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| The new E-Class will also be available with quiet and powerful a turbo-diesel. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz) |
The E320 powertrain is a carryover from the previous generation car, a 3.2-litre SOHC V6 with 221 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 232 lb-ft of torque between 3,000 - 4,800 rpm.
On the other hand, the 5.0-litre V8 in the E500 replaces the 4.3-litre unit in the previous generation E430, with horsepower rising from 275 to 302, and torque up from 295 to 339 lb-ft, over a wider range, 2,700 - 4,250 rpm.
As before, the only transmission available on either model is a five-speed automatic, with Touch Shift manual control. It is virtually transparent in its smooth operation. The days of heavy steering in Mercedes cars are long gone, and the new E-Class has an even quicker rack-and-pinion set-up with only 2.8-turns lock-to-lock, compared to 3.3 in the last generation. Overall, its feel is linear and direct, if a little overboosted.
Mercedes has not stood still on the technology front, and the new "E" debuts a number of "firsts" in the luxury segment. They include AIRmatic air suspension (standard on E500, optional on E320), which does away with steel springs in favour of rubber bellows filled with compressed air, regulated by computer. Along with the variable shock absorber damping, the set-up results in a combination of ride and handling impossible to attain with a normal spring suspension-type. The big sedan handles twisty roads and freeways with equal competence.