German Car Zone

^^
Adventurous styling is reserved for the GLK an X3. Even the X5, Q7, Range Rover and Cayenne are highly reserved in their appearance.

Yes, it was. And MB had already planned the launch of the next generation SLK. The crossfire came out in MY 2004 with the old SLK architecture, and the new SLK came out in MY 2005.


I think this is the reason the Jeep is being held to 2011. The car is obviously production ready now. Why would Jeep show a 2011 when the 2010 models haven't even come out yet?

So maybe early isnt the right word. 2011 for Jeep, and 2012 for the ML.

The decision to share the platform between the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the ML (next generation, code name W166) was made in 2005, one of the first things Dieter Zetsche did when he took charge of Mercedes.

Mercedes makes the tools, the dies, with which to build the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, at MB-Tech Autodie in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I thought the 2011 Jeep is to based on the current 165 ML platform.

For example, the wheel base is showing the same as the current ML

The current ML is the W164, not W165. The next generation M-Class is the W165, not W166.

W165 is already taken. That's why it might jump from W164 to W166.

Grand Prix Cars - Mercedes-Benz W 165

I don't think they care to much about what the 1930s GP cars were called.

Grand Prix Cars - Mercedes-Benz W 163

That should have been a W154.

From your link:

"There is some question as to whether the W163 can even be called a separate model from the W154 since the 163 actually refers to the new M163 engine which was also used on the W154 for the 1938 season."

yup!

So what can we expect in the new M-Class this time around? GLK interior? A standard COMAND?

It just hit me, if they're expanding the AL plant again, does that mean they're gonna add another model to be built there? Last time they expanded it, they added the R and GL to the lineup.