Indian Cars, Bikes

Car tested: 2009 Mercedes E350 Avantgarde V6 Petrol

Price OTR Mumbai: 51,96,485/-

MotorBeam rating:

The W212 Mercedes E-Class has been one of the most awaited cars in 2009 and besides being one of the best looking cars in the market it also offers an exceptional driving experience. The new Mercedes E class has been built right from the scratch and is more than different from its previous version. It is evident that Mercedes has spent a lot of time and money to bring out one of the best cars in the segment. We were fortunate to be among the first few to drive it and we impressed to no bounds.

Exteriors – A Mercedes is an attention catching machine and it does not go unnoticed. The E Class is no different and is a step up in design compared to its predecessor. The car looks thoroughly masculine and exudes status. The characteristic 3D front grill has been given a V shape to add to the appeal. The previously oval headlamps have been given a progressive slant and appear to be like gemstones carved out with precision.

Like the headlamps the bumper blends into the body with utmost perfection, giving the impression that the design has been cast from a single mould. The bonnet houses the Merc Logo and is designed with sharp lines which blend into the body, not only giving it a classic look but aiding in the aerodynamics of the car as well. The lines which run along the sides reflect light in such a way that the body appears to be longer than it is. The rear houses tail lamps which look pretty good too.

Interiors – Once inside the Mercedes E Class, the interiors are captivating and give a classic feel. The steering wheel has a lot of controls on it like audio, multi-information display and telephone controls. Paddles are provided behind the steering for manual shifting. Other standard features like auto headlamps, wiper, auto door locking at 20kmph, headlamp washer, sunroof are standard features.

Its worthy to note that all the controls are easily accessible from the driving position. Considering that the E Class has been designed to run on big powerplants which occupy a lot of bonnet space, the interiors are pretty spacious and leg room is comfortable.

The E class offers electrically adjustable seats with 4 way electrical lumbar support for the driver and front passenger as well as memory function for the seats, exterior mirrors and steering column. The car also comes with automatically dimming internal and external mirrors which is quite a boon but the left ORVM is disappointing. It seems to show a highly magnified image which leads to a larger blind spot area. This is typically seen is most Mercedes, whether it is a cost cutting measure or not, it is something we haven’t been able to comprehend.

Though the front seats are extremely comfortable, the rear seats seem to just lack that. We won’t call them uncomfortable but they could have been better. Legroom is adequate and overall comfort is good.

The Audio system is decent and is controlled from buttons on the steering wheel as well as a dial on the central console.

The Air conditioning System is pretty impressive too. The Mercedes E Class has individual climate control for both the driver and the front passenger, which is unique and adds a sense of personalisation without compromising on the automatic climate control. The rear seats are also provided with vents on the B pillars on either doors and a centrally placed vent from where temperature can be controlled as per the requirement of the occupants. The “Thermotronic” system, as Mercedes calls it, has about 10 electric motors in total, whose job it is to control the cold and warm air flaps in the mixing zones as well as the air outlets, which means that practically every outlet can be precisely regulated as required.

There are lights abound in the new E-Class. Two lights inside the central rear view mirror and two lights above it. Two lights for the rear passengers which can be controlled by the driver.

Built Quality - Superb is not the word, unfortunately we fall short on words to describe the built of this mean machine. We tried our best to hear the slightest squeak or the tiniest rattle from any part of the car but the Mercedes E350 did not give us a chance to complain.

On the Move – Powered by a robust V6 petrol engine, the all new E-Class is impressive in its performance. This 3.5 liter V6 engine churns an output of 268hp with a torque of 355 Nm. Slotting the car in D (Drive) the car moves very smoothly. Its more fun to use the paddle shifting and the sweet sound of the engine sends the adrenaline rushing making us push the car to the limit, the engine sound is breathtaking and one just does not want to lift off the accelerator.

Steering is light and responsive and varies according to speed. As the speed increases the audio system increases the volume, nice. Cruise Control is really cool, once the speed is set, the car stays at the same speed till you apply the brakes, once you leave the brakes the car accelerates to the set speed. But we don’t see this feature of much use in India.

Ride, Handling and Braking – The Mercedes E350 rides as if its flying at low altitude. The “adaptive shock absorbers” automatically adapt to the current driving situation by reducing the damping forces when driving normally, enhancing the riding comfort. The ride quality is way better than its previous version.

The car is very sharp around corners, the Electronic Stability Program kicks in whenever there is any loss of traction. There is a button to turn off the ESP but thats just there for show, even if the ESP is turned off, it automatically turns on, a safety feature apparently. Even after trying to push it beyond the limit, the E350 rode as if its riding on rails, AWESOME.

Braking is decent and not the sharpest in the segment. The 245/45 R17 tyres do a very good job, but with so much power on your hands, better braking would certainly be of good use.

Performance – Mercedes engineers have absolutely excelled in designing this beast. The V6 engine churns out about 268bhp and the 7G-Tronic gearbox of the E350 is absolutely mindblowing. In comfort mode there is a slight lag in response which is typically there with all auto transmission cars but once you shift to sports mode all hell breaks loose. You just need to push the right paddle to upshift and the left paddle to downshift. If you are in D6 and your speed comes down to 40kmph, on downshifting the car will come directly to D2 and not D5, so you won’t have to go through… D4….D3 to reach 2nd gear. We just loved the gearbox and loved red-lining the engine.

On pushing the car it effortlessly goes beyond 200kmph and just keeps on going. You can actually feel that the car is hugging the road with huge downforce. This is attributed to the superb aerodynamic design of the car. Mercedes engineers have spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel testing the aerodynamic efficiency of the vehicle and all their efforts have paid off well. It will not be out of place to mention that the E class is the most aerodynamic standard production car in the market. We touched 230 and then decided to back off, the car did not give any indication that it was running out of punch.

Conclusion – The Mercedes E-Class is one of the best cars to drive, and even if it is chauffer driven it offers good comfort and is certainly shows off status and character. It is extremely safe as well and offers features such as adaptive highbeam assist, attention assist and 6 airbags which are standard on the worlds most loved business saloon. Excellent ride and handling are few other parameters on which it excels. It is even supposed to be more fuel efficient than its previous version, but again fuel consumption is never a criteria for someone who buys a Mercedes.

Whats Kool

• Ride quality
• Handling
• Manual shifting
• Cruising ability
• Engine sound
• Stability
• Very well damped and lack of any kind of NVH

Whats UnKool

• Magnified left outside rear view mirror
• Service costs
• Price

Summing it up : -

How does it Drive:

How does it Look:

How does it Ride: 

How does it Handle:

How does it Go: 

Mercedes-Benz E-Class W212 Specifications : -

• Engine: 3498cc, V6
• Power: 268bhp @ 6000rpm
• Torque: 350Nm @ 2400~5000rpm
• Transmission: 7 G-Tronic
• Drive Type: Rear Wheel Drive
• Top Speed: 250kmph
• 0-100kmph: 8.00 seconds
• Fuel Consumption: 06-07 kmpl (City), 08-09 kmpl (highway)
• Fuel Type: Petrol
• Suspension: Multi-link suspension, Integral support frame, Anti-drive control, Coil springs, Gas pressure shock absorber, Stabilizer (Front), MB Multi-link independent suspension, Anti-squat, Anti-lift, control, Coil springs, Gas pressure shock absorber, Stabilizer (Rear)
• Tires: 245/45/17 Tubeless Radials
• Brakes: Mechanical-hydraulic, dual circuit with ABS
• Safety: ABS, ESP, Dual SRS front airbags, Side airbags, Immobilizer, Seat belt warning , Adaptive high beam assist,  Parking guidance system, Drowsiness detection system, LED daytime lightning
• EURO NCAP Rating: (5 Star)

Mercedes-Benz E-Class W212 Dimensions : -

• Overall length x width x height: 4868mm X 1854mm X 1471mm
• Wheelbase: 2874mm
• Front/Rear Track: 1585/1604 mm
• Turning Radius – 5.6m
• Ground clearance: 160mm
  
• Boot Volume: 540 liters
• Fuel Tank Capacity: 80 litres (8 reserve)
• Kerb Weight: 1735kgs
• Co-efficient of drag: 0.25

Official Website – Mercedes E-Class