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March 21, 2009 Saturday
Merc's funky, safe ride
The new stylish E-class is chockful of safety features
By christopher tan, in madrid
Besides its bold new look, the E-class comes with a new line-up of engines as well. -- PHOTO: DAIMLER AG
The Mercedes-Benz E-class has long been one of the most unadventurous executive choices around. And millions of buyers like it that way. The latest model, however, could change things somewhat.
It sports a decidedly revolutionary styling. In fact, revolutionary might be too mild a description for this hard-angled and funky design. But like most German products, there is a good chance that it will grow on you.
Its radical appearance aside, the new E-class sets new benchmarks in a few other areas. Built on an all-new platform, the latest car is chockful of standard features that keep the car well ahead of the executive pack.
The safety features are the most impressive. For instance, the car knows when you are too tired to drive, using sensors that monitor up to 70 parameters. If you are drowsy, it will chime and display a coffee cup sign on the instrument panel to tell you so.
The car will alert you if you are too close to a vehicle or object in front of you. If you do not react, it will apply the brakes - 40 per cent at first, and if you still do not take over, fully. In a collision, the bonnet rises by 50mm to reduce the risk of pedestrians hitting the hard engine.
It will remind you of speed limits, using a sign recognition technology. Its headlights adapt to road and weather conditions and will dip when there is a vehicle in front or approaching.
It has a slew of airbags, including curtain airbags and a knee airbag.
In the area of comfort, the new E is still a standard bearer. Although occupying a footprint similar to the current car, it is cleverly packaged to offer more interior space. Its wheelbase is more generous, as is elbow room and headroom - even though the car sits lower, giving it a drag coefficient of 0.25. That's a fancy way of saying it has better wind-cheating properties.
Its stowage space remains a class-leading 540 litres. Not only that, it is now fitted with a nifty extendable pack for wet or dirty things.
Along with its extended wheelbase, its suspension has been reworked to give the car a fabulous ride. The cabin is also well insulated against outside noise. On a test route that takes us out of Madrid into snow-capped mountains, wind noise begins to intrude only above 130kmh.
The front seats come with active side support, with bolsters that keep you in place in fast corners. But these are optional equipment.
The smart aircon system, however, is standard issue. It now has a 'diffuse' mode which, as the term implies, allows the system to cool the cabin effectively without ruffling your hair. Mercedes also said it has fixed the common problem of the windscreen misting on wet days.
In the luxe department, this Merc has all the amenities found in the current model. In the area of performance, it enters new territories with a line-up of new engines. Probably the most relevant would be the E250 CGI, with a 1.8-litre direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder power plant that pumps out over 200 horsepower and, more impressively, 310Nm of torque from just 2,000rpm. The engine is the first turbo in an E-class.
The 'wooden throttle' sensation of past E-class cars is no more. Not only that, it makes for a more frugal car. It outperforms the 2.5-litre V6, and yet is less thirsty than the 1.8-litre Kompressor. Absolutely amazing.
The only downside to the E250 CGI is its transmission, which is merely a five-speed auto. The competition has six-speeders.
Those who have an issue with this should go for the E350 CGI, a 3.5-litre direct injection V6 that makes 292bhp and 365Nm of torque. It is regulated by a seven-speed autobox with paddle shifters. This is clearly a smoother car, with more mid-range pull and a quieter delivery.
But because E-class buyers in Singapore seldom go for any engine beyond 3 litres, the E250 CGI will form the bulk of sales. Until something in-between comes along. It is quite possible, since there is such a wide gap between a 1.8-litre and a 3.5-litre. (The 5.4-litre V8 E500 is at best a niche seller.)
The new E possesses a direct and predictable steering feel, something alien to the model up till now. This makes the car a whole lot more rewarding at the wheel. And with its new suspension set-up, dynamic driving will not be at the expense of comfort for other occupants.
It is obviously a change for the better. Can the same be said for the way the car looks? Perhaps only time will tell.
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MERCEDES-BENZ E250 CGI; E350 CGI
Price: To be announced
Engine: 1.8-litre inline-4 turbo; 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: Five-speed automatic; seven-speed automatic with paddle shift
Power: 204bhp at 5,500rpm; 292bhp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 310Nm at 2,000-4,300rpm; 365Nm at 3,000-5,100rpm
0-100kmh: 7.7; 6.3 seconds
Top speed: 241kmh; 250kmh
Fuel consumption: 7.3; 8.5 litres/100km (city-highway)
Agent: Cycle & Carriage