Spyshots: 2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Klasse

Although no one really believes the R-Klasse will manage to fight its faith and turn the poor sales figures around (probably, no one within Mercedes believes that either) the German carmaker stands by the MPV (aka Sports Cruiser, aka Family Tourer) and decided to give it a minor nip'n'tuck, enough to bring it into the spotlight for a few minutes.

Although details are largely absent, the model caught testing somewhere in Scandinavia can be regarded as the one which will align the R-Klasse with the new design cues of the Stuttgart carmaker. According to what we can see in the photos, visual changes are to be expected to both the front and the rear, bringing the R closer to the lines of the B-Klasse.

Engine wise, it is unlikely Mercedes will invest much in creating new powertrains for a model which is likely not to get another generation following this facelift. Currently, the R-Klasse is being offered with a choice of two engines in the US, packed in the R350 4MATIC and R350 BlueTEC models.

When the car was initially presented at the 2005 New York International Auto Show, Mercedes hoped to sell some 50,000 units every year. Sales
in the first year however pointed to a disastrous outcome, with a little under 5,000 units sold.

The next year was the most successful for the class, with 18,000 units sold, while 2009 proved to be its worse, with only 2,800 units leaving the factory. Currently, Mercedes is said to be looking into a replacement for it.