Right. The first gen ML was a body on frame design and it drove like a truck with no where near the car like handling of the e53. I don't think the average SUV buyer wants their vehicle to drive like a truck. There are a few of the largest SUV's that are still based on body on frame design, but some have switched to a unibody design (like the ML) and all the new models introduced for the most part seem to be unibody design. I don't forsee many manufacturers developing new body on frame SUV's in the future. The main reason SUV's like the suburban, Expedition and so on are still body on frame is due to cost because they share their frame with the larger pick-ups from the same company.

On a side note, I read somewhere that the Mercedes GL, which is a car based unibody design, can tow as much as the truck based Yukon. This shows that larger car based SUV's can be successfull. Unfortunately Ford and GM are behind the times and will keep churning out old technology as long as it sells. Maybe with the way gas prices have been in the past and with what is going on in the auto industry, there will be more incentive for Ford and GM to redesign thier larger SUV's. Who wouldn't want a better handling, lighter, safer SUV if it can tow and haul as much as an old body on frame design?

I definitely think the trend is going from body on frame to unibody across the board. Even the Explorer is going to change to a unibody design.

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...603954184/1065