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The Mercedes-Benz M-Class (or ML-Class), also called Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class since 2015, is a mid-size luxury crossover sport utility vehicle (SUV) introduced in 1997, and produced by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz. In terms of size, it is slotted in between the smaller GLK-Class (based on the C-Class) and the larger GL-Class with which it shares platforms. For a short time, between 1999 and 2002, the M-Class was also built by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria, for the European market, before all the production moved to the U.S. plant near Vance, Alabama. From late 2012, the M-Class was also assembled at new plants in Pune (India), and Wanaherang (Indonesia). Although grouped under the M-Class banner since launch, BMW, who had the M3 model, objected to the car being badged "M" with the three-digit engine level afterwards (e.g. M 320). This forced Mercedes-Benz to defer to a double-tiered marketing strategy of "ML" badging (e.g. ML 320) under an M-Class umbrella. From 2015, with the release of the facelifted W166 third generation model at the New York Auto Show in April, the M-Class was renamed to GLE-Class as per the revised nomenclature adopted by the brand. Under this scheme, SUVs use the base name "GL", followed by the model's placement in Mercedes-Benz hierarchy. The "G" is for geländewagen (German off land wagon for off-road vehicle) and alludes the long-running G-Wagen. This is followed by the letter "L" that acts as a linkage with the letter "E"—the GLE being the SUV equivalent to the E-Class. == First generation (W163: 1997–2005) == Mercedes-Benz proposed a plan to replace the G-Class, which at the time had been in production for 11 years. A joint agreement with Mitsubishi Motors to develop and produce a sports-utility vehicle was made in early 1991 and was confirmed publicly that June. Plans were made to base it on the Montero/Pajero platform, with one of them being badged as a Mercedes-Benz and the other a Mitsubishi. In May 1992, these plans were abandoned citing "technical problems" and Mercedes-Benz continued on with in-house development from January 1993. In March 1993, a search for a location to build a U.S. manufacturing plant began. By September 1993, a location in the state of Alabama was chosen and construction started in 1994. While plans were being made overseas, in Germany development continued. Design work took place from late 1992 to 1994. A design from Mercedes' Sindelfingen studio was chosen in 1993 and approved by the executive board in February 1994. The design patents were filed in Germany on July 13, 1994, and in the U.S. on January 13, 1995. Prototype testing started with test mules and crash tests using mock-ups in May 1994. First functional prototype's crash test took place in February 1995, with full testing run from March 1995 to December 1996 in various climates and regions of the world. Pilot production began in May 1996. In July 1996, construction on the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International plant concluded, with the very first production M-Class rolling off the assembly line the week of February 9, 1997.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Mercedes-Benz M-Class )〕 Mercedes-Benz launched the first generation W163 series M-Class on February 19, 1997, in the United States for the 1998 model year, with sales beginning that September. It is a mid-sized body-on-frame SUV with seating for five, or seven with an optional third-row seat. The M-Class was the first luxury SUV to feature electronic stability control, a system designed to detect loss of control and instantaneously intervene with selective braking to bring the vehicle back on its intended course. Furthermore, the M-Class boasted front- and side-impact airbags with advanced occupant detection for the front passenger seat, which, helped earn the W163 the highest marks in insurance industry crash tests. The Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W163) was available with permanent 4Matic four-wheel drive, which routed torque to all four wheels through all open front, center, and rear differentials. The system used a two-speed dual range BorgWarner 4409 transfer case with reduction gearing, and Mercedes' new ''Four-wheel Electronic Traction System'' (4-ETS). 4-ETS simulated three differential locks on all three open differentials, via aggressively braking one or more spinning wheels.〔 Four-wheel, electronic traction system was said to perform excellent for snow and heavy off road use. Manufactured in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in the United States, the M-Class launched in the North American market first as the ML 320. The ML 320 was sold internationally, with the "320" suffix alluding to the 3.2-litre V6 engine. An entry-level, manual transmission-only ML 230, fitted with a 2.3-litre inline-four was available in Europe from launch in March 1998 until 2000. From launch in 1998, European markets also received the ML 270 CDI with a 2.7-litre inline-five turbodiesel engine. This unit was made available in Australia in 2000 and continued on in the W163 until being replaced upon the release of the W164 M-Class in 2005. Later, in 1998, the more powerful ML 430 became available with the newly introduced Mercedes-Benz 4.3-litre V8. This was followed by the February 1999 debut of the 2000 ML 55 AMG, featuring a 5.4-litre V8 engine made by AMG, modified bodywork, and other performance features. In September 1996, before the vehicle was launched, Mercedes-Benz allowed the producers of the 1997 film ''The Lost World: Jurassic Park'' to make use of modified pre-production M-Class SUVs as a way to advertise the W163 when it was launched in 1997. As a result, a Mercedes-Benz advertisement appears before the film on original VHS copies of the film. Jeff Goldblum, the star of the film, received a complimentary ML 320 from Mercedes-Benz as a result of the tie-in. Three versions were used in the movie, of which 2 copies of each were built. Two are displayed at the Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, there is one at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany, and one at the Visitor Center at the M-class factory in Alabama. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mercedes-Benz M-Class」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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