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2015 M-Class W166 Facelift Caught in a Parking Lot

Even though we are only talking a mid-cycle facelift and not an entirely new model, Mercedes-Benz doesn't play around when it comes to testing pre-production prototypes entire months before they are actually revealed.
2015 Mercedes-Benz M-Class (W166) Facelift 1 photo
Photo: Walko Art/YouTube
The Mercedes-Benz M-Class W166 facelift is just around the corner, with an expected reveal of the model to happen either at the 2015 North American Auto Show in Detroit or at the 2015 edition of the Geneva Motor Show.

With an entirely new front end that is mildly previewed by the upcoming Mercedes-Benz Concept Coupe SUV and the MLC production version, the refreshed M-Class comes to get back some of the lost market share from the all-new BMW X5 F15.

As expected, the new headlights will have an entirely new design, following the contour of the engine grille, while also introducing full-LED intelligent headlamps to the M-Class as well.

The side character lines will also change a bit, with the only part of the car to remain quasi-identical being the rear. We find that a bit surprising, since the taillights were the design bits that had gathered most of the bad press for the non-facelift model.

With air-conditioning vents that somehow reminded us of those from the current Porsche Cayenne, the center console will be entirely restyled on the M-Class W166 facelift, with the model to finally receive a larger center screen for its Comand infotainment system. Its integration on top of the center console might not bode well with some people, but you will have to get used to the new Mercedes-Benz interior design language.

Engine-wise, the ML 350 will be replaced by the ML 400, which will powered by the twin-turbocharged M278 DELA 30 that until recently was only available on the E 400 W212, C 400 W205 and the recently-unveiled SL 400 Roadster R231.

A plug-in hybrid version similar to the S 500 Plug-in Hybrid model is also on the way, though nothing official has been confirmed as of yet.

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About the author: Alex Oagana
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Alex handled his first real steering wheel at the age of five (on a field) and started practicing "Scandinavian Flicks" at 14 (on non-public gravel roads). Following his time at the University of Journalism, he landed his first real job at the local franchise of Top Gear magazine a few years before Mircea (Panait). Not long after, Alex entered the New Media realm with the autoevolution.com project.
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