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| Message: | My local MB dealer, Ray Catena in Edison, NJ had a big launch event today for the ML class. They gave me party favor bag with a baseball cap, pen, ML brochure, and an invitation card to join a driving event being held at various road courses throughout the U.S. Read more about it and register for the free driving event here: http://www.mclassroadrally.comUse the invitation code: AN123456 I went for a very brief test drive in a very nicely optioned ML350 with airmatic suspension and body package. My first impressions: I must say that is soooo much more refined that the previous generation. Amongst the first things you'll notice is that you start the car with a keyless fob. There is simply a rectangular recepticle for you to put into the ignition and turn. I believe there is an upgrade option to go completely "keyless" where you can keep the fob in your pocket the whole time and be able to start the car by just pushing a button. Then, there's the shift lever: it's actually an electrical switch/toggle. One would easily mistake it for the old mechanical type that you pull back, and then move all the way to the right in order to get it into reverse, neutral, and then drive. Instead, you tap down once to get into drive, tap it up for reverse, and then there's a pushbutton at the very tip that you would push in once to get it into park. The trim levels have been improved a great deal, and rightly so, as their sales have been diluted by the MDX and other Japanese SUVs. I own a 2002 ML320, and I must say that I own something with the build quality of a glorified American made minivan, not a finely built German automobile. I didn't get much of a drive to get a feel for how it handles and performs so I'm looking forward to the MB sponsored road rally. -em3 2002 ML320 Brilliant Silver em3 | ||||