This, of course, brings us back to the exterior look of the R320. As I drove around, friends of mine kept making statements like "Nice car", and "Oh, I see that you've moved up in the world"!

I decided that maybe I'd got it wrong, and that I was possibly missing some of the vehicle's obvious charm. So, I pulled out my comfortable folding chair, and I sat and viewed the R320 from every conceivable angle, and you know what? The vehicle actually started to grow on me.

The front carries a nice wide stance, which makes it look firmly planted on the road. From the side, the streamlined effect becomes quite catching when you study it closely, and the long wheelbase, although somewhat strange at first, seems to carry the body work rather well.

From the rear, you get that wonderful wagon sensation of purpose, and yet at the same time, it portrays a high level of class, something which few manufacturers seem able to manage when constructing station wagons.

Add to this, the nice chrome touches which are well positioned over the entire exterior, and yes, it does become quite a striking vehicle.

However, as the saying goes, "Beauty is only skin deep", so what is like to drive?

Well, there are a lot of things to like about driving the R320. Top of the list must be the comfort level, and that doesn't matter whether you are sitting in the first, second or third row seats. The suspension might be typical European in feel, a little firm but friendly, but the long wheelbase makes this a highway cruiser of the highest caliber.

Now I know that a lot of people out there are still doubtful about diesel power plants, but I can assure you that this unit produces enough performance to make any hardened gas-only lover blush with embarrassment.

Mind you, having said that, I have to admit that anyone who has driven one of the company's Bluetec powered vehicles might find the CDI power plant in the R320 a tad on the noisy side. It's not that it is. In fact, it's super-quiet compared to diesels of old. It's just that the company's Bluetec unit has now set the diesel benchmark so high. (Mind you, all MB diesel vehicles will soon carry Bluetec units, but it's my guess that a price increase will follow that).

Naturally, the R320 carries a whole host of safety features. After all, another motoring saying of old goes, "If you want to see what your Ford or GM will feature in 10 years time, look at a Mercedes-Benz today". That rather delightful adage relates to the fact that the company is renowned throughout the industry for its automotive innovations and investment in new technology.

All in all, the R320 is a very pleasurable vehicle to drive. It offers high levels of comfort, plenty of passenger/cargo carrying capacity, and with the cost of fuel today, it truly transports you in stylish yet frugal splendor.

So there you have it. My blind date turned into a princess right before my eyes, which left me wondering... why has that never happened before?