ON THE front of the bumph that accompanied the R-Class, Mercedes proudly states 'providing answers since 1886'.

I though have a question, just who is it thats been demanding a seven-seater luxury people carrier that is as almost as big as the Ark Royal and has looks only a mother could love?

That particular answer escapes me, but its here now and the best thing to do is to put its attributes to the test.

In the days of Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler there was little need for anything with more than a couple of seats. In fact I imagine such was the paucity of the powerplant in front of them, their vehicles would struggle to carry an additional lapdog, never mind two kids and all their associated belongings.

Nowadays, though, things are different and we have to be ready for all eventualities, like the occasions when the kids invite other kids back from school for tea or grandma and granddad turn up unexpected and you find out steam trains are in town.

The latter actually happened to me in a roundabout way and so after schlepping up and down the A66 on my own and wondering just how much of the ozone I was responsible for destroying, I actually got to use the R-Class for the purpose it was designed.

Youd think with so many seats to choose from getting everyone in would not be a problem. But give people, or more to the point, my two boys, a choice and you can be there all day.

"I want granddad in the back", "No I want him in the middle". Did I want him in the front or would the wife's nose be pushed out of joint?

Once the decisions were made, getting them into said seats was a synch. The middle row drop forwards and slide to allow easy access to the rear and while the room therein is not overly spacious, it is neither claustrophobic.

Those in the middle clearly had the best deal, able to stretch out in whichever direction they liked, while also watching the optional DVDs incorporated into the front headrests.

Comfort is key with Mercedes, certainly any that I have driven, and the front of the R-Class is among the most relaxing environments I have ever sat in.

All that leather and fine trim though did get to thinking what it might be like on the football team run or any other day that involves transporting the kids, after all my Zafira looks like a bomb's hit it on a regular basis.

Maybe those who have between £40,000 and £50,000 to spend on a car though can also afford to send their kids away for most of the year, thus getting round the problem.

Having the third row of seats up does mean there's not an awful lot of space left for your luggage, but getting in is easy, thanks to the optional powered tailgate, though getting people to use the button rather than trying to force it up manually proved something of an issue.

On the road, the R-Class is a smooth operator and it's no wonder Mercedes prefers to describe it as a luxury tourer.

It doesn't feel anything like as weighty as it perhaps appears to the eye and while fun might be overstating it, it is possible to get a bit naughty thanks to impressive handling and levels of grip.

The seven-speed box works effortlessly and theres plenty of overtaking power, delivered in seamless progression rather than bone-jarring bursts. One point though, I lost count of the number of times I accidentally knocked it into neutral at speed, thanks to the shifter being located on the steering column. A case of the workman blaming his tools, I know, but unsettling at 70mph nevertheless.

The biggest problem, no pun intended, comes in parking this leviathan. You'll have to get used to leaving the front or rear jutting out into the roadway and having to limbo out of the doors.

So is the R-Class the answer to our modern day motoring needs? In all fairness I doubt it, but that said I enjoyed the time it took to come to the conclusion.