Safety is E-Class' PriorityUnquestionably, the most popular luxury executive sedan on the global market
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| The E-Class has been Germany (and Europe's) number one luxury sedan four years running. That's a pretty good score, no? (Photo: Mercedes-Benz Canada) |
today is Mercedes-Benz's E-Class. While Audi and BMW managed to elbow their way into the spotlight with daring styling and a sporty spin on upper-level luxury, the three-pointed star remains a strong but silent best-seller in its home market of Germany (thanks partly to E-Class taxi-cab dominance - Ed.), and the rest of Europe, where it takes a respective 38 and 30 percent market share. In fact, since the current generation's launch back in 2002, Benz has sold over a million E-Class sedans and wagons, a production figure that hasn't been touched by any of its competitors in the past four years.
Today,
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| A facelift should ensure that sales run smoothly in the years to come. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz Canada) |
the E-Class is still extremely strong in the sales department, but, to Mercedes-Benz, the present isn't the only important time - the future is too. To retain the all-important number one position, Mercedes has chosen to give the E a mid-life update in order to allow it opportunity to fight back. For this year's New York International Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz pulled off the wraps to an updated version of the E, which has been honed for model-year 2007. The new car features all of the goodies and gadgets that have appeared in all of Benz's new introductions, in a package that's familiar to the masses.
The most prominent change with the revised E-Class is its nose, and
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| New grille and bumpers sum up the adjusted nose. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz Canada) |
in particular the grille. Though the four individual headlamps have more or less stayed the same, Benz has brought greater focus to the front of the vehicle by augmenting the grille. It's now taller and brighter like the S-Class. New bumpers have been fitted; those in front are slightly more complex in appearance than before, with three separate intakes and LED driving lamps, though, the ones in back are classy and simple. The E-Class' exterior is rounded out by a new decklid with chrome accent trim, new head and tail lights featuring different bezels, plus new wheels and a new colour palette.
Inside,
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| New steering wheel is the biggest single change to the interior. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz Canada) |
changes are minimal, mostly made to the décor of the interior with new materials and colours. Aside from a revised version of the Thermatic climate control system and a rear-seat entertainment system, the only real new addition to the E-Class is a new steering wheel. More impressively, the new four-spoke tiller (borrowed from the CLS-Class) is linked to a reworked steering system that's approximately 10 percent sharper than before. Combined with new spring link dampers, these changes improve the car's dynamics, a change that's said to boost driver confidence.
