2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class (USA)
The Mercedes-Benz’s next generation
E-Class was fully revealed on Sunday during a press event on the eve of the
Detroit Motor Show.
Bigger but lighter than the outgoing
E-Class, the 2017 model will go on sale in the USA and Canada this summer
offering a single engine option at launch, a 2.0-liter turbocharged
four-cylinder gasoline unit with 241 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque for the E300.
Additional powertrains will be added to the range during the course of the
year.
In Europe, the new E-Class will be
available with a wider engine range at launch, including the gasoline-powered
E200 with a 184 PS 2.0-liter turbo four, the diesel-powered E220d with a
195 PS 2.0L four, the E350d with a 258 PS 3.0-liter six-cylinder,
and the E350e plug-in hybrid with a total system output of 279 PS.
All models available at market launch
will be equipped with the firm’s new 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic
transmission as standard.
Aside from the regular steel-spring
suspension, the E-Class will offer two DIRECT CONTROL suspension systems with
selective damping (Sport or Comfort) and the AIR BODY CONTROL air suspension.
Built on Benz’s modular MRA platform
that also underpins the latest C-Class and S-Class models, the new
W213-codenamed E-Class has a 66 mm longer wheelbase than its
predecessor at 2,939 mm, while it’s 43 mm longer
overall at 4,922 mm.
The styling of Mercedes’ BMW 5-Series and Audi A6
rival, both inside and out, slots neatly between the more sporty C-Class and
more plush S-Class.
The US version of the E300 will have a
traditional gauge cluster behind the steering wheel combined with a 12.3-inch
navigation display screen, though, we expect Mercedes to offer the full-digital
instrument panel version as well, if not at launch, later on.
The W213 E-Class will debut a number of
tech, comfort and safety features, ranging from touch-sensitive control buttons
('Touch Controls') on the steering wheel and LED ambient lighting with 64 color
options, to the Remote Parking Pilot system that allows the vehicle to be moved
into and out of garages and parking spaces remotely using a smartphone app.
Another highlight is the Car-to-X communication system that enables mobile
phone-supported exchange of information with other vehicles further ahead on
the road.




