Mercedes-Benz has officially introduced the new generation of the E-Class with a series of noteworthy upgrades. With this, the three-pointed star brand has taken a step ahead of its fellow German rival BMW as the next-generation BMW 5-Series has yet to be revealed.
Looking at the exterior, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2024 borrows many design elements from its bigger sibling, the S-Class, not only in overall surface but also in details like flat door handles and chrome strips running across the trunk connecting the two clusters of taillights.
However, being slightly smaller in size than the S-Class, the new E-Class has a more sporty and dynamic appearance, resembling its smaller sibling, the C-Class, while the new piano black trim surrounding the front grille and the three-pointed star pattern in the taillight cluster ensure that the E-Class won’t be mistaken for either of the two cars above.
Depending on the selected trim, the grille will be either Mercedes’ ‘Progressive’ type, which means it has dozens of small stars, or ‘Classic’ type, which is the familiar horizontal bar grille of Daimler.
Moving to the interior, the interior of the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class shares many similarities with the S-Class rather than the C-Class. The increased wheelbase lengthens by 22 mm to 2,961 mm, giving the new E-Class a more spacious interior. The current overall length of the car is 4,949 mm. The legroom in the car has also been extended, providing more comfort for the passengers.
However, when it comes to the dashboard, we can see that the new E-Class has more in common with its electric siblings EQE and EQS rather than its internal combustion engine sibling S-Class. In the standard version, the 2024 E-Class is equipped with a standalone digital instrument cluster and the integrated MBUX infotainment system on the dashboard. Especially, users are provided with an optional third screen in front of the passenger seat for entertainment purposes.
In addition, the 2024 E-Class is equipped with a selfie camera, apps and games such as TikTok and Angry Birds… To prevent the driver from being distracted by the passenger screen, the new E-Class has a “visual shield” that uses cameras and an “advanced filter concept to ensure the driver cannot see the content on the screen.” In fact, the system will monitor the driver’s eye movement and determine if they are looking at the passenger screen for too long. If this happens, “the brightness of the passenger screen will be reduced, allowing the passenger to continue viewing content that the driver cannot see.”
Regarding the powertrain, all versions of the E-Class in Europe are electrified. The base model E200 rear-wheel drive uses a powerful 201 horsepower petrol engine, while the E200d is equipped with a 194 horsepower diesel engine available in both rear-wheel drive and 4Matic AWD. All three versions can achieve a rapid acceleration of 0-100 km/h in 7.8 seconds before reaching a top speed of 238 km/h with the assistance of an integrated starter-generator that adds an additional 20-23 horsepower.
The plug-in hybrid models available at launch in Europe all use a 2.0L 4-cylinder petrol engine combined with a powerful 127 horsepower electric motor. In pure electric mode, the car can travel up to 100 km.
The plug-in hybrid models include the E300e and E300e 4Matic with 308 horsepower and the E400e 4Matic with 376 horsepower. The E400e is the fastest model in Europe and can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 5.3 seconds, at least until the expected AMG versions are released later this year.
In the North American market, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2024 is offered with 2 mild-hybrid versions, including the four-cylinder E350 and the six-cylinder E450. The E350 produces 255 horsepower/400 Nm, while the E450 produces 375 horsepower/500 Nm.
The pricing for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2024 has not been announced yet.
Trang Nguyen (Forum.autodaily.vn)
