2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
A study in sharp design
MADRID, Spain — Driving through the rolling hills of the countryside near the fabled La Mancha in the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class brings to mind a number of natural similes. Like the fabled Man of La Mancha, the new-for-2010 E-Class Saloon will have windmills to joust.
While some may point to upstarts from Hyundai or Lexus, the E-Class’s biggest obstacles may be the expectations of loyal followers and the line’s long history as an industry leader in the premium mid-size sector.
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And E-Class fans have reason for high expectations. The marque, which ranges back to the 1950s, last underwent a major change in 2002 and captured an impressive market share in many parts of the world, including an estimated 30% share in Western Europe. The last-generation E-Class also made inroads in North America for the diesel engine by combining the impressive torque of a turbocharged oil-burner with impeccable road manners and impressive fuel economy.
And virtually every engine configuration in the E-Class line-up has been upgraded to provide better performance than ever – both in real-world drivability and at the fuel pumps.
The most impressive gains involve replacing twin-turbo four cylinder diesels for some of the V6 models to be offered in European markets. Mercedes may have made the right choice by opting to withhold the 200-series models from the North American market, but the numbers remain outstanding, with the smaller fours outperforming the sixes they replace in terms of horsepower and fuel economy.
That’s not to say that the selection soon to hit the Canadian market isn’t highly suitable in its own right. One need look no further than the E-Class’s new, more angular design language to see that no holds have been barred, inside or out. It’s a major departure, in some ways, from the smooth lines and oval headlines of the ‘current’ version, but the sharp creases and new rear lamp treatment grow on you quickly.
And Mercedes-Benz has built in additional styling cues to help E-buffs identify some of the variations coming on-line in the summer and fall of 2009. Initially, the E-Class will be offered here in two basic trim levels – Elegance and Avantegarde. The former is quietly attractive on the outside, with 16-inch 20-spoke alloy wheels (arranged in close-set pairs) and a grille that sports four chrome crossbars. The Avantegarde comes with 10-spoke alloys (also arranged in pairs) and is distinguished up front by a three-crossbar arrangement.
You’ll be able to tell from the back whether the E you’re following is equipped with either of the V6 engines (a 3.5-litre direct-injected gas-burning unit or a 3.0-litre turbocharged diesel with Bluetec technology) or the smile-producing 5.5-litre V8. The big eight harnesses 388 hp, and gets twin rectangular tailpipes, while exhaust from the 272-hp CGI (gas injection) and the 231-hp CDI (diesel injection) is routed through oval openings set into the rear bumper cover. Power from any of these three powerplants can be applied to all four wheels simply by ordering the corresponding 4Matic model.
You’ll also need to choose from a dizzying array of interior finishes, including brushed aluminum, glossy black, two traditional glossy woodgrain browns and an attractive open-pore matte wood finish. But Mercedes has already made some significant choices for you, including some real gee-whizz gadgets that could prove very useful in real-life situations.
Perhaps the most discrete system is Attention Assist, which monitors driver inputs and other cues to determine whether a rest is in order, then takes a series of measures to alert the driver of the danger.
Also standard is Pre-Safe – a system that takes anticipatory measures (like pretensioning seatbelts and pre-charging the emergency brake assist) when it recognizes an imminent collision. If you order the optional Distronic Plus package – a radar-based cruise control system that allows you to set the distance to the car ahead – you also get Pre-Safe Brake, which alerts the driver of possible collision situations and then takes action if the driver fails to respond in a timely fashion.
Additional options, like a very effective Blind-Spot Assist system and a Lane-Keeping Assist system, seem to work more reliably and interact with the driver less invasively than similar systems we’ve seen in the past. At night, there’s a night-vision assist system that provides a black-and-white infrared-imaged picture of the road ahead in the five-inch touch screen display on the console, and an Adaptive Highbeam Assist option that automatically recognizes upcoming traffic and dims the headlights accordingly.
Clearly, the host of engineers that showed up at the bullfighting capital of Europe have put incredible amounts of thought and energy into making the new E-Class an obvious step forward in technology and style, creating an ‘Intelligent Partner’ for the driver, as Mercedes puts it.
Only time and the customer can tell whether the comprehensive tech upgrades and endless hours of refinement will be suitably rewarded when the 2010 E-Class engages with the competition. If nothing else, it would make a handsome steed for anyone sallying forth to battle hostile highways and byways.
Summary:
Strong Points
Weak Points
- - new distinctive style
- - quality parts and workmanship
- - many safety systems included
- - wheel-style system controller is standard
- - add-ons could blow up the price
Editors Rating:
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