Test drive Mercedes Benz GL-class X164 since 2009 SUV

Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz GL

In less than 30 years, the British brought to mind RR. Now reality has been brought into line with legends. And we are ready to contrast her Mercedes-Benz GL ... By the beginning of the test in the editorial office there was only one person who could defend the English auto industry ...


Unlike me, he already traveled in the fourth generation RR. But, in my opinion, it did not matter. What is the difference between the third or fourth generation of Range Rover? Funny. If for so many years the king has remained naked that it will change? Design, decoration and smoothness are not all. And then these Indians ... Who will seriously believe that, having bought the Land Rover brand, they will not interfere for five years strictly under the contract?


Compared to Range Rover, the interior Mercedes-Benz is gloomy, rude, soldier


Captain's landing, light and comfortable steering wheel, Martian sunset on the dashboard is Range Rover

English horsepower
Previously, the Range Rover was a rolling, heavy, pseudo -figured bus, too confused for off -road. I remember how in a sandy quarry near Moscow, I helplessly sorry for all the available buttons and pedals in RR with a 4.2 -liter engine SuperchaRged, but could not budge because I could not choose the right algorithm of actions. And around the Lexus LX570 rode thoughtlessly around

Now everything is different. To begin with, in the fourth -generation Range Rover, a five -liter engine is equipped with a supercharger. And he will furnish everyone. Giant volume plus the supercharger makes any fantasies possible. He has so much strength that the only thing that is worth worrying is about, as if not to squeeze the pedal. But this is not scary. Since all incredible horse English nonsense is now under competent electronics control. Maybe the dark programs of elephants wrote a new program for the anti -tuxe system, because they are the best programmers in the world after Russian?


ALL IN THE PAST
A five -liter equipment RR with a supercharger is capable of much. You can cut off the adits in rock rocks. And the electronic assistant updated Terran Response system is so good that allows the driver not to burrow in loose snow, even when he presses the pedal, not obeying common sense. Now he would not lose a duel in the sands with Lexus. Innovations are admirable, but so far I have not called much to defeat Mercedes.

Doubts about RR abilities completely disappear when you try in the ADAPTIVE DYNAMICS mode in the suspension. Having stained comfort, he holds the suspension in the depth, regardless of whether the car is moving along asphalt or sand, in snow or dirt. It works. And very good.


Here it is time to introduce GL into the narrative. But what to write? Before the test, I was confident in its advantages, and as it turned out, Range Rover is no worse. The Germans were not lucky even with the AMG styling package (this is exactly what arrived at our test), which includes wide wheels. And without them, GL was not an ideal in terms of exchange rate stability on an uneven road, and even with him he loses to the British, the British has to steal constantly.


In Mersedes-Benz, as always, passenger places are impeccable
   
They say that the queen travels to Range Rover. Looking at the places for the rear passengers, it's hard to believe in it
 

I thought Mercedes would be more comfortable on off -road, and I wanted to whip the Range Rover because the previous version was so mediocre on the tubercles in the longitudinal and transverse directions. But this remained in the past.

Purely German arguments
It seems that there is nothing to present the fourth generation RR. But if you look well, then you can. Take, for example, acceleration. GL makes 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds, and Range Rover for 6.2. The German reaches the same with the Englishman with the help of 388 horsepower. Harvard fakir for a meager advantage of 0.3 seconds is needed all 510! It is impossible not to notice such a fatal difference in the efforts made. In addition, the English turkey is too fat: 300 kg is easier. Such tasteless, purely German arguments have to be used for Mercedes-Benz, which at one time in the first tests in Russia shocked off-road journalists with his abilities.

Now the fruits of admiration are tasting RR. He meets the driver of the captain’s landing, opening a beautiful view of the extreme points of an immense square hood. Hugs the owner of the owner with a soft seat. Gives him a light, especially pleasant steering wheel when maneuvering on an off room. Shows the Martian sunset on the dashboard.

Quickly in 20 seconds, it raises the air suspension to the upper position and offers to put pressure on the gas pedal until gasoline or all the snow under the wheels ends.

Mercedes-Benz GL tests you with tough pillows. Checks how quickly you can twist a viscous, heavy steering wheel. Four and a half times longer pumps the pneumoballons of the suspension. And he grinks if you forgot to turn on your head before using the horsepower of a five -liter motor. Despite the smaller power compared to RR, to press the GL accelerator as easier as possible. We traveled in deep snow and after several failures found a true algorithm. It is necessary to fix the second increased gear in the automatic transmission. Activate central and rear locks. Disconnect ESP. Then he goes. And RR rides anyway. Just for interest I have tried all possible combinations

He will remind of himself
And yet, the more time passed after the test, the more shortcomings RR I recalled. The charm of this scoundrel is so great that all the shortcomings during the acquaintance somehow quickly obscure. How did I forget to mention that its brakes are as if it were doused with oil compared to GL. And nobody needs acceleration and power, because it is already scary to go faster than 140 km/h. The predictable result for a car with a equipped mass of 2800 kg.


It is difficult to deprive Range Rover
   
GL is also difficult to hang out, but already because it bers


There are punctures in ergonomics too. The main control functions in the cabin are equipped with large, from afar with noticeable buttons. Having believed the designers, you begin to press them almost blindly and without removing thick gloves. Then, when it is necessary to lower the side glass, the mirrors suddenly fold, because the engineers did not think in this place. And traditional English reliability is a joke of three words. The rear janitor RR, unable to withstand the boredom of the first day of the dough, told us, chuckling.

This is not stronger than the grave finish of the Mercedes-Benz salon a la Reichscanzelia. This mixture is murderous, indifferent, black and muddy-brown. Just imagine a gentleman in a black suit, brown boots and a gray shirt. Wildness.

Matter: Range Rover




Material: Mercedes-Benz GL




And in the car you can
A similar, but stupid Rover against the background of GL as an actor of the royal theater. The texture, color and materials of the finish is as if from a costume. And a TFT screen that replaces the dashboard shows speed, temperature and future. Looking at him, you understand: all disputes about illumination, readability, size and design of the speedometer will soon leave. The driver will determine all the parameters. For example, I love a green background and large numbers in full screen, as in Citroen. She sold the car to the girl, she changed everything to the pink and returned the dial indication. Everyone will receive what he likes. Especially if you completely replace the touch display and all other functions of the front panel, making its fastening adjustable. The driver will set the optimal height and angle for himself, destroying the endless today's mistakes of designers and ergonomists. It would have long been more important for them to decide what beauty, convenience or safety are more important.

Something similar has already happened in the field of geometric cross -country ability. In RR and GL, we ourselves adjust the suspension, raising the body to the desired position with the help of pneumatics. By the way, the upper limit of the adjustable road clearance in rivals is 283307 mm. What else is these SUVs related? Both cars are built according to a similar scheme: a supporting body, independent pendants in front and back, reduced gear in a handout. Plus locking, intersosseous and rear inter -white. But the control of blocking is already from the field of differences in our rivals. GL allows you to turn on the lock manually. RR leaves this right, including them only in automatic mode. Mercedes-Benz has a similar algorithm, but much less smart, in loose snow it is useless.


If you do not pay attention to technical details, the future owner will have to make a funny choice. So you like it more likely to get a role in the series, where you have to squeeze the photo models on a soft sofa all the way, juggling with pineapples, or watch the chronicle of the First World War until the end of life?


Author: Dmitry Leontyev, photo of Alexander Ortnova-Baranov

 

A source: Magazine 4x4 [April /2010]