is the cruise control knob. On the right side there is an automatic transmission joystick. At first glance, it seems that it is very difficult to deal with the switches, but after a couple of days you realize how correctly and logically everything is placed. The design of the front dashboard and center console echoes the GL-class.
In the basic version, the top of the console is crowned with a monochrome 11.4 cm screen of the Audio 20 CD audio system (CD MP3 AUX USB Bluetooth), for a surcharge, an advanced Comand Online multimedia system with a 17.8 cm color screen (navigation, DVD) and Harman Kardon Logic acoustics or Bang and Olufsen Beo Sound. Below is the unit of two-zone climate control (three-zone option), the console goes into a high tunnel, where the control washers for the suspension settings and electronic systems are conveniently and correctly located. Front seats in all directions with an enviable margin, the driver and a large passenger will not interfere with each other. The rear row of seats will comfortably accommodate three passengers, a separate backrest changes the angle of inclination, as an additional equipment for rear passengers, you can install a multimedia system with two color screens. Legroom, overhead and in width may not be record high, but it will be easy to get comfortable.
The huge luggage compartment of the new ML is impressive. With five crew members, the trunk of a car is able to absorb 690 liters of cargo, when the rear row is transformed, a flat cargo area is formed with a width of 1034 mm and a length of 1700 mm to 1833 mm (depending on the position of the first row of seats), with a maximum possible volume of 2010 liters.
The salon is bright, comfortable and cozy, the interior pleases with thoughtfulness, a mass of containers for storing small things and a rich level of equipment. But, alas, basic comfort and driving assistance functions are available as options. And there is something to order: Distronic Plus (active cruise control with the ability to stop the car), Intelligent Light System (adaptive lighting system), night vision system Plus, automatic valet parking, rear view camera, tracking systems for road signs, driver status (Attention Assist ), the intersection of the center line and blind spots, Keyless-go (keyless entry and engine start with a button), a panoramic glass roof with a sliding sunroof and, of course, accessories for the Mercedes-Benz ML.

Specifications Mercedes M-Class 2012-2013: the basic equipment of the M-Class crossover (W166) is equipped with permanent all-wheel drive 4Matic, its correct operation is ensured by ESP, 4ETS, ABS and ASR. The suspension is fully independent, in front on double wishbones, at the rear there is a multi-link scheme (levers, knuckles and hubs made of aluminum alloy), ZF electric power steering is used, there is an Offroad mode, with which the driver can confidently move off paved roads (electronics adapts operation of the engine, automatic transmission, suspension and all-wheel drive for off-road driving). As an option, the Airmatic air suspension and the advanced On & Offroad package are available, which increases the maximum ground clearance to 285 mm with a choice of ground clearance (Auto - standard mode, Sport, Offroad 1 - sandy soil or light off-road, Offroad 2 - heavy off-road, Snow mode, trailer towing mode), there is also a full 100% blocking of the interwheel differential, a low gear. All engines are paired with an automatic transmission - automatic 7G-Tronic Plus and can be equipped with an ECO start-stop system. For the ML 63 AMG version, a special automatic AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic.
In Russia, the 2013 Mercedes-Benz ML is offered with one diesel and three petrol engines.

• Diesel V6 ML 350 CDI 4Matic (258 hp) accelerates a car weighing 2175 kg to 100 km / h in 7.4 seconds, a maximum speed of 224 km / h, fuel consumption in the combined cycle, according to the manufacturer, will be 6.8-7.4 liters. An analysis of the owner's reviews says about the real fuel consumption in the city at the level of 11.5-12 liters, and 8.5-9.5 liters in the mixed mode.

Gasoline engines

• V6 ML 350 4Matic (306 hp) will provide the dynamics of a car weighing 2,130 kg to the first hundred in 7.6 seconds at a maximum speed of 235 km / h. Passport fuel consumption ranges from 7.4 liters on the highway to 11.3 liters in the city, in real conditions the engine consumes 13-14 liters in mixed mode, and in urban driving conditions the consumption can rise to 15-16 liters.
• V8 ML 500 4Matic (408 hp) shoots a crossover weighing from 2130 kg to hundreds in 5.6 seconds, acceleration will slow down when it reaches a maximum value of 250 km / h. Based on the feedback from the owners, it can be concluded that the engine actually consumes 12-13 liters on the highway, and in urban conditions at least 17-18 liters of gasoline.
• The 5.5-liter V8 Biturbo ML 63 AMG (525 hp) shoots the car from AMG to 100 km / h in 4.8 seconds, the top speed is electronically limited to 250 km / h, you can remove the limiter and then the maximum speed will be 280 km / h. Factory data on fuel consumption from 9.6 liters on the highway to 15.7 liters in the city, in real operating conditions, translates into an average fuel consumption that rarely drops below 17 liters, in the city it can be more than 22 liters.

Test Drive Mercedes M-class 2012-2013: it is simply not possible to drive the new Emele calmly and measuredly, even the power of a diesel engine is abundant, the automatic is fast and readily switches up, the suspension settings are pronounced sporty. With a mass of over 2 tons, the crossover is obedient and adequate - the new ML gives drive, speed and adrenaline in the blood. The most interesting thing is that despite the correct and stable behavior on paved roads, Mears did not lose its off-road potential, although it lost the rear differential lock. Of course, it is better to storm off-road on a crossover with air suspension and the On & Offroad package.
According to statistics, only 1% of Mercedes Benz M-class owners are ready to drive their beautiful and expensive car into impassable mud, where a thoroughbred Mercedes will climb and drive forward until at least one wheel can find the proper support. You can also safely force a water barrier up to 60 cm deep. The M-Class is certainly not, but for the remaining 99% of owners, the off-road capabilities of the car will be more than enough.
I would like to say a few words about the typical breakdowns typical for Mercedes of recent years: the main problems will be delivered by the air suspension elements, the electronic automatic transmission control unit, engine sensors and electrical equipment. Given these possible shortcomings and malfunctions, we can assume how much it will cost to buy spare parts, diagnose and repair a Mercedes M-class. It is clear that the service maintenance and tuning of the ML, which is usually carried out by a car dealership (official dealers), will also result in a pretty penny.

In 2011, a new generation of the excellent crossover Mercedes-Benz ML W166 2016-2017 was created, which is an excellent city car that can overcome light off-road conditions. It is also well suited for a family.

This is the third generation of the crossover, which is located next to the GL, it is essentially the same, but longer and slightly in different planes. It's a well-selling model, perfect for those people who want a crossover, but huge and small for them.

The car has changed dramatically in all parts compared to the previous generation. Now we need to understand all the changes in more detail and tell you about them.

Exterior

We will start, of course, with the appearance, because this is the first thing that a buyer or an ordinary car enthusiast sees. The exterior has changed dramatically, the model has become more aggressive, which is what attracts, and a more modern design is also certainly tracked.

The muzzle has a bonnet with small reliefs and small air intakes for exhausting air from the engine compartment. The car has stylish LED and xenon optics made in the shape of a petal. A large chrome grille is located between the headlights. The bumper of the model has air intakes for cooling the brakes, in which there are rectangular fog lights. The ML bumper looks good and has a lot of chrome protection.

The side of the crossover is not as aggressive as the muzzle. Yes, there are quite strongly inflated wheel arches, which are connected by stamping in the lower part of the body. The embossing is deeper at the back, and in the front it is almost invisible.

At the rear, the car has received stylish optics with LED elements. The embossed boot lid is electrically operated. The upper part is equipped with a small spoiler, on which a brake light repeater is duplicated. The massive bumper of the car is equipped with a chrome insert for easy loading of cargo into the trunk. It also has reflectors and plastic protection.

The dimensions of the body have also changed compared to the previous generation:

• length - 4804 mm;
• width - 1926 mm;
• height - 1796 mm;
• wheelbase - 2915 mm;
• clearance - 200 mm.

Specifications Mercedes-Benz ML W166

A type	Volume	Power	Torque	Overclocking	Maximum speed	Number of cylinders
Diesel	2.1 l	204 h.p.	500 H * m	9 sec.	210 km / h	4
Diesel	3.0 l	249 h.p.	340 H * m	7.4 sec.	224 km / h	V6
Petrol	3.0 l	333 h.p.	480 H * m	6.1 sec.	247 km / h	V6
Petrol	3.5 l	249 h.p.	340 H * m	8.5 sec.	-	V6
Petrol	4.7 l	408 h.p.	600 H * m	5.6 sec.	250 km / h	V8

The buyer can choose any power unit from the 5 offered. There are BlueTEC diesel engines and gasoline units that do their job without any problems. You should not expect profitability from them, but you cannot call them gluttonous either.

1. The weakest is the simple 4-cylinder diesel turbo engine. The 2.1-liter unit is also installed on other models of the German company. It produces 204 horses and 500 units of moment. With it, the crossover exchanges the first hundred in exactly 9 seconds, the maximum speed is 210 km / h. Consumption according to the manufacturer's statement in quiet mode will not exceed 8 liters of diesel fuel in the city.
2. The 350th version is equipped with a 3-liter V6 with direct injection. The turbocharged engine produces 249 horses, the torque is over 600 H * m. The dynamics decreased by 1.6 seconds and was 7.4 seconds, the top speed increased to 224 km / h. It is surprising that the consumption has grown by only 1 liter in city traffic.
3. There is a gasoline engine producing the same number of horses, but less torque - 340 H * m. The 3.5-liter aspirated gasoline Mercedes-Benz ML complies with Euro-5 standards and the dynamics of up to a hundred takes 8.5 seconds. The maximum speed is unfortunately unknown, although enough time has passed since the car was released. He spends almost 14 liters of gasoline in the city, the route requires 8 liters of AI-95.
4. A 3-liter petrol turbo V6 is also present in the lineup and is assigned to the 400 version. The unit produces 333 horses and 480 units of torque transmitted to all axles. 6 seconds to hundreds is already quite an excellent result for such a heavy crossover. It will consume 12 liters; this appetite cannot be called great.
5. Most desired version, not counting the 500 version. The 4.7-liter engine is a V-shaped atmospheric eight. 408 horses and 600 units of torque - excellent power, allowing the car to accelerate from 0 to 100 km / h in 5.3 seconds. The maximum speed was limited by electronics. There is already an impressive appetite - 16 liters of 95th gasoline, the track requires 12 liters.

Attention must be paid to the gearbox. A 7-speed automatic transmission is installed here. The Mercedes-Benz ML W166 gearbox is installed on all cars of this model year. There are some differences, but the basic concept is the same. The moment is distributed to all wheels, the proprietary system helps in this.

The excellent comfort running gear is an independent double wishbone system at the front, a multi-link independent system is installed at the rear. There is a lot of comfort, but if you want even more you can install the AirMatic air suspension. Pneuma will receive Active Curve System cylinders and On and Offroad off-road system. Previously, the car was equipped with a hydraulic booster, but after they began to install the ZF electric booster.

Interior

The interior of the car is, of course, at an excellent level, it has a chic build quality, as well as excellent trim materials. Let's start by tradition with the seats, in front there are excellent leather seats with good lateral support and, of course, with electrical adjustments. There is more than enough space, and a person of any size can comfortably accommodate.

The back row is created for three passengers, who can also sit there without any problems and feel comfortable. There is enough space in the back, there is heating in the back, as well as its own climate control.

The driver will get an excellent branded leather 4-spoke steering wheel, which also has aluminum and wood inserts. Also, the steering column has buttons for convenient control of the multimedia system, which we will talk about later. The dashboard looks great too, it has analog gauges that are housed in wells, which looks great. In the middle there are two displays, one is a fairly informative on-board computer, and the top one displays the temperature overboard and the current time.

The stylish ML 2016 center console is essentially the same as on most of the company's vehicles. It has a small touchscreen display for the multimedia and navigation system, which is located between two air deflectors. Below we are greeted by a large number of buttons that are just the same designed to control multimedia. Next is a line with buttons that are responsible for heating and ventilation of the seats, as well as for some other functions. Underneath all this is a stylish separate climate control unit, which is also found in many auto companies.

The car tunnel stands out with a huge niche for small things, in which the cup holders are located. There is also a washer for multimedia, a washer for driving modes and various off-road functions. The trunk in the car is excellent, its volume is 690 liters, the rear seats do not fold.

Price

This is a great crossover that will cost you a lot. Unfortunately, it has already been discontinued, but when it was still on sale, the minimum amount for the basic version was 3,250,000 rubles and this is what it was equipped with:

• leather sheathing;
• 6 airbags;
• control of blind spots;
• collision avoidance system;
• electrically adjustable seats;
• climate control;
• start-stop;
• all-round view;
• cruise control;
• weak audio system;
• parktronic;
• rain and light sensor;
• xenon optics.

Most expensive equipment requested for 4,650,000 rubles, a large amount of equipment was not replenished, an electric boot lid was added, an automatic parking system. All the most interesting things were installed additionally for a fee.

List of options:

• heated steering wheel;
• front row ventilation;
• rear row heating;
• memory of adjustments;
• lane control;
• rear View Camera;
• multimedia for the back row;
• navigation system;
• excellent audio system;
• pre-start heater;
• 20 or 21 discs;
• adaptive cruise control;
• keyless access.

For the city and for small off-road, the Mercedes-Benz ML 2016-2017 in the 166th body is a wonderful car that can go through various irregularities and boast of a relatively low fuel consumption. If you like the Mercedes-Benz M, then this will be a good buy, as you will enjoy a beautiful car, relatively good speed and a comfortable cabin.

Video

First, let's define what can be called a hi-fi level system, and what does not reach this understanding. In the car audio environment, there are certain stereotypes on this topic. And I will voice them here.

A Stock-style system (when all equipment is installed in their original places) cannot be hi-fi. Many people think so, and for good reason. The main disadvantage is the location of the standard speakers. Despite the fact that the acoustics changes to high quality, regular grills remain. Few of the owners are ready to go to the bottom of the alteration, for example, door skins, in order to properly place the non-standard midbass.

The same story with tweeters. Often, a regular place is not the best option for placing a tweeter, but few people want to go for a radical revision.

It is for this reason that most of the installations (and about 90% of the installations all studios do in the Stock style) do not reach the serious hi-fi level. This is not just a theory, but a practice proven in car audio competitions.

The other extreme is serious hi-fi, and sometimes Hi-end.Telling about it doesn't make much sense. I'll just say that in serious systems, the price levels for equipment are so serious that any sane person, having heard how much it costs, for example, a set of top-end acoustics from Focal, will simply twirl a finger at his temple (secretly -under a million rubles )

But there is also a golden mean. Normal hi-fi. Let's call it that. Or - the initial level of a serious approach to car audio. This is when a system is being built, which takes into account to the maximum both the client's wishes regarding the preservation of the interior and free space and the requests of the installer who needs a place and something needs to be redone.

It is about such a system based on the Mercedes ML in the back of the W166 that I will tell you.

The car was bought once in the simplest (in terms of sound) configuration. There was the simplest Command and 2 sets of acoustics. Over time, the owner did only one thing, but the correct action was to change the simple Command to Command 4.5 NTG. The difference is not only in the quality of these devices, but in the fact that 4.5NTG has an optical MOST bus output. This means that you can pick up an almost perfect wideband signal from it and feed it into a new system. Actually, optics is, as it were, an ideal medium for signal transmission (pure digital, no distortion or interference).

At the time of his visit to our studio, the client did not think about the Hifi system. The conversation began with the classical system. Like this:

But at the time of the conversation, it was decided that we would build an initial hifi.

Such a scheme has formed

the main interesting technical solutions are described in our , which was driven on this car at the time of work. Here I will tell you about the main points of the installation and show what happened in the end.

So the car

the standard arrangement of the midbass speakers is the same in almost all cars - the lower front part of the door. The location of the tweeters is different for everyone. in Mercedes they are in plastic trims - "triangles" of the rear-view mirrors. Those. there is a 2-component front speaker in the car

the back door is about the same. And also - 2-component acoustics

in design - complete harmony. That is why very few people want to intervene in it and change something.

and here is the trunk. The trunk is the place where spears always break when discussing a project with the owner. Many people want a lot of bass, with a margin and at the same time are not ready to give anything in the trunk. I'm talking about a place. Physics cannot be fooled, and for a 10-inch subwoofer, you need to take at least 15-20 liters of volume in the trunk. And even more for the 12-inch subwoofer. In this case, the stealth case for the subwoofer comes to our rescue. A case that we can hide behind the skin of the car and install a subwoofer speaker in it. Save trunk space and get bass. But stealth isn't cheap.

We disassemble the doors. Without complete insulation of 4 doors (this is the minimum), you shouldn't talk about installing car audio at all. If someone tells you that you can simply change the acoustics in the car and you will get a tangible difference - feel free to leave this place. Throw your money away.

The photo shows the standard vibration isolation of the rear door

We withdraw the commands and send them to the Eart service to decode and activate the MOST output

the photo shows the MOST connector above the yellow fuse

we also disassemble the interior, tk. we will make the floor and trunk soundproofing.

We came across a car with air suspension, which means that 2 receivers from it settled in the trunk. in the right sidewall (where we usually put amplifiers in such Mercedes) and in the boot floor. It restricts us very much in place

there is room for equipment on the left side. But this is if we talk about a simple classical circuit with 1 or 2 amplifiers. We have three of them + a processor.

here's another receiver

standard vibration isolation of the floor does not stand up to criticism

but there are also positive aspects to this car - there is a large niche under the driver, in which we will put some of the equipment

As I wrote above, we are conducting a fairly serious noise and vibration isolation for this car.

Trunk

doors

trim of all doors and trunk

here is the standard soundproofing of the door trim. Piece of pressed padding polyester

and here is the result of our processing. The gray material is noise insulation. Under it, the cladding is also treated with vibration isolation. And around the perimeter - Antiskrip

Well, now I'll tell you about music.

As a subwoofer link, we chose the best subwoofer according to EISA for 2013 - Audison Voce AV10. Although not the smallest speaker, it works great in volumes from 17 liters.

and this volume (even more - which is better) we find in the left side trim. We start manufacturing a stealth case made of composite materials: resin + glass mat

the front part of the case - plywood 21 mm

the speaker has a sufficiently large magnetic system and because of this it has to be moved slightly to the right, which leads to the modernization of the standard casing

in order to beat this beautifully, we make a new grill cover that will cover the subwoofer

it is completely sound transparent

the car will have three new amplifiers. We need a lot of good food. Therefore, from the battery that stands under the passenger, we pull Stinger power cables of 2Ga caliber

pull up to the universal distributor, which is under the back sofa. Here are all the fuses for the amplifiers. If something closes somewhere, then the fuse is the first to "fly out". From the distributor, power in different calibers is distributed throughout the machine - to the amplifiers

the main fuse, which protects the entire power circuit, is installed right next to the battery.

in the niche under the driver, we are building a two-storey podium that will house almost all the equipment. In the underground there will be an Alpine monoblock that rocks the subwoofer

above it are located: the Audison Bit One processor and a 4-channel amplifier for the front midbass and rear speakers - Hertz

closed niche. For cooling, we cut two low-noise fans into the cover: one is an exhaust fan, the other is a supply fan. Thus, we ensure a constant circulation of air in this volume and cooling of the amplifiers

for this we make ventilation holes in the regular carpet

but we have one more amplifier. It works with tweeter / midrange front speakers. And this part of the story is just about HiFi. Many car audio enthusiasts who are not particularly versed in the subject of the question ask - why did you implement the mid / high range on passive crossovers? After all, you have an 8-channel processor. Of course, yes, there is, but only if you look closely at the diagram, you can see that we have REAR acoustics in the system. This is the client's wish. It is believed that rear acoustics are not needed for high-quality music reproduction, but only for multimedia formats (watching movies and concerts), but if someone drives behind, then many owners want to keep these acoustics.

In this case, we do not have enough channels to implement the "channel-by-channel" scheme and we combine 4 channels into two. And to separate the signal, a regular passive crossover is installed, which came with the CDT Audio ES632 acoustics. Such a scheme is called in our jargon - "semi-channel" or - "2.5"

and here we are doing "feint with the ears." The amplifier that will play on the mid / high-frequency speakers, although small (CDT Audio MXMX1502), still has dimensions and needs to be put somewhere. He simply does not fit under the driver. Plus we have 2 very decent sized crossovers. And we decide to put all this link - under the subwoofer, in the left wing. Moreover, leaving the ability to quickly configure passive crossovers.

It looks like this (the crossovers are closed with regular nets, and on top - with a false panel)

the processor control panel settled in the place where the ashtray was. We are for car audio and healthy lifestyle, and smoking is a fight!

now a minute of sparkling humor and jokes.

These are the standard speakers from Mercedes Benz ML, which, please note, costs from 2.5 million.

With us, everything is much more serious. To install new midbasses and rear speakers, we make adapter rings

they will be installed on glass sealant (to enhance contact)

and bolts

front midbasses are connected to acoustic wiring with spring clips (this is an indicator of serious acoustics, by the way)

and completely finished look like this

rear coaxial speakers CDT Audio HD6EX (in the CDT Audio CL61CV circuit, but it was not there and we chose another one) soldered to the wiring

as interconnect cables in this installation we use a pre-top cable from Tchernov Cables and Chernov's RCA connectors

ML machine is quite convenient in terms of speaker wiring layout. You can easily "pass" through the standard connectors in the doors and lay the cable without breaking: from the amplifier to the speaker. That has a positive effect on the sound quality (as we remember, we have a hi-fi system). All wiring is Stinger tinned copper

all wiring fits into a "snake"

and so we smoothly approached the hifi part of the system - this is the mid / high frequency frontal acoustics. The photo below shows the midrange speaker, which in a three-component system will score for the most difficult range: 500 Hz - 4 kHz. We have many instruments and vocals in this range. It is believed (and not just like that) that a three-component system is the maximum that can be implemented in a car. And in home acoustics, the situation is about the same.

You've already seen the size of such a speaker. It is unrealistic to put it in some regular place in the Mercedes. There are simply no such places. Therefore, we follow the classic path and place the mid / high-frequency speaker link on the windshield pillars with a slight turn to the salon

direct the speakers to opposite center pillars. The speaker reversal helps us in the end to tune the system with maximum quality and "build" the desired sound stage. Wide and deep. For this, all this hi-fi is intended

production of racks is carried out according to the classic technology: supplex + resin + glass mat + putty and hours of skimming

we cover the racks with black Alcantara

the speakers are soldered to the wiring

this is the result

and take another look at the trunk, which we have saved completely

To set up such systems, we involve professionals-"listeners" who have authority in the car audio environment. Such systems need to be "uncovered" in terms of sound, and this requires talent and experience.

Here is the frequency response of an unheated system immediately after tuning

Frequency response of the left and right channels

Frequency response by component (sub, midbass, midrange, high frequency)

after warming up the system, we will "brush" the system a little

The works took 12 working days