Rdoes the time run so fast? Mercedes-Benz is presenting a new E-Class, and looking at the calendar and looking at the road, the question inevitably arises as to whether the current one is really that old. In any case, the new one will arrive in autumn, initially as a sedan, followed by the station wagon, which is particularly popular in Germany, at the turn of the year. The Stuttgart-based company will initially supply four and later six-cylinder engines, petrol and diesel, generally with mild hybrids, as well as plug-in hybrids with petrol and diesel engines. There should therefore be something for everyone, the variety is remarkable.
At market launch, the range extends from the 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 197 hp to the plug-in with a system output of 380 hp. All-wheel drive can be ordered. They all reach a top speed of at least 230 km/h, the standard acceleration is between 5.3 and 7.8 seconds. The plug-in hybrids have electric ranges of 95 to 118 kilometers according to the standard, in reality this should be 80 to 100 kilometers. For classification: The all-electric EQE is on a different platform and continues to drive as usual, the new E-Class uses the basis on which the fresh C-Class and GLC are also built.
The E-Class is 4.95 meters long and is stockier because the track has been widened at the front and rear. A long version will be available in China. Rear-axle steering is available as an option, with a 4.5-degree angle for better manoeuvrability. Assisted parking and driving works up to a certain degree and speed, in technical terms we are talking about Level 2 plus. So even the latest model is a long way from the idea of fully automatic locomotion, fortunately it’s a car again, not a subway.
Animated stars as a rear light
A few sharp edges have moved into the line, which is dominated by large surfaces and the long hood; the appearance is intended to unite elegance, status and sportiness. The headlights are more closely interwoven with the grille, which in turn is now backlit, becoming a fashion across the industry. The more classic versions have a star on the hood, the more dynamically oriented ones come with a plaque. Animated stars always appear at the rear as taillights. In the trunk, the previously disruptive step in the plug-in hybrid has been removed and holds up to 540 liters. Who really wants to load, of course, waits for the station wagon.
According to their own statements, the developers attached great importance to even more comfort, noise insulation and driving precision, which should be particularly evident in the response of the steering. The E-Class was initially shown statically, we will report after the first test drive in the summer. The drag coefficient shows what is now possible in the wind tunnel, namely 0.23. This is achieved, among other things, with door handles that are flush on the outside; if you don’t like them, you can order traditional handles.
Not as spectacular as in the S-Class
Inside, the Swabians present either a layout with a speedometer and screen in the middle or, for an extra charge, one with two screens next to each other in the middle across the entire width. The arrangement is not as extensive and spectacular as in the S-Class, but it is not as steep, which is beneficial to the sense of space and legibility. The composition, however, looks more angled. As usual, the center console is powerful, it builds in the driver and front passenger, offers plenty of storage space and, for the first time, a cable duct for docking cell phones. Remarkable: The steering wheel, which is still equipped with the suboptimal touch-sensitive command surfaces, is now exactly in the middle of the driver and no longer slightly offset from the axis as before. This has always bothered sensitive natures, many will hardly have noticed it, the new construction is more pleasant in any case.
Seemingly inevitably, Mercedes turns to what some will consider gibberish. A selfie camera sits enthroned on the dashboard, which can also be used for video conferences when the vehicle is stationary. There are apps for streaming, advanced speech recognition, more powerful software and ambient lighting that can be combined with rhythmic shaking in the seat backrest and flickers like a disco ball to the music from the Burmester sound boxes.
Quality is perhaps more important for the upper-middle-class clientele. In the important American customer barometer from JD Power, Mercedes only came in 27th out of 32. The E-Class will not be allowed to afford such things and will not want to, they are built in Sindelfingen. Mercedes-Benz has not yet said anything about the pricing, we suspect that tariffs will rise noticeably, which will be expected to be bearable because future packages will already be included, which customers have mostly ordered anyway.