The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class will be unveiled in full at an event starting at 1am AEST on Wednesday April 26.
As the greatest proponent of the cookie cutter design school, the silhouette and overall design of the ‘W214’ E-Class will closely mirror that of the C-Class and S-Class sedans, but there will be some notable design differences from those two models.
This extends to a different headlight shape that includes a bubble effect on the lower edge. The headlights flow directly into a black frame that surrounds the grille, which should tie the E-Class design more closely with the all-electric EQE and EQS models.
The car teased overnight rides on black AMG-branded alloy wheels, and has a fake lower air intake that’s adorned with the company’s three-pointed star logo.
From earlier spy photos we know the new E-Class will have flush-fitting door handles, just like the bigger S-Class. It will also come with a shoulder line that fades out half way along the front door, before reappearing again half way through the rear door.
Under the bonnet the E-Class is expected to feature the choice of mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid drivetrains. If reports are correct, the AMG-branded models will come with a complex PHEV system similar to the C63’s, but instead of a turbocharged four-cylinder, the AMG E-Class models will have a variant of the company’s 3.0-litre turbo straight-six.
We already know what the dashboard of the new E-Class will look like, with the company revealing the interior at the end of February.
Top-spec versions of the new E-Class will feature the MBUX Superscreen layout, which includes a digital instrumentation display ahead of the driver, and a single pane of glass across the centre and passenger’s side of the dashboard covering a large central touchscreen, and a slightly smaller touchscreen for the front passenger.
The MBUX setup in the E-Class includes selfie cameras, allowing passengers to take part in Zoom meetings and video calls. Functionality can also be expanded by downloading apps to the system.
The new E-Class will be available in both sedan and wagon body styles, but the coupe and convertible won’t be directly replaced. Instead Mercedes-Benz is working on the new CLE coupe and convertible range, which will take the place of both the E-Class two-doors, as well as the C-Class two-door models.
There will also be a long wheelbase version of the E-Class sedan, but this model will be produced and, primarily, sold in China.
While the new E-Class is likely to go on sale later this year in Europe and other parts of the world, it probably won’t land in Australian showrooms until some time next year.
