2006 Chicago Auto Show: Mercedes-Benz

Piotrowski, Mark. "2006 Chicago Auto Show: Mercedes-Benz." 27 December 2006. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/2006-chicago-auto-show-mercedes-benz-cga.htm> 13 October 2008.

by Mark Piotrowski

Mercedes-Benz enters 2006 after a record year in 2005. The German automaker sold 224,421 vehicles in the U.S. last year vs. 221,610 in 2004. New products, like the CLS-Class sedan and R-Class SUV, bolstered sales. The M-Class SUV and SLK-Class convertible posted increases of 36.1 percent and 53.2 percent, respectively. Last December was the best month in Mercedes' history, with sales up 17.2 percent from the same month in 2004. The company's new 7-passenger, American-built GL-Class SUV goes on sale later this year.

Mercedes' AMG performance arm was the focus of the company's display at the 2006 Chicago Auto Show, where they revealed new models based on the S-Class sedan, as well as the M-Class and R-Class SUVs.

2007 Mercedes-Benz R63 AMG


Mercedes-Benz debuted a high-performance version of its midsize R-Class SUV at the 2006 Chicago Auto Show. Dubbed R63, Mercedes' AMG performance arm designed an all-new 503-horsepower, 6.3-liter V8 engine for the 6-passenger wagon. This engine, the first designed completely by AMG, is built one at a time, by hand. The same engine powers the all-wheel drive ML63 AMG that also premiered at the Chicago Auto Show. Like the ML63, the R-Class variant has specific styling cues, all-wheel drive, and a height-adjustable suspension. The standard 7-speed automatic transmission has Formula 1-style shift buttons on the steering wheel and driver-selectable comfort and sport modes. The R63 rides on 19-inch wheels with high-performance tires. Pricing wasn't announced, but expect the R63 to be priced $10,000-$20,000 higher than current top-line R500 models. It should hit dealer showrooms in September.

2007 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG


Click here for a video review of the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG. The 2007 ML63 is one of two high-performance SUVs that Mercedes-Benz revealed at the 2006 Chicago Auto Show. Mercedes' AMG performance division took the recently redesigned all-wheel drive M-Class and gave it a 503-horsepower, 6.3-liter V8 engine. This represents a 201-horsepower increase over the current top-line ML500 wagon. The ML63's V8 is the first engine designed totally in-house by AMG, and like all their engines, each is built by hand. The same engine also appeared in Mercedes' R63 AMG, which also made its world premiere at the Chicago Auto Show. It pairs with a 7-speed automatic transmission with Formula 1-style shift buttons on the steering wheel. The transmission also has preprogrammed sport and comfort modes. ML63 has an all-wheel-drive system that has a 40/60 front/rear power split. The included 20-inch wheels and high-performance tires ride on a standard height-adjustable suspension. Other AMG-specific styling cues include a specific grille, flared fenders, and chrome exhaust tips. Mercedes didn't announce prices, but like other AMG vehicles, the ML63 should command a substantial premium over standard models. The ML63 is scheduled to hit showrooms in August.