MERCEDES-BENZ has unveiled its new R-class, described by the manufacturer as a groundbreaking vehicle concept.

Due for a UK launch in spring next year, the car ‘acknowledges strengths of established vehicle categories, such as sport saloon, estate, MPV and SUV, and fuses them to create a new car with a character of its own,’ says the company.

Engine outputs range from 224bhp to 306bhp and it gets V6 and V8 units. Pricing and specification will be announced nearer to its launch.

All engine models are partnered as standard with the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission, which comes with Direct select; gearshift buttons replacing the centre console gear selector.