The E-Class – a cut above the rest

The sixth generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class has hardly made its debut in Namibia and already heads are turning.

This mid-size luxury vehicle’s new lines are a clear and decisive trademark of the German car brand, and the E-Class comes standard with upgraded technology, improved comfort and new styling.

Available in both petrol and diesel engines, the mild hybrid has some serious credentials in terms of performance specs, adding 17kW and also assisting with fuel economy with its stop/start function in urban driving conditions.

The 2.0L 4-cylinder engines kicks out a comfortable 150kW and the diesel engine is just as comfortable with its 145kW output.

With a top speed of 240kph, turning and high speed stability has also been approved. The engine’s performance and comfort is complemented with the state of the art 9-speed multi-clutch gearbox to make gear shifting seamless without compromising on power.

The E-Class did not disappoint during a test drive to get first-hand experience of how the gearbox and engine talk to each other.

Performing like it was on the open roads in the mountainous areas of Eros and Ludwigsdorf in Windhoek, the E-class changed seamlessly between gears with ease.

Talking about seamless, the car’s sunken door handles give the E-Class a smooth look, and the ‘flush’ handles only appear when the owner softly touches the door handles or comes within a safe distance of the car.

Brandon Strauss, product guru from M+Z Mercedes in Windhoek, says the E-Class is in a segment of its own.

“Looking at that class it is for the executive moving up in the ranks,” says Strauss.

The natural voice control enables the driver to focus on driving with pleasure, while the voice activation assists the driver with much needed functions like making calls, asking for directions, checking fuel consumption or weather conditions and even searching for the closest petrol station or your favourite restaurant.

All this without diverting your attention from the road. Now that is what Top Revs calls technology.

Even the interior space offers passengers enough leg, head and shoulder space for a comfortable drive.

But it does not end there, the car’s ambient lightning wraps around the driver and is connected to the 4-D sound system.

This ambient light does not disturb the driver and literally runs uninterrupted from one side of the vehicle to the other.

Assisting in terms of safety if the driver departs from his line and there is a vehicle in the blind spot. By means of a side mirror, the driver will be warned, while the ambient lighting will flash a soft red.

The 4-D sound system now offers more than just listening to your favourite music, you can now feel your music as well.

Apart from all the safety, comfort and other luxuries and specs, the car shouts Mercedes-Benz with the rear brake lights in the shape of the Mercedes-Benz star, which also decorates the front grill.

The digital headlights, complementing the already star studded grill and soft lines is what Mercedes calls ‘the digital light’, which will in future be able to be used as a projection of street signs or pedestrians to enhance safety features. It is clear when switching on the car and seeing the lights scan the area before departing that driving the E-Class is like driving into the future.

And with this comes the question, will Mercedes ever say they have arrived and the existing features, technology and luxury can never be surpassed? What will make the seventh generation stand out? What more can Mercedes’ engineers come up with?
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.