Detroit 2009: Mercedes-Benz E-Class

[mustang84]

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/10/2010-me...neva/2#comments

After various reports and some leaked images, M-B took the wraps off the the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class at a private event in Detroit. While the new E won't make its public debut until March at the Geneva Motor Show, we were on hand in Motown to get the details straight from the company that Karl Benz built.

We've said plenty about the E's new conservative sheetmetal and exterior elements, including the ConceptFASCINATION-inspired front-end and sedate, uninspired rump. Depending on spec, the new E-class will feature either twin foglamps or angular LEDs, trapezoidal or oval exhaust tips and a host of wheel options. The overall length has been stretched by half an inch to just under 16 feet, while the width has grown by 1.26 inches, the wheelbase is up 0.8-inches and height is half-an-inch taller than the outgoing model. Torsional rigidity is up by 30% and the new E is more aerodynamic, along with packing 11 standard airbags.

The 2010 model shows considerable promise inside, with an interior that evolves the C-class and GLK's angular aesthetic and attempts to bring more of that bomb-proof feel that Benz was known for in the past. The transmission selector can be had on either the console or the steering column, ala S-class, with the COMAND controller placed on the center divider and some of the seat controls moving to the sides, next to the transmission tunnel.

The new E features enough gadgetry to sooth even the most weary CES attendee, beginning with a new standard system called Attention Assist that keeps track of steering angle and alerts the driver if they're getting drowsy with an audible alert and a coffee-cup icon on the dash. Lane departure warning is optional, along with adaptive high-beam headlights that dim when oncoming traffic is approaching, radar-based cruised control, blind-spot monitoring and infrared night vision.

When the 2010 E-class goes on sale this summer, buyers can choose from either a direct-injected, 292-hp 3.5-liter V6 (E350) or a 388-hp 5.5-liter V8 (E500), both mated to a standard seven-speed automatic gearbox. 4MATIC models will arrive later, along with the E63 variant, and the 211 hp, 3.0-liter Bluetech diesel variant with urea injection is slated to go on sale at the end of the year.

[mustang84]

They gotta be kidding with this interior...

It looks as bad as some current Chrysler interiors.

I was a big fan of the new C-class exterior, but the E-class is just Chinese knock-off bad.

Edited January 11, 2009 by mustang84

[Northstar]

The exterior is OK, but the interior is just absolutely brutal. It looks like an updated version of the Astra's.

[Intrepidation]

It looks terrible. Like a Chinese copy of the last E-Class. What's up with the 4 fog lights? I would not pay the kind of money they are wanting for a car that looks like this. I'd rather have the LaCrosse or Taurus. Boith look nicer inside and out.

[ZL-1]

There's something very wrong with this car's looks, inside and out.

[Robert Hall]

I'm disappointed... I'm a long time Merc fan, love the classic ones from the '50s up through the early '90s.... I like the current S-class, CLS, CLK, ML, the updated SL, but the C and now the new E just don't do it for me...and the GLK--blech!

Edited January 11, 2009 by moltar

[pow]

You can get LED DRLs instead of the dual fogs...

http://cmsimg.freep.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bil...amp;Quality=100

It seems like they're going back to the '80s with the boxier styling direction of this new E.

[Z-06]

I thought the car photos showed in Autoblog had the shifter near the center console, not on the steering shaft.

[cire]

It looks terrible. Like a Chinese copy of the last E-Class. What's up with the 4 fog lights? I would not pay the kind of money they are wanting for a car that looks like this. I'd rather have the LaCrosse or Taurus. Boith look nicer inside and out.

+1

It's a good thing that Chrysler is almost completely separated from Daimler because it appears as though Mercedes has completely lost any styling mojo it had left. This thing is hideous inside and out.

I also agree with you about the upcoming LaCrosse and Taurus. It's about time Detroit showed the world that they can be leaders in vehicle design again. There is nothing from any foreign automakers that can compare to these 2 great designs.

[balthazar]

I'm going to stand up and say this clearly - Mercedes -styling-wise- is done.

From the moment that retro-block concept convert appeared a few years ago, it has been apparent.

The current 'slammed' sedan, whatever the alphanumeric may be, was the future direction, but they put that language on exactly one car, then they pretend like it doesn't exist & twiddle around with all the other comparitively dated designs. Now, with this monster, it's clear they have no clue and less direction.

And look at the interior smallchevy posted: cheap plastics, mismatched coloration (may be the flash), and plasticized mouse fur panels. Trash & garbage, but when you build to 50% fleet numbers in your own country, I guess it's good enough.

Let 'em burn.

[Intrepidation]

I hate how blocky the interior is. Everyone criticized the hell out of Chrysler for having blocky interior designs that all look alike. This looks like a blockier version of the C-Class' interior.

[Satty]

It looks like Diamler kept some of Chrysler's designers.

[Intrepidation]

Let them keep the bad ones. I hope they run Daimler into the ground like Daimler tried to do with Chrysler.

[bobo]

Not an improvement, but not as awful as in the early pics. The last design will be a classic. This is just a mish-mash of Benz styling cues, and it's not very cohesive. The pointy deck looks odd.

[SoCalCTS]

This car is hideous. That interior is far worse than GM has done in years. It looks like a bad Chrysler rip-off. The new exterior Mercedes looks is uninspired and blocky.

Lets see if they can keep the quality up. The E series two gens back was named "the least reliable car ever tested" by Consumer Reports.

[Intrepidation]

I love it. While Chrysler works towards improving its products Mercedes is ruining them.

[toesuf94]

I believe the word you are looking for here is UPGEf@#kED! Not ugly, but not a graceful Mercedes design

[Drew Dowdell]

What's up with the 4 fog lights?

Two are fog lights, two are lasers used for de-icing the road directly in front of the tire path.

[Drew Dowdell]

The dash plastics look horrendous!

[Cory Wolfe]

When did Chery buy Mercedes?

[Intrepidation]

There's like no detailing to make this look luxurious. It looks about the same as a basic midsize car. There's no dash stitching for example. Even the Ram offers that now. It looks cheap, and looks ugly.

[balthazar]

That's because it IS cheap and it IS ugly.

[Drew Dowdell]

Well it's official. Cadillac's midsizer interior > Mercedes Benz midsizer interior.

[MyerShift]

Oh my!

And I was thinking the exterior was awful, this interior just, blows.

Cheap. Nasty. Bland. Poorly redone 1980's square elements.

Thank God Chrysler is on the rebound styling wise now that they are free.

See what Mercedes is doing to themselves?

[Robert Hall]

There's like no detailing to make this look luxurious. It looks about the same as a basic midsize car. There's no dash stitching for example. Even the Ram offers that now. It looks cheap, and looks ugly.

And disgusting gray plastic everywhere. That does not look like an interior fit for a $60k car.

[§carlet §wordfish]

But it's got 42-way seats massaging seats!

[ZL-1]

But it's got 42-way seats massaging seats!

they spent so much time designing those, that they forgot to design a proper exterior and interior

[NOS2006]

Wow, that's brutal. The only thing I can honestly say I like on this design-wise is the steering wheel.

[§carlet §wordfish]

I still like the front end styling. But that interior is just a joke!