At high speed on the freeway the E500 showed exemplary poise, switching lanes quickly with no directional stability problems and capable of overcoming road irregularities that would upset lesser vehicles' suspension systems. It's also wonderfully quiet at speed, due to a combination of thorough sound deadening, an extremely rigid structure and an ultra-slippery coefficient of drag, reported to be no more than 0.27 Cd.
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| Four-channel ABS, electronic brake proportioning, Brake Assist, and electronically actuated 4-wheel ventilated discs bring the car to a rapid stop everytime. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
Similarly, braking performance was respectable. Stopping smoothly when the pedal was pressed slightly, the car slammed to a halt when full braking power was called upon. The result comes from a full supply of active safety features, such as 4-channel ABS, of course, as well as electronic brake proportioning and Brake Assist, but most importantly the 4-wheel ventilated discs' four-pot calipers are electronically actuated. While there have been some reports of an artificial feel and pedal modulation difficulties at low speeds, I didn't notice any negatives at all. What's more, repeated stops from high-speed showed little fade, important for those that enjoy mincing it up on a circuitous backroad once in a while.
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| Back seat riders will speak kindly of the E's increased interior volume. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
When filled with passengers, however, no such childish behavior is normally appreciated. Rather, back seat riders will speak kindly of the E's increased interior volume to 2,752 liters (97.2 cubic feet), being that the car has grown slightly in every dimension and the space available has been used more efficiently. An increase in trunk capacity should reduce the need to load baggage into the cabin as well, now up from 434 L (15.3 cu ft) to 450 (15.9 cu ft). My test car came equipped with the optional power trunklid, something I recommend for those that often find themselves with groceries in one hand, a child in the other, and one hanging off the leg, or rather if your job has you toting samples in and out of your car on a regular basis you'll also find the feature indispensable.
