MLive! Dishing up a scoop on the next Mercedes-Benz M-Clas.(News)

Byline: GREG KABLE

** The last time we spotted Mercedes-Benz's new American-built M-Class SUV, it was riding beneath some tired old cladding on a dusty road deep within Death Valley. This time, however, our spies caught it posing-without disguise-for an advertising shoot on the streets of Los Angeles. These exclusive photos reveal the fresh appearance the M-Class will wear into North American dealerships come April.

The public's first sight of this vehicle is supposed to be at January's North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The completely redesigned new model, codenamed W164, takes its inspiration from the first-generation M-Class, launched in 1997 and facelifted since. Beneath its restyled bodywork lurks a contemporary mechanical package with new driveline combinations and structural changes that aim to propel it past competition such as the BMW X5, Land Rover Discovery/LR3, Volkswagen Touareg and Volvo XC90.

One of three all-new four-wheel-drive trucks set to roll from Mercedes' factory in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in the next 18 months, the five-seater leads a more determined assault on the SUV ranks by the German carmaker. Close behind will be the versatile new R-Class crossover (codenamed V251) and a sequel to the 25-year-old military-style G-Class (X164). All share underpinnings but are conceived to appeal to different buyers.

Mixing familiar design cues (the three-bar grille insert, forward-leaning C-pillar and wraparound rear window) with some fresh elements (flared wheel arches, edgier green-house styling and tauter surfacing), the look is sportier than before but instantly recognizable. The base model makes few visual concessions to off-road ruggedness, amounting to scuff plates on the lower edge of the color-keyed bumpers. Those seeking a tougher appearance can add roof rails, running boards and a spare-tire carrier mounted at the rear.

Length, width and height remain close to today's, at roughly 182.5 inches, 72.5 inches and 71.5 inches, respectively. Contrary to earlier speculation, there will be just one wheelbase. At about 113.3 inches, it puts the standard 17-inch wheels near each corner for short overhangs.

The new M-Class adopts a different structural layout aimed at significantly improving its safety credentials, most notably its performance in new offset front- and side-impact tests slated for North America, while at the same time bringing added levels of comfort and refinement.