Crossovers might be king, but Mercedes isn’t ready to give up on wagons and that’s clear once again as spy photographers have snapped the redesigned E-Class Estate. Caught undergoing testing in Germany, the model will follow in the footsteps of the sedan and adopt an evolutionary but streamlined design. The camouflage hides a number of details, but we can see the grocery getter will have a larger and more prominent single bar grille that is flanked by sweptback headlights and a wide central intake.
Moving down the sides, we can see
pronounced wheel arches and streamlined bodywork that eschews the sweeping
character line found on the current model. Designers also gave the car
flush-mounted door handles and a rakish windscreen that flows into a long
sloping roof. More importantly, there’s a rear charging port that indicates
this particular prototype is a plug-in hybrid. The evolutionary design
continues out back with a new liftgate that features a larger recessed section.
The model also has a hidden exhaust, which allows for a cleaner rear bumper.
Spy shooters didn’t get close enough to
snap interior pictures, but the cabin is slated to be heavily inspired by the
C- and S-Class. As a result, we can expect a freestanding digital instrument
cluster and an infotainment system with a portrait orientation.
Engine options remain unconfirmed, but the
model could have a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with mild-hybrid
technology as well as an output of 255 hp and 400
Nm of torque. It could be joined by a 2.0-liter diesel developing 261 hp and 550 Nm of torque. We can also expect an assortment
of other options including a plug-in hybrid variant that could have a combined
output of around 309 hp.
Mercedes has been tight-lipped about the
model, but the redesigned E-Class is expected to be introduced early next year
and followed by AMG variants.
