Mercedes Benz recently pulled the covers off its new E-Class sedan at the 2016 NAIAS in Detroit. The vehicle becomes the latest in MB’s lineup to receive the company’s new design language, which might remind you of the range-topping S-Class. According to Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development:
“The E-Class is the core of the Mercedes-Benz brand and in the past has repeatedly redefined the standards in the business-class segment. Now it carries this tradition into the future with a wealth of top-class innovations. The new E-Class takes another major step towards fully autonomous driving. In addition, it enhances efficiency, safety and comfort, reduces the stress level when driving and intensifies driving pleasure,”
Slotting above the C-Class and below the S-Class, the new E-Class is laden with technology, including a 12.3-inch display screen and steering wheel-mounted touch-sensitive controls that recognize swipe commands. For those who like a little kick of adrenaline to get your day started, there’s also a semi-autonomous driving system that can reportedly pilot the car at speeds up to 130 mph. The vehicle also has the ability to pair with an app on your phone to park and un-park the car.
Upon initial launch, power for the new U.S.-bound E-Class cars will come only from a 4-cylinder 2.0L turbo with 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. The engine will be mated to a 9G-Tronic 9-speed automatic transmission. Only time will tell what other engine options will become available in the U.S., but we’d expect a hybrid powertrain of some type and a top-of-the-line AMG version to reach our shores eventually. Compared to the outgoing model, the new E-Class has a wheelbase that’s 2.6 inches longer with an overall length that’s grown by 1.7 inches.
