Mercedes-Benz was clearly not happy with the "soft-roader" tag applied to its ML, so it gave its second-generation luxury SUV the ability to tumble about in the great outdoors with the toughest, go-anywhere 4x4s.
Which will probably make you happy if you're one of the half-dozen or so owners who will ever venture into the great, off-pavement outdoors and risk scratching that very nice paintwork.
Chances are the typical ML owner will be more interested in prestige, luxury, space and a high driving position - all of which the newly-launched ML has as standard, while most of its off-roading features are extra-cost options.
All three ML models offered in South Africa have full-time four-wheel drive, traction control, and a 6mm higher standard ride height than the old M-class (now 210mm), all of which is great for climbing the kerbs at shopping centres.
But if you really want to cavort in the undergrowth with your shiny ML you can improve its bundu-bashing (sorry, eco-tourism) capability with height-adjustable Airmatic air suspension (an extra R15 000) and an optional Offroad Pro package (R16 000) that adds a rear differential lock, hill-descent control and low range.
Our test vehicle, fitted with the whole shebang, was truly able to go anywhere when we took it through Gerotek's hilly offroad course near Pretoria.
No gradient was too steep nor surface too rocky as the Merc sauntered casually over the rough stuff. The air suspension offers three ride heights, the topmost of which has a towering ground clearance of 299mm to keep the ML's undersides out of harm's way.
The entry and departure angles are generous too and we didn't scrape anything. Ability yes, comfort no; the ML's off-road ride is exceptionally bumpy and my passengers and I were jerked around like rag dolls on a rollercoaster, more violently than any other vehicle I remember - and that includes one-ton bakkies.
Thankfully the ride on the road was much better and the ML500 glided along smoothly on its air suspension, with the Adaptive Damping System (ADS) adjusting shock absorber stiffness to suit road conditions.
A heavyweight like this will never handle like a car, but for all its considerable mass and height the ML doesn't feel insufferably soggy. It will get through fast corners, as long as they're not tight hairpins, without feeling like it's about to topple over.
Cabin quality
One of the biggest changes to the new generation ML is cabin quality. The old version's rather cheap-looking interior has 'morphed into something the Queen and her corgis would approve of. The sturdy and stylish dash, opulent leather and richer-looking materials - it's the stuff you expect from the triple-pointed star.
Styling-wise the new M-class borrows much from its predecessor but it's more modern. It's wider and longer but has been nipped and tucked to look powerful and athletic. It's spacious too, with lots of passenger room and a huge boot - though the latter is achieved with the help of a Marie-biscuit spare wheel.
There's good cabin stowage space; the absence of gear lever and handbrake between the front seats has allowed a large storage bin to be placed there instead. The parking brake is the Merc foot-operated type and the gearlever is mounted on the steering column as per 1970s bakkies.
The rear seats fold flat to offer a cavernous 2050 litres of cargo space for your weekend toys - it looks as though even a small quad bike might fit in there, while an electrically-operated tailgate saves you lifting the heavy rear door.
It's part of a luxury package on the ML500 that includes electrically-adjustable front seats, automatic air-conditioning, a great sound system, cruise control and many others. Surprisingly, park assist is an extra-cost option. I know, I know - real men don't need it and all that - but take my word for it, it's a useful tool when parking a monster like this.
The R615 000 price tag doesn't include satellite navigation and see-around-corner headlamps; they're extra-cost options.
Pre-Safe concept
Safety is emphasised by ABS brakes and traction control, multiple crash bags, seatbelt pretensioners, whiplash-reducing "active" head restraints, and Merc's Pre-Safe concept that prepares the car and its occupants for an impending collision by moving the electric seats to the optimum position.
The mightiest M-class is the ML630 AMG, which wields a claimed 375kW and 630Nm and topples the 331kW/620Nm Porsche Cayenne Turbo as the world's most powerful SUV.
DCX hasn't yet decided whether the ML630 will come to South Africa, but for now the ML500 model doesn't suffer in the grunt department. This new five-litre petrol V8, the flagship engine of a range that also includes 3.5-litre petrol and a 3.2-litre turbodiesel engines, has more output than its predecessor, claiming an energetic 225kW and 460Nm under your right foot.
That's enough muscle to overcome the enormous weight and make it feel gutsy and responsive. At Gauteng altitude the ML500 will sprint from rest to 100km/h in 8.4sec (6.9sec claimed at sea level), do the quarter mile in less than 16, and max out at 240km/h. Not bad for a 2.1-ton heffalump.
It does all this with all the smoothness and polish you expect of a Benz V8, and just a hint of a creamy growl. However, the seven-speed automatic transmission hunts for gears instead of using all that lovely torque and we mostly opted to drive in manual mode using the F1-style paddle shifters on the steering wheel.
Abandon all hope ye who seek fuel economy - this is a major fuel guzzler; we averaged 18 litres per 100km, way higher than Merc's claimed 13.4. Range isn't too bad thanks to the giant 95-litre fuel tank, but your eyes will water at paying over R500 to fill it.
Summary
The new ML does everything better than its predecessor: it has a larger and more luxurious cabin, class-leading load capacity, more power, and - if you pay for all the options - better off-road ability. Badge credibility is a strong motivator too, even if, under the skin, it's no better than the more affordable VW Touareg.
Mercedes-Benz ML 500 specifications
- Test vehicle courtesy of DaimlerChrysler SA