2009 Mercedes-Benz E500 Reviews

The Mercedes E-Class is a prestigious medium-large car that’s been reinvented in recent years. Once a conservative model, it has become pretty stylish as the Germans aim for a wider range of buyers.

Elegance has evolved into elan in the E-Class range. The conservative creases on the outgoing model have been resculpted into contemporary curves that make Mercedes-Benz midrange models genuinely sexy.The E has always enjoyed the moral high ground; brilliantly built, prestige transporters with a focus on safety and occupant comfort. The staid styling, though, has seen younger professionals head to BMW and Audi. That should stop with this model, particularly when the adrenaline-added AMG models arrive later this year.For now the E500 sedan and coupe share top billing. The 5.5-litre V8 engines are carried over, but there's nothing wrong with sticking to 285kW and 530Nm.Mate that performance to a seven-speed auto and you have awesome midrange acceleration and a top end best tested on a track. Bury the right foot and the V8 emits enough of a growl to intrude into the cabin. With less urgency the Merc is virtually silent ... all the better to hear the startled inhalations from first-time passengers as the coupe hooks in to a hairpin.The E-Class is built on the C-Class platform, so it's not surprising the Merc handles like a more compact car. What is surprising is how tenaciously it hangs on with the suspension set to Sport, giving just a touch of understeer to warn when momentum is close to overtaking mechanical grip.Press on from there and the software safety suite kicks in with a flicker of amber lights on the dash, as the inside wheels are automatically slowed to get you around the corner.The Merc points where you want it to, but doesn't offer the same feel through the wheel of its German rivals — it's more insulated, but no more insecure.Take-off is the only time you'll find the classy coupe lagging. There's relatively little go until the engine has wound up so you won't be winning the launch off the lights. It does, however, make dawdling in traffic and car parks a much easier proposition, so I suspect it's an engineered effect.The interior has all the fruit you'd expect for $175,000, packaged in a layout that is as practical as it is polished. Every control is logical; most are intuitive. Press the buttons on the radio, for example, and the station change is instant; twist the dial and it scrolls through the frequencies. Nice.Boot space is cavernous and access to the rear seats is pretty straightforward. Lift a lever on the side of the seats and the motors roll it forward, so 180cm passengers can enter and exit without being gymnasts. They may, however, be a bit cramped once they're in: the sloping coupe roof on the coupe does limit headroom.If you're a genuinely enthusiastic driver, hold fire until the AMG arrives here early next year with the promise of a truly dynamic drive. Most people, however, will find the E500 more than a match for their driving, with luxury that you'd expect from a top-of-the-range S-Class. 

Dull design has been banished from the Mercedes-Benz E-Class range. While the E-Class always has been one of the standards for mid-sized prestige sedans, there’s also always been a strong streak of staidness in the styling. Forget all that. The new eighth-generation E-Class looks as good as it feels.The lines of the iconic Pontoon from about 60 years ago have been used to give the new wedge shape an arresting side contour and wheel arches, with a longer and lower stance. But there’s more than just skin-deep beauty. The new range of sedans and coupes arrives with a raft of safety and convenience technology and some new engines on the way.And it’s also undergone one of the most intensive testing programs of any Stuttgart model, with 36 million kilometres of test driving, and 150 crash tests of real metal supported with more than 17,000 of computer-modelled ones.The E-Class will appear on showroom floors in both sedan and coupe body styles this month with two initial petrol engines — both carried over from the current range — the 200kW/350Nm V6 E350 and the 285kW/530Nm V8 E500, and both mated to a column-mounted seven-speed G-tronic sequential automatic transmission.While those looking for the AMG badge will have to wait until the arrival of the E63 early in 2010, later this year we’ll see what promises to be a stonking engine in the V6 E350 Cdi turbodiesel, which boasts 540Nm but a fuel economy of jusy 6.8l/100km.However, even this fairly frugal consumption is likely to be outshone by the accompanying uber-economical four-cylinder BlueEfficiency engines, with the range being plumped out by the E250 direct-injected turbocharged petrol and E220 Cdi and twin-turbo E250 Cdi diesels.Mercedes-Benz expects a great buyer response to the more economical versions, especially the diesel, with the public’s increasing search for better and greener solutions. “But diesel by itself is not the whole answer to the future fuel issue,” says Merc’s managing director, Horst von Sanden. “We believe there is not one single answer, but that the success of engines in the future will rely on an intelligent mix — diesel, hybrid, super-efficient petrol — all of these will be improved.”Prices will start from $80,900 for the E220 CDi sedan and $94,500 for the E250 CGi coupe, while the E350 will start from $128,900 and the E500 V8 from $178,900.The equipment list is long and pretty comprehensive, with the usual safety and comfort features being joined by the Attention Assist system that monitors your driving behaviour and inputs and sends alerts if it senses you are getting drowsy, nine air bags, repeater LED indicators in the side mirrors, lane keep and blind spot assist systems and ambient lighting. There is also speed-sensitive direct control steering and three-mode — Comfort, Sports or Airmatic — direct control suspension in the top spec.Options include night view assist for low-light driving, adaptive intelligent lights that adjust the spread and automatically dip when they sense oncoming traffice, and radar-controlled active cruise control that lock on and keeps a safe distance from cars in front. Unfortunately we miss out on the European system that reads speeds signs, as our signs are a different shape, while the stop-go technology is available — for now — only on the four-cylinder manual variant that will not arrive here.The E350 and E500 can be a bit sneaky, if you’re not careful. Both cabins are so quiet that there’s little sensation of speed, and you tend to creep the needle up the dial without even noticing. Neither of the engines are unwilling, but the V8 copes much better with the weighty body that is the unavoidable consequence of racks of technology being added to already hefty strengthened metal. While the column mount takes a bit of getting used to, the seven-speed transmission is smooth and snappy, and there’s no question it gets enough out of either engine to please most buyers.But these two sit somewhere in the middle of the market — they’re not all-out fire-breathers expected of the hero and AMG versions when they arrive, but nor are they the modest and more frugal end of the spectrum that the BlueEfficiency engines will cater for. Rather, this pair will offer some extra urge for those moments when you want to stir up just a bit more, but generally encourage you to cruise around in supreme ease and comfort most of the time.The interior fit-out is superb, and with the quality of materials married to the extra technology, the E-Class is starting to get closer to the S-Class that has always been held up as the technology standard for Mercedes-Benz. The S-Class is the car that gets all the goodies first, and then sees them trickle down to the rest of the range — but the E-Class had us wondering if there was any need to spend the extra money.

The good folk at Sindelfingen have looked to the past to give us the future. One look at the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan shows that the design team has taken some cues from the famous 1950s Pontoon models.The E-Class shares that car's bulging rear wheel arches, incorporated into the ninth-generation car's 21st century design. Apart from a passing nod to the Pontoon, the newest Merc gains a modern interpretation of the E-Class's quad headlight treatment wrapped around an entirely new body.As expected, it bristles with safety and technology. Mercedes boldly describes it as the safest car in the world.Prices have been trimmed on some models and there is more equipment across the range, while service intervals have been lifted to 25,000km.The range initially kicks off with the $128,900 E350 V6 and $178,900 E500 V8 with four other models arriving in two months. Both carry over the same engines with no change in performance. The E350 develops 200kW/350Nm while the E500 ups the ante with 285kW/530Nm.From September - two four-cylinder CDI turbo-diesels, a V6 CDI and a four cylinder CGI direction injection petrol engine join the lineup. These engines are all part of the company's Blue Efficiency technologies designed to improve aerodynamics, fuel consumption and emissions.The latest generation turbo-diesels and petrol CGI engines show just how far engine technology has come, delivering more power and torque from smaller capacity units. The 2.1-litre E220 CDI develops 125kW/400Nm, the 1.8-litre E250 CGI has 150kW/310Nm, the E250 CDI develops 150kW/500Nm and the E350 CDI develops 170kW/540Nm.The arrival of an entry level turbo-diesel is a marked departure for the brand, according to Mercedes-Benz Australia managing director, passenger cars, Horst von Sanden. It also becomes the first four-cylinder diesel E-Class to be sold here.Von Sanden says the E220 CDI reflects the growing acceptance of modern diesel technology by Australian customers. He says adding more gear into the cars was also a direct reaction to market demands. The luxury segment had become more price sensitive, he says. "We saw that with the runout of the old car," he says. "Even luxury buyers are expecting more."The entry car will be the $80,900 E220 CDI diesel four, $93,900 E250 CGI petrol four, $96,900 E 250 CDI diesel four and $131,900 E350 CDI V6. The new E350 costs $2965 less than the outgoing model, yet gets more than $10,000 in additional standard equipment. The E500 sedan is $11,232 more expensive but gets about $21,000 worth of additional standard equipment.Buyers can also specify the $5700 AMG sports pack which adds 18-inch AMG alloys, body kit, firmer suspension, sports seats, three-spoke steering wheel and brushed alloy pedals.The E350 gets front and rear parking sensors with parking guidance, 7-speed G-tronic automatic, lane keeping package with blind-spot alarm, attention assist, 18-inch alloys, bi-Xenon headlights with adaptive highbeam assist, cruise control, split/fold rear seats, cupholders, cable for the iPod input, multi-contour front seats and multi-zone climate control air-conditioning.The E500 ups the ante with keyless entry and go, more luxurious front seats, alarm and sunblinds in the rear and side rear seats.The ninth-generation sedan has grown slightly in all directions except height. At 2874mm, the wheelbase is 20mm longer, which has helped liberate more interior room. The sedan's boot capacity remains at 540-litres but it has been redesigned to improve accessibility so it can take four golfbags. Every E-Class now also gets a split fold rear seat to increase luggage room.Those looking for more punch will have to wait until November when the hotter 6.3-litre V8 E63 AMG model arrives.Mercedes has clearly improved every area of the sedan. It's stronger, quieter, beautifully finished and there is enough room and lashings of leather to please all occupants front and rear.The twin headlight front remains but the front is squarer and more upright around the familiar Mercedes grille. The overall look is mature but from some angles not as resolved as the previous generation. Time will tell how well the design will wear. At the back, the lines are more conservative with wide and bold LED tail-lights.Buyers initially have the choice of the E350 3.0-litre V6 petrol along with the E500 5.5-litre V8. Both engines carry over from the previous model. But once the newer CDI models arrive, even Mercedes admits that these powerplants have the potential to be volume sellers. With the imminent arrival of some of the impressive turbo-diesels from September, the petrol 3.0-litre V6 might just be overtaken in the performance stakes.Both the E350 and E500 have gained a bit of weight, but the benefit is added safety and a quieter car. However, with 200kW and 350Nm on tap it is a lot to ask the V6 to propel the hefty E350 1711kg sedan.On paper, Mercedes quotes a zero to 100km/h sprint of 6.3 seconds for the V6 and 5.2 seconds for the V8. On the road though both engines do not feel particularly brisk but it may have been because the cabin is so quiet that you do not get any urgency or sense of speed. Both models just go about their business without fuss.The cabin takes its cues from the S-Class and both the driver and passengers are cosetted and pampered. The ride overall in the V6 is composed, the direct control steering works well and the impressive seats set a benchmark for other brands in comfort and support.The E500 gets the lastest-generation air suspension with adaptive dampers. It delivers a plush ride on the comfort setting but feels best on the firmer setting, which adds some precision without losing ride comfort. That said, the E500 is probably best described as a luxury point-to-point tourer than an outright performance machine. It's about cocooning the occupants.There are no complaints about the seven-speed automatics in either car. Changes are slick and seamless but the V6 requires a hefty shove of the accelerator when overtaking. It is already clear that on paper at least, the 150kW/500Nm 2.1-litre E250 CDI and 170kW/540Nm V6 E350 CDI may well be the pick of the E-Class bunch.The V6 and V8 are adequate but we can't wait to drive the diesels.

Zoom along the centre lane on the autobahn out of Stuttgart in Mercedes new coupe and glance at the clinical LCD speedo in disbelief.It’s telling you 140km/h as you wind up the speed to overtake the crazy man in a Smart. They let anyone on an autobahn. Yet the tachometer is at 2100rpm and there’s simply no noise — nothing from the wind and nothing from the engine.That’s remarkable in itself but the sealer is that this E-Class Coupe is a diesel and the engine is a four-cylinder of only 2.1 litres.This is the world’s most aerodynamic production car with a co-efficient of drag (cD) of 0.24 in a motoring world of averages in the low 0.30s. The lower, the better.It has an awesome 500Nm of torque that seamlessly slingshots the car forward through the gears. It saw 200km/h with ease on the unrestricted zone of the autobahn and when switched off two hours later, showed a mere 6.4 litres/100km on the trip computer.The E250 CDI is one of five engines slotted into the muscular E-Class Coupe for its Australian debut in July. In fact, two models — the E350 diesel and E500 petrol — come in July. And the others: E350 petrol and E250 petrol and diesel, get here in September.The four-cylinder models have five-speed automatic transmissions and the six and eight cylinder versions have seven-speed autos.The new coupe ostensibly replaces the CLK. But a quiet chat to Mercedes reps and it seems the CLK — which was basically made of parts from a few different models — may reappear to be sandwiched between the E Coupe and the cheaper CLC.The E Coupe is based heavily on the E-Class sedan with about 100mm sliced out of the wheelbase. It shares some interior features — but not items such as the two-door’s superb seats — and no external panels.Engines and transmissions are identical, though its lighter weight means the Coupe can boast fuel savings of up to 17 per cent over the outgoing CLK.An example is the E250 CDI that officially is rated at 5.1 l/100km yet accelerates from rest to 100km/h in a brisk 7.4 seconds.The E350 CDI drinks at 6.8 l/100km and sprints to 100km/h in 6.7 seconds and the new direct petrol-injection E350 CGI posts 8.5 l/100km and 6.5 seconds.It may be substantially more economical and quicker than its predecessor, but Mercedes-Benz sees its latest coupe’s allure as being its captivating style.It is tailored specifically to lure buyers with its sleek, rounded tapered lines much in the same way as the feminine curves of the CLK made it a top seller.Project manager of the E Coupe, Rainer Tiefenbacher, says the appeal of the styling was balanced by the sophistication of the engineering.“When we asked groups of people what, for them, defined driving pleasure, 80 per cent answered it was a car’s comfort,” he says.“Only 10 per cent felt driving pleasure when going fast. So the E Coupe focuses on the look, the features and the comfort.“But,” he says with a smile, “we would never compromise performance.”The E Coupe gets a sophisticated Agility Control suspension system as standard. This has variable shock absorbers to provide the comfort or sporty handling depending on road conditions.But for the more enthusiastic owner, options include either a sports suspension system or a dynamic handling package. The latter has electronic shocks, two-mode ride levels and automatically sharpens throttle and gearshift responses.The bucket seats for the front occupants are beautifully sculptured and perfectly bolstered for the Coupes varied roles. Optional is seat air pumps to modify the cushions to suit varying body shapes.There is seating for two (not tall) adults in the rear and extended front seat travel to make easy entry and egress to the back seats.The E Coupe gets a surprisingly large boot, fold down rear seat backs and — for the Australian market — a full-size spare tyre. Incidentally, Mercedes Australia has specified a full-size spare for its E-Class sedan and S-Class range on the basis that it considers them safer than space-saver spares.Buyers can request AMG updates but these do not include engine enhancements. Mercedes has yet to officially reject a full-blown AMG Coupe — there was one in the CLK but it appears it won’t happen. It may be the future CLK reincarnate that will become the AMG model.Pricing is yet to be finalised though don’t expect much of a change from the CLK prices. The E250 diesel and petrol models, for example, will likely to be the same price which makes the diesel a low-cost entry to the brand.