Mercedes-Benz designers have reworked the front of the R-class wagon for the 2011 model year, installing a more upright grille, a taller hood and reworked fenders and headlamps for a more rugged look. The rear fascia is also resculpted.
A new look that is closer to SUV that station wagon may be the tonic for the anemic sales of the R-class. Mercedes sold 2,825 copies of the R350 in 2009, down 63.5 percent from the year earlier. This year, sales of the R350 totaled 295 units in the first two months, down 46.1 percent from the same period last year.
The R350 powertrain lineup remains unchanged from the 2010 model--a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine rated at 268 hp or a 3.0-liter V6 diesel rated at 210 hp. All-wheel drive is standard on the R-class.U.S. buyers get a choice of six- or seven-passenger seating. Mercedes sells a short-wheelbase version of the R-class in other markets with five-passenger seating.
