Mercedes Benz’s E-Class Sedan to Get Major Updates
Unquestionably, the most popular luxury executive sedan on the global market today is Mercedes-Benz’s E-Class. While Audi and BMW managed to elbow their way into the spotlight with daring styling and a sporty spin on upper-level luxury, the three-pointed star remains a strong but silent best-seller in its home market of Germany (thanks partly to E-Class taxi-cab dominence), and the rest of Europe, where it takes a respective 38 and 30 percent market share. In fact, since the current generation’s launch back in 2002, Benz has sold over a million E-Class sedans and wagons, a production figure that hasn’t been touched by any of its competitors in the past four years.
Today, the E-Class is still extremely strong in the sales department, but, to Mercedes-Benz, the present isn’t the only important time - the future is too. To retain the all-important number one position, Mercedes has chosen to give the E a mid-life update in order to allow it opportunity to fight back. For this year’s New York International Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz pulled off the wraps to an updated version of the E, which has been honed for model-year 2007. The new car features all of the goodies and gadgets that have appeared in all of Benz’s new introductions, in a package that’s familiar to the masses.
The most prominent change with the revised E-Class is its nose, and in particular the grille. Though the four individual headlamps have more or less stayed the same, Benz has brought greater focus to the front of the vehicle by augmenting the grille. It’s now taller and brighter like the S-Class. New bumpers have been fitted; those in front are slightly more complex in appearance than before, with three separate intakes and LED driving lamps, though, the ones in back are classy and simple. The E-Class’ exterior is rounded out by a new decklid with chrome accent trim, new head and tail lights featuring different bezels, plus new wheels and a new colour palette.