MERCEDES E-CLASS RANGE
If The Mercedes E-Class Is The Ultimate Executive Car, The Latest Models Make Their Rivals Appear Distinctly Penultimate. Andy Enright Reports
The E-Class occupies a specific and pivotal role in the
Mercedes-Benz firmament. Despite the gushing headlines generated by the SL, the cleverness of the A-Class and the sheer excellence of the S-Class, its the E-Class around which this entire cornucopia revolves. Its the spiritual centre of the Mercedes universe and the cash cow upon which the firm bases its high profile excursions into Formula One. You may well surmise that its a significant model for Stuttgart.
Thats why the current car has such a tough brief.
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Although the British have an enduring love affair with the E-Class nemesis, the
BMW 5 Series, it seems that as with so many other things, were out of step with the rest of Europe where the E-Class trounces Munichs finest in the sales charts. With no fewer than 200,000 units old worldwide, the E-Class is, has been, and will continue to be, a phenomenal success. Will continue to be? Arent we getting slightly previous? Doubters, sceptics and disbelievers repeat after me. This Is A
Mercedes-Benz.
Although Mercedes have been known to play fast and loose with some of their more peripheral models, the E-Class has to offer buttoned-down rectitude. As such, it majors on conservatism, offering an evolution of the bug-eyed design theme Mercedes introduced in 1995. The marques family styling is most evident from the rear three-quarter where that now familiar coupe-like swoop to the roofline is employed. In this case familiarity doesnt breed anything other than admiration.
The look that was so right in 1998 with the design of the S-Class has worn well and gives the E-Class an arresting profile. The bevels and scallops in its flanks also create more of a studiously designed look than its slab-sided predecessor. The wheel arches are beautifully judged, although the more cynical anoraks may well mutter
Volkswagen Bora under their breath.
"The E-Class has to offer buttoned-down rectitude."
Aluminium body panels are used to keep weight down. The bonnet, front wings, boot lid and some strengthening gussets are all made from aluminium and contribute to a weight loss of some 20kg for the entry-level petrol E240. This has been helped by using varying thicknesses in many of the body panels without sacrificing torsional rigidity, which has also been increased. Despite appearances, the latest E-Class is larger than its predecessor, the width upped by 23mm and the height by 12mm.
Although the length has remained the same, interior packaging has been helped by an increased wheelbase. Full marks to those who spotted that the entry-level petrol car is a no longer a V6. The supercharged 163bhp E200K model now slots in beneath the V6 E240 which in turn is followed by the hi-tec 3.5-litre V6 (E350) and a V8 5.
0-litre petrol (E500) thats good for no less than 302bhp. Those with long memories will no doubt recall the E500 of 1986, developed in partnership with AMG and boasting no fewer than 326bhp. Fear not. Should you hanker after obscene levels of power, youll merely need a large bank balance to invest in the 476bhp E55 AMG flagship.
More significantly, we also get an economical and refined E320CDI diesel. Talking of diesel engines, the E220 CDI is likely to be the volume seller, combining as it does an attractive price tag of £27,795 with the double whammy of 133mph/10.4sec performance and an average fuel return of over 42mpg. If this 148bhp powerplant doesnt get you moist in anticipation, the 172bhp E270CDI unit should do the trick.
Heres a diesel engine that can manage 41.5mpg yet sprint to 60mph in 9 seconds and pound autobahns all day at 142mph. The downside? Youll need to stump up £29,285 for the privilege. Whoever said the best things in life were free obviously never test drove one of these.
The interior styling is redolent of the S-Class. The fascia bulges outwards as if pumped to 100psi, the E320 test car featuring over 70 assorted knobs, buttons, switches and dials. Open the glove box to access the instruction manual if you want to know what does what or alternatively use it to defend your vehicle against would-be carjackers. Its a weighty tome.
Its also indicative of the thorough approach Mercedes have taken. Consider the suspension. Buyers who choose the Classic and Elegance trim levels get a soft riding setup whilst those that fork out for Avantgarde get a 15mm closer to terra firma and a stiffer ride. Go for the optional Sport pack and it gets yet more rigid whilst Airmatic suspension is an option on all models bar the E500 and offers a similar pneumatic system to the S-Class.
Other Mercedes trademarks pop up. The manual gearboxes are still best avoided whilst the indicators in the mirrors are slick but promise an expensive misjudgement through urban gaps. Keen drivers will still prefer the BMW 5-Series, the Mercedes instead concentrating on sybaritic luxury. Try to drive the E-Class as if it were a sports car and youll be greeted with big inputs on the huge steering wheel and Mary Rose levels of body roll.
Drive it as if your underwear had been extinguished and it regains its composure beautifully. The E-class also offers an estate variant priced from £28,360 if you need a little extra room. Its sleek styling means that total seats-flat luggage capacity has actually fallen by 65 litres over that of the previous model, a shortfall that Mercedes have disguised by adding an extra 90-litre underfloor storage compartment and upping the total carrying capacity with all seats in place to 650 litres. The payload is a useful 575kg.
The E-Class is a car thats immensely reassuring. Buyers want a car of impeccable quality that utilises sensible technology and whose reliability and desirability will prop up residual values for years to come. Mercedes needed a rock in the middle of their range and though rivals may founder upon it, the E-Class, as ever, sells on solidity. Heres to the next six years.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Mercedes E-class range
PRICES: £26,560-£64,950 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 14-20
CO2 EMISSIONS: 167-310g/km
PERFORMANCE: [E500] 0-60mph 6.1s/ Max Speed 155mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [E350] (urban) 20.2/ (extra urban) 39.2/ (combined) 29.1mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, windowbags, ABS, ESP, Brake Assist
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height (saloon), 4818/1822/1452mm
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