The Mercedes E-Class is class-leading

The new Mercedes E-Class, arriving in the UK from mid-June 2009 will offer all-round safety, outstanding comfort and up to 23 per cent fuel savings; from 53.3 mpg and 139 g/km CO2 , the manufacturer promises.With more than 20 new or further technical developments, this saloon further consolidates the leading position of Mercedes-Benz in the luxury class. New safety features include the standard Attention Assist, optional Adaptive High Beam Assist and automatic emergency braking, which is activated when there is acute danger of a collision.The Lane Tracking package for the new E-Class includes Blind Spot Assist, and as a new development, Lane Keeping Assist which seeks to prevent the vehicle from leaving the lane unintentionally. When the system recognises that the car is drifting from its lane, the driver is prompted to take countersteering action by brief but unmistakable vibrations of the steering wheel.Night View Assist from the S-Class will also be available as an optional extra from June 2009 for the new E-Class. Mercedes-Benz has improved this system with a special pedestrian detection function: as soon as Night View Assist PLUS recognises pedestrians ahead of the car, they are highlighted in the onboard display to provide a greatly enhanced warning effect.Mercedes-Benz has improved the already exemplary long-distance comfort of the E-Class even further in the new saloon, including intelligent bodyshell technology with up to 30 per cent greater rigidity, further improved seats and a newly developed suspension whose shock absorbers automatically adjust to the current driving situation. The optional airmatic suspension now works together with an electronic damping system.The outstanding safety and comfort of the E-Class are matched by its environmental compatibility and economy: the nine available engines are direct-injection units, and consume up to 23 per cent less fuel than before. The combined consumption of the new four-cylinder diesel engines is 53.3 mpg, which corresponds to 139 grams of CO2 per kilometre. All the engines for the new E-Class meet the EU5 emission standard.Apart from the engines, the BlueEFFICIENCY (standard on all UK cars except the V8s) package for the E-Class is largely responsible for an average fuel consumption improvement of 3 mpg. Engineers from every development department have worked together to optimise numerous assemblies and components, to save fuel by means of reduced weight, a new shape, improved functioning or efficient energy management.The work done in the wind tunnel was particularly successful, resulting in a drag coefficient of only 0.25, making the new E-Class the world’s most aerodynamically efficient luxury saloon. It betters the already good Cd figure of the preceding model by another four percent.Other BlueEFFICIENCY measures include newly developed tyres with up to 17 per cent lower rolling resistance, need-related and therefore energy-saving control of the alternator, fuel pump, air conditioning compressor and power steering, and the ECO start/stop function (from late summer 2009) which switches the engine of the new E 200 CGI off when idling. Displays in the speedometer inform the driver how much fuel is being consumed (mpg), and when they should shift to the next higher gear in the interests of an economical and environmentally conscious driving style.With three completely newly developed four-cylinder engines, the E-Class also remains one generation ahead where diesel technology is concerned. These engines feature latest-generation common-rail direct injection, fast piezo-electric injectors, improved exhaust gas recirculation and an innovative twin turbocharger, making for improved responsiveness and good performance characteristics. To express this in figures, the E 250 CDI with 204 hp and 500 Nm sees an improvement of 60 Nm of torque over the previous E 280 CDI V6 diesel engine, but uses around 23 per cent less fuel returning 53.3 mpg (combined NEDC consumption). This corresponds to 139 grams of CO2 per kilometre.The new four-cylinder diesel engine also powers the E 220 CDI with 170 hp and the E 200 CDI with 136 hp which also have combined fuel consumption figures of 53.3 mpg (available late summer 2009). The top model in the new E-Class diesel range is the six-cylinder E 350 CDI with an output of 231 hp, which returns 40.9 mpg on the combined cycle, a 2 mpg improvement over the previous E 320 CDI. Petrol engines: 20 per cent fuel saving thanks to direct injection.The E 200 CGI and E 250 CGI are equipped with the newly developed four-cylinder direct-injection engine with a displacement of 1.8 litres, turbocharging and variable intake and exhaust camshafts. The E 200 CGI (184 hp) is equipped with a six-speed manual transmission and the ECO start/stop function as standard, and returns 41.5 mpg of petrol (combined NEDC consumption, provisional figure). This equates to 159 grams of CO2 per kilometre.In the E 250 CGI (204 hp), which has a five-speed automatic transmission as standard, maximum torque is now 310 Nm, which represents an increase of more than 26 per cent over the previous V6-engine.At the same time the NEDC fuel consumption is reduced by over 20 per cent to 38.1 mpg, equating to 175 grams of CO2 per kilometre (provisional figures).As before, the E 350 CGI with direct petrol injection (292 hp) and the top-of-the-line E 500 (388 hp) are included in the range of engine variants in the new E-Class. Developments have improved the fuel economy on these V6/V8 models by up to 1 mpg.  As a product from Mercedes-AMG, the new high-performance E 63 AMG develops 525 hp.The V6 and V8-models are equipped with the seven-speed 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission and steering wheel Direct Select lever as standard.With nine airbags as standard, belt tensioners, belt force limiters, crash-responsive head restraints and ISOFIX child seat attachments, the new E-Class has even more extensive safety features than the preceding model. Another new feature is the active bonnet, which is a continuation of many years of commitment to pedestrian protection on the part of Mercedes-Benz. It is standard equipment in the new E-Class. In the event of an impact, a system of springs raises the rear section of the bonnet by 50 mm within fractions of a second, thereby increasing the available deformation space. Thanks to the cleverly conceived mechanism, the driver is able to reset the active bonnet to its normal position by themself, without visiting a workshop.Another standard feature is the preventive occupant protection system PRE-SAFE®. In potentially hazardous situations this reflexively activates precautionary protective measures for the vehicle occupants, so that the seat belts and airbags are able to fulfil their protective function to the full during an impact.Comfort: further progress with adaptive shock absorbers and improved air suspension As in the safety field, the E-Class has been setting the standards for long-distance comfort in this vehicle class for several decades. Bettering the already high level of the preceding series, Mercedes engineers have achieved further advances with the new saloon – especially where ride, seating and climatic comfort are concerned.Standard equipment includes a further improved suspension with adaptive shock absorbers. These automatically adapt to the current driving situation by reducing the damping forces when driving normally, thereby noticeably improving ride comfort. When taking bends at speed or during rapid evasive action, the system switches to the maximum damping effect so that the saloon is stabilised to best effect.All E-Class models feature Direct Control suspension with Avantgarde and Sport models featuring 15mm lowered suspension as standard.The Airmatic system optionally available for the V6 models (standard in the E 500) has for the first time been combined with an electronically controlled damping system, which processes various sensor signals and controls each wheel independently. In this way Mercedes specialists have achieved significantly better ride comfort while improving handling safety and agility at the same time. The driver is able to select either comfort or sport mode at the touch of a button.The new saloon not only provides Mercedes customers with a choice of nine engines and three suspension variants, but also four design and equipment lines; 7 wheel/tyre combinations in 16, 17, 18 or 19-inch size; 12 exterior paint finishes and four different seat upholstery materials in up to five colour combinations to suit their individual preferences. The choice of interior trim has been extended  with the range now including aluminium trim and high-gloss exotic wood.Standard SE specification includes 16-inch light-alloy wheels in a five-spoke design, aluminium trim, Artico upholstery, heated front seats and a four-spoke multifunction steering wheel lined in fine nappa leather with chrome inserts. Also included in the standard equipment is the Audio 20 CD /radio system with a twin receiver, CD-player, eight speakers and a Bluetooth interface for a mobile phone. The clearly laid out 5.8 in screen in the centre of the dashboard can be operated by the driver or front passenger, using the Controller on the centre console.  Advanced Parking Guidance is also standard. The individualisation programme for the E-Class is based on three design and equipment lines.The AVANTGARDE line shows the E-Class in a decidedly modern and innovative light. This is ensured by additional standard features such as bi-xenon headlamps with the Intelligent Light System and LED daytime running lights, LED technology for all the rear lights, 17-inch light-alloy wheels in a five twin-spoke design, a special, lowered suspension set-up, ambient lighting and the instrument cluster in a sporty tubular design. This model variant is also distinguishable by its different bumper design and a chrome-plated radiator grille with three glossy, black louvres.The Sport model features AMG bodystyling that includes bumpers and side skirts, 18-inch light-alloy AMG wheels, lowered sports suspension, and perforated disc brakes with the Mercedes logo. Inside, there are sport seats with enhanced lateral support, contrasting decorative seams in the seats and armrests, a four-spoke sports steering wheel with shift paddles (auto only) and a black roof lining.RoadTestReports.co.uk rates the E-Class at four and a half stars.

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