2010 Detroit Auto Show Winners and Losers: Production Cars

It's been a busy media preview at the Detroit auto show with the launch of a number of new production cars, and now it's time to assess the hits and the flops. All the models below will hit showrooms sometime in the next year — although we have to wait longer on the new Focus — and some are vitally important to their respective automakers. Let us know what your favorite new production car was in the comments.
 
2012 Ford Focus
Mike Hanley: Winner
The new global Focus doesn't go on sale in the U.S. for another year or so, but from what I saw of it at the show, it definitely looks worth the wait. Stylish design, good fuel economy and high-tech features come together in this small car, positioning it to steal market share from the competition; it's already stolen the Detroit auto show.

2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet: Up Close

Under the auto show lights in Detroit, the Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet looks great with the top down, especially the blue E350 on display. The E550's black paint hides the model's tasteful sheet-metal details too much. The top-up look isn't bad, either — good roofline.

2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet: First Look

• Competes with: BMW 6 Series
• Looks like: Mercedes is building on the success of the E-Class sedan
• Drivetrain: 268-hp V-6 or 382-hp V-8
• Hits dealerships: May 2010

Mercedes’ new E-Class convertible sure will go on sale at the right time. Starting in May, droptop fans will be able to buy the all-new E-Class Cabriolet with either a 268-horsepower V-6 in the E350 or the 382-hp V-8 in the E550. All too often we see a hot new convertible go on sale in the fall, right in time to enjoy it from the comforts of a garage.

The new E-Class sedan has been a hit for the luxury brand, almost single-handedly boosting sales as the year winds down. The coupe followed, and now it seems the convertible continues the design’s overall handsome look. Larger, four-seat convertibles like this aren’t the norm these days.

The E-Class Cabriolet will sport the latest version of Mercedes’ Airscarf technology, which is a vent that’s built into the front headrests and pushes warm air around the neck. This allows more enjoyable top-down driving in chilly weather; we’ve tested the previous version, and it’s never been that impressive.

The E-Class has a new feature Mercedes is calling the Aircap, which is basically an integrated diffuser that doesn’t sully the car’s lines.

What about the top? Well, it’s a soft-top, folks. If you were looking for one of those cool, retractable hardtops you’ll have to stick to the SLK or SL in the Benz lineup. However, soft-tops usually have advantages like less weight and faster closing times. Mercedes says this one will close in less than 20 seconds and at speeds of up to 25 mph, so if you start the process at a stoplight you can go on green and finish up if you have to. The trunk is 13.8 cubic feet with the top up; it only loses 3.2 cubic feet when it’s down, which isn’t awful.

Pricing hasn’t been announced, but we’d expect it to be significantly higher than the coupe’s $48,050 starting price. Think mid-$50,000 range. More photos below.

2010 Mercedes-Benz E550: Through Ian's Lens

One of my childhood memories is sitting on the front-seat armrest of my grandfather's early 1980s’ Mercedes-Benz 240D while he drove me and my brother around the flat farmlands of southern Minnesota. Sometimes we’d run errands and sometimes we went just to go for a drive. With the smell of the leather interior in our noses and the comforting clatter of the diesel engine in our ears, my brother and I knew we were riding in something special.

That “Something Special” legacy continues at Mercedes-Benz for 2010. Taking design cues from the smaller C-Class and larger S-Class, the completely redesigned 2010 E-Class combines a fierce front with sleek hard lines throughout the hood, grille, headlights and fenders. It's an aggressive new stance for a model that has felt middle-of-the-road for the past 15 years. Mainstay design elements are prevalent on the E-Class with the dual headlamps on either side of the nose and stacked indicator/reverse lights/brake lights on the rear. In profile, the E-Class carries its major design lines in a slow crease that swoops along the body panels from the top of the front wheel well to the top of the taillight.

When you see it on the street, this new E-Class will definitely stand out against its competitors. Check out the full-screen player after the jump.

2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe: Up Close

Earlier yesterday, I had a chance to check out Mercedes’ latest creation, the E-Class coupe. Its proportions are more akin to the six-figure CL-Class than the smaller, tubbier CLK, and if you dig the CL you’ll probably like its latest sibling. I feel the same way about it as I did about the sedan: Apart from those quad headlights, the face looks sharp. The tail, on the other hand, is derivative of half a dozen others.

First Look: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe

• Competes with: BMW 6 Series, Audi S5
• Looks like: Mercedes is expanding its lineup at BMW pace
• Drivetrain: 268-hp V-6 or 382-hp V-8
• Hits dealerships: June 2009

The next-generation E-Class sedan was revealed on the eve of the 2009 Detroit auto show, and now, a few weeks before the Geneva Motor Show, the company has revealed plans for its first-ever E-Class coupe, which will go on sale stateside in June.

The new model will slot below the $107,900 CL coupe and above the $48,100 CLK coupe, which might not be built much longer now that the E-Class two-door is on the scene.

While Mercedes announced a number of trim levels for the European market, the U.S. will get the same two power plants found in the current E-Class sedan. The E350 will feature a 262-hp V-6 engine, and the more powerful E550 will feature a 382-hp V-8. The new, more powerful, more efficient direct-injection gasoline engines that will be offered in Europe will likely take another year or two to make it to the U.S.

Features will most likely mirror the new E-Class sedan, which you can read about here. We’ll have more information on pricing closer to the on-sale date. For now, check out the photos below. 

Of Benzes and Bags: Mercedes Rolls Out Pelvic Airbags

At last week’s Detroit auto show, we reported that Mercedes-Benz’s 2010 E-Class would have 11 standard airbags. Among them will be what Mercedes calls “pelvic airbags,” not to be confused with the car’s seat-mounted side airbags or side curtain airbags. That’s three separate devices protecting your noggin, chest and hips should the cell-phone addict at 9 o’clock miss his red light.

Both the pelvic airbags and the conventional seat-mounted side airbags are mounted inside the front seats — one deploys at chest level, the other at hip level. Mercedes spokesman Rob Moran said the new device is designed to protect the pelvis and reduce impact forces on the abdomen. They’re in the 2010 E-Class and 2009 C-Class, but will likely migrate to other Benz models, Moran said.

We can’t think of any other car — even among the high-roller crowd — with such devices, and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety spokesman Russ Rader said he couldn’t think of any, either. But Rader said pelvic airbags may not be necessary if conventional side airbags can provide enough coverage. The Ford F-150, for example, has key inflation points from a larger airbag that extends all the way down the seat to offer similar protection.

2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Video

The night before the auto show opened to the public, Cars.com’s Kelsey Mays braved a winter storm to check out the all-new Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The weird thing is that, while this car won’t be on the Detroit auto show floor, the company still used the show as a launching pad for its mid-level sedan offering.

Up Close: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

At last night’s hoopla-filled unveiling of the E-Class — it reportedly won’t be at the show today — I had a chance to see the car up close. I agree with Dave’s styling assessment from his report: There’s too much C-Class going on up front, and the rear leaves me flat. There are, however, some interesting elements in the eyebrow-shaped fog lights and the tauter profile. The quad headlights? Only time will tell.

2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class at 2009 Detroit Auto Show

• Competes with: BMW 5 Series, Audi A6, Jaguar XF, Infiniti M4
• Looks like: A bloated C-Class with headlights lifted from a Lexus GS
• Drivetrain: 292-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 or 388-hp, 5.5-liter V-8 with seven-speed automatic
• Hits dealerships: July/August 2009; September 2009 for all-wheel-drive models

Tonight, before the official opening of the 2009 Detroit auto show, Mercedes-Benz showed off its all-new E-Class. Going on sale this summer as a 2010 model, the new E-Class gets an entirely new exterior and interior while carrying over basically the same engines it sports in the 2009 models. All-wheel-drive 4Matic models will arrive after the rear-wheel-drive models go on sale this summer. Diesel versions, wagons and powerful AMG models will follow next year.

So what’s the big deal about a new E-Class? It’s a new E-Class, and it steals its profile from the new design Mercedes slathered on the entry-level C-Class. When you get to the front, though, things change radically. While we might not mind the S-Class-like grille or the return of the hood ornament (will folks still steal these?), the headlights just don't look right. Supposedly the models shown are for the European market; those bound for the U.S. will receive subtle tweaks.

Are we focusing on looks a bit too much? Maybe, but with nothing new under the hood — Mercedes does promise slightly better fuel efficiency — there’s not much to talk about right now.

Cars.com's Kelsey Mays was on hand at a special sneak preview of the car, and he'll have a full hands-on report tomorrow, including what he thought of its interior quality. For now, check out the photos below and let us know if you think the new E-Class can hold up to the competition.