New Merc E-Class unveiled

The next generation E-Class has finally been officially unveiled by Mercedes, the new car not only bringing a sharp new look inside and out but a host of new technological advances. Merc's boffins have been working very hard indeed to allow the new E-Class to deliver the same sort of performance its customers have come to expect but with reduced emissions and consumption.

The nine-engine range follows the traditional petrol-diesel mix, each of the powerplants featuring direct injection to improve economy. Mercedes hasn't stopped there, the new E-Class riding on lower rolling resistance tyres, being more aerodynamically efficient and featuring energy saving devices such as on-demand engine auxiliaries and stop-start systems on some models to allow the petrol engine range to offer a 20% improvement in economy and the turbodiesel line-up to boast a 23% reduction in fuel consumption. The headline figures for the four-cylinder turbodiesel engines are seriously impressive, the E-Class boasting 53.3mpg and 139g/km of CO₂.

Those improvements haven't come at the expense of performance, the smaller four-cylinder engines Mercedes is offering in the mid-range models more than able to compete in terms of power and torque figures when compared to some of the six-cylinder units they replace.

Safety is among the other key areas where Mercedes has been focusing its attention on the new E-Class. Each model comes with Attention Assist, a driver drowsiness measuring system that monitors steering wheel input and warns drivers of sleepiness. Other technology included in the standard safety arsenal includes a new pop-up bonnet to reduce the severity of pedestrian impacts and Pre-safe - Mercedes's intelligent safety system with nine airbags.

Plentiful new optional equipment is offered with the new E-Class: technology like night viewing assist and radar adaptive cruise control, high beam assist headlamps and new adaptive electronic dampers in combination with Airmatic suspension heading the comprehensive list. Sales of the new E-Class start in the UK this June, the model range certain to be widened by then with the addition of an AMG flagship performance model and load lugging estate versions.

Kyle Fortune