This is also the straight third year of growth for the three pointed star in India.
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In the United States, only two design lines will be offered, with the Sport line being the equivalent of the Avantgarde/AMG line in Europe while the Luxury version will be quasi-identical with the Exclusive line on the Old Continent.
While the test vehicle won’t be an E-Class it will feature some autonomous technology. But if you start to avoid an accident with a steering input, it’ll assist by adding the exact calculated amount of additional effort to avoid the collision. Both roomier and reflecting a higher quality than that of the current E-Class, the new interior combines design cues from both the smaller C-Class and larger S-Class.
The new E-Class is longer than its predecessor, with an extended wheelbase, and is also lower and narrower. On the gasoline front, the E 200 has a turbocharged 2.0-liter, four cylinder with 184 hp and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) of torque, while the E 250 e is a plug-in hybrid that pairs a turbocharged 2.0-liter, four cylinder with an electric motor for a combined 279 hp and 600 Nm (442 lb-ft) of torque.
Roland Folger, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India said, “We are happy to witness such a strong growth despite unexpected sales challenges faced in the key markets of Chennai and Delhi”.
Under the hood the Mercedes-Benz GLE AMG 450 Coupe comes with AMG-enhanced 3.0-liter biturbo V-6 engine producing a maximum of 362bhp and a peak torque of 520 Nm. The new E is consequently expected to weigh less than the outgoing model even though it’s almost two inches longer.
The 2017 E-Class will go on sale in the U.S.in summer 2016.
There is a choice of three suspension setups – Comfort, Comfort Avantagarde and Sport – with variable damping control, with some models getting the option of Mercedes’ new Air Body Control air suspension which uses air chambers at the front and back to vary ride height, damping and stiffness to suit driving style and road conditions. All-wheel drive is available. And for those of us who can’t afford the $95K-and up S-Class, this new E-Class is a very good thing.
Benz claims the new fifth-generation E-Class will set new standards in the class, and it will need to because BMW’s next all-new 5-Series is also due this year and Audi’s next A6 due to land in 2017 – and it doesn’t always pay to be first in the cycle.
Besides all the normal stuff (blind-spot monitoring, autonomous emergency braking and what have you) the latest evolution of Merc’s Distronic cruise control (DRIVE PILOT) can now follow cars – taking care of the braking, accelerating and most of the steering as required – at speeds of up to 130mph.
The seats can be heated – along with the door armrests, center console and steering wheel.
But that technology – along with a feature that allows drivers to exit the auto before the vehicle parks itself – may not be active when the auto arrives locally in June.
Buyers will be able to option selected E-Class models with new air suspension.
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And the E-Class can be outfitted with an integral car-to-X communication module that lets the auto communicate with other vehicles nearby and exchange information on, for example, obstacles further down the road. That national identity cliche is old-fashioned today-they build Benzes in Alabama now, among many other places worldwide-but every now and then the automaker reminds us how it became known as a technology powerhouse.
