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.
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.
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