IT was the archetypal Chelsea tractor, an upmarket off-roader which was more likely to see service in Sloane Square than Sherwood Forest. Worse still, the 1997 launch of the M-class Mercedes provided fresh impetus to the unkempt hordes of semi-retired anti-road protesters.
Having become even more redundant than usual after losing the bypass battles of the early 90s, the Fraggle-like soil fiends suddenly had an apparently pointless petrol guzzler to blow their whistles at.
But maybe Swampy and his pals had a point.
Here was a new breed of luxury cars which took up more road space than a swarm of cyclists and cocked a snook at those who suggested that we should be saving fuel, preferring instead to splurge gallons of the stuff on Tarquin's daily run to private school.
It amounted to decadence on wheels, more must-have than a Gucci bag and easily enough to take Trinny, Phillipa and Octavia to lunch after a few hours shopping in the West End.
Despite the better efforts of the green lobby, the M-Class was so successful that there are now 16 competitors in the segment, including Volvo's XC90, Porsche's Cayenne, VW's Touareg and the Range Rover Sport.
There's even the allegedly "green" Lexus RX400h, an off-roader which reduces fuel consumption through the clever use of hybrid technology.
Streets
Ever keen to keep pace with the competition, a new M-Class Mercedes hit the streets this week.
And it will come as little surprise that Mercedes expects to sell more of the relatively frugal 3-litre diesel model than any other.
Underneath the bonnet is an all-new six-cylinder engine with common-rail technology, which enables further improvements in fuel consumption, emissions and performance.
Despite its size, the 320 boasts an impressive 30 miles per gallon. This compares favourably with the 27mpg managed by a 2.5-litre petrol engine Ford Mondeo.
There's ample power for the open road - even if the car does weigh a couple of tonnes. I also tried the M-Class on the muddy stuff and can account for its intrepid off-roading prowess - even when using the standard on-road tyres.
The new M-Class gets a far more dynamic new look, a stiffer monococque - or one piece - chassis, permanent four wheel drive and a steering column mounted gear selector.
As standard for the forest, there's Downhill Speed Regulation and off-road ABS as standard.
You can also pay extra for Airmatic suspension and "proper" off-roading tools like a low ratio gear box and lockable differentials. But the most important peaks in the minds of Mercedes Benz bosses will be on the M-Class sales chart. Will talk of soaring oil prices and fuel protests cause sales to stall?
Rob Holloway
Not according to Mercedes Benz press and public relations manager Rob Holloway, who uses a recent magazine test to explain how the M-Class will continue to attract upmarket owners.
"German magazine Auto Bild conducted a comparative test drive from the east coast to the west coast of the USA with two new Mercedes Benz ML 320 Cdi vehicles and a Lexus RX 400h with a petrol hybrid system," he says.
"The results showed that while the ML returned an average fuel consumption of 31.04 miles per gallon, the hybrid SUV averaged 27.69mpg.
"The difference underscores the superiority of state-of-the-art diesel engines compared to hybrid drives. We don't expect the sale of off-roaders to rise quite as quickly, but we certainly don't expect people to stop buying them."
Of course, clogged British roads might have delivered different results. And the gas-guzzling petrol cars - which will also be available at launch - will do little to satisfy the many concerns of the green lobby.
But just like the football team of the same name, advances in diesel technology suggest the Chelsea tractor is likely to dominate the highway for at least a few years to come.
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