Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The Mercedes E-Class has been India’s favourite premium executive sedan. Launched in the late 90s, the various iterations and generations of the E-Class have always been enticing the Indian buyers. Now the new E-Class has moved on to its fifth generation and is for the first it is being sold as a LWB. It is available both as a petrol and diesel model for the Indian market.

Mercedes had invested almost a billion dollars into developing the W212 facelift we have now and the W213 carries forward the design cues. The E-Class has always been different from the S-Class and the C-Class, but the W213 blends in. The grille is upright and pronounced while the lines are curvy and flowing. From a distance the only thing that would give away the E-Class from the S and the C would probably be the alloy wheel design. However, the E-Class is now much closer to the S-Class in terms of length as it a long wheelbase version.

The interior too is brand new. It is more in line with the latest Mercedes interiors we have seen with the new S-Class and the C-Class. It feels bright and roomy and gets the new touch panel controller for the infotainment system. The instrument cluster gets two analogue dials for the speed and the EVS and a screen between the two to read out all the vital information. Dual zone climate control, cruise control, automatic headlamps, rain-sensing wipers are going to be standard along with the power adjustable front seats with memory function.

The W213 Mercedes E-Class will probably usher the straight six engines back on to the Mercedes assembly lines globally. For us in India, the car has been fitted with the 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine and the 1999cc petrol engine. The former develops 255bhp of power and 625Nm of torque while the petrol engine produces 181bhp/300Nm. Both are offered with the 9G-Tronic gearbox. The new E-Class will compete with the BMW 5 Series, Volvo S90, Jaguar XF and the Audi A6.