Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2012 News

The new generation E63 is still at least two years away but the German car maker is in the middle of development.In the US, the E63 is sold exclusively with all-wheel-drive and in Germany, where both rear-drive and all-wheel-drive are available, more than 90 per cent of customers opt for all-wheel-drive.“Where we have both (rear-drive and all-wheel-drive) on sale, the demand is so tremendous that we have 94 to 96 per cent all-wheel-drive,” said the boss of Mercedes-Benz AMG Tobias Moers, speaking at the European media preview of the new C63 AMG.“In the US we just have the (all-wheel-drive) system and it was a story of success, and if we see what happened in Germany, where we had both variants in the market, then you have to move business-wise into one variant.”He said this meant “there is no argument to have both variants any more”.There is no argument to have both variants any more.But he said fans should not worry that the next E63 will lose its character.“If we have a sophisticated all-wheel-drive system in the car which provides a nice drifting behaviour then it’s ok,” he said. “All-wheel-drive systems are getting better and better … we have a lot ideas for the future.”Previously, all-wheel-drive versions of the E63 were not available in Australia as it was developed for left-hand-drive only.“The future architecture is feasible for right-hand-drive all-wheel-drive,” said Moers.

Benz has sent the performance community into a spin with news this morning that it will bring its top of the line 430kW E63 AMG sedan to Australia, despite the fact it can't offer the car with four-wheel drive.The high performance, 5.5-litre Bi-Turbo V8 engined car will not be quite as quick off the line as the four-wheel drive, 4MATIC version in Germany, but in all other respects it will be the same - Aussie buyers won't miss out.Just like the compact GLK off-roader, which has never been offered here, the 4MATIC model is not engineered for right-hand drive countries - a decision that has probably cost Benz millions in lost sales over the past few years. You'd think they would have learned from their mistakes?Although it offers larger, four-wheel drive off-roaders like the M and GL-Class, four-wheel drive versions of its passenger cars are still a couple of years away. That's unfortunate, because in the case of the E63 AMG 4MATIC S model, four-wheel drive is required to get all that power to the ground.With a whopping 430kW of power and 800Nm of torque, it is capable of blasting from 0-100km/h in a Ferrari-like 3.6 seconds. While the rear-wheel drive version of the car that we have been promised will struggle, Benz claims it will still be good for 3.8-3.9 seconds - it hasn't been tested yet.This compares with the standard, 410kW/720Nm rear-wheel drive E63 AMG that will also be sold in Australia which does the dash in 4.2 seconds. Benz describes the new and improved version of its engine as the most efficient series production V8 engine in the world.Along with other design and technological changes to the E-Class range, it should cement the car's place as a leader in the market. A spokesman for Benz Australia says the E63 AMG is an important car to Australia, which has one of the highest up-takes of high performance AMG models in the world - at 7.6 per cent of sales.But they are not for everyone, not at a starting price of $240,000. There's no word on prices for the new model at this stage, except to say the figures will be “assertive.” This also applies the rest of the E Class range which arrives in August.Benz also confirmed this morning that the lineup will include the E300 hybrid diesel, which offers fuel consumption of an incredible 4.1 litres/100km - with no sacrifice in performance. The hybrid with diesel and electric motors produces a combined 170kW of power and 750Nm of torque and is expected to replace the both the E350 and E500 petrol models.The small volume wagon will also continue to be offered, in E250CDI and E400 petrol form, as well as an AMG. No word yet on the coupe and cabriolet which are due later in the year.The spokesman told Carsguide this morning the company was convinced the large car market was far from dead in Australia. He said people were attracted by the size of cars like the E-Class, but wanted smaller, more efficient engines - provided of course they did not have to sacrifice anything in terms of performance.He said they were also popular as they benefited from an effective $6000 discount,  because all of the four cylinder models consume less than 7.0 litres of fuel per 100km. Surprisingly, 80 per cent of E Class sales last year were four cylinder models, either petrol or diesel engines. “It's almost a case of build it and they will come,” he said.This reporter is on Twitter: @IamChrisRiley 

The performance sedan was shown in a group photo of the whole E-Class range, shot on Merc’s test track in Stuttgart. The few details released with the image confirm earlier reports that the E63 AMG will offer the brand’s 4Matic all-wheel drivetrain, however it’s too early to determine if this will make it to Australia. The Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG will arrive here around the third quarter, powered by the current 5.5-litre twin-turbo engine developing 386kW of power and 700Nm of torque – upped to 410kW and 800Nm if you option the Performance Pack – mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. There’s no indication of whether there will be a considerable price rise over the current starting tag of $240,985, but even at the performance end of the range Mercedes will be keen to stay competitive against their German rivals.  

It's anticipated announcement will be made today that the German prestige car maker will join Ford, Holden and fellow newcomer Nissan in Australia's most popular motorsport category - a boost to its international following.V8 Supercars' “car of the future” that come in at the start of next year allows for more manufacturers but with much under the skins shared between cars to keep down costs.A four-door sedan is required and it's understood Mercedes' E-Class model will be used as the basis for the race car. Some of the road car versions of the E-Class come with V8 engines. Well-funded race team in the Australian GT category, Erebus Racing, currently uses the SLS Mercedes-Benz and leads that 2012 championship with Peter Hackett driving.It is known that Erebus has examined getting involved in V8 Supercars. But it would need to do a deal with one of the restricted number of licence holders to have a spot on the V8 Supercars grid. Motorsport sources yesterday suggested that could be Stone Brothers Racing, until now a Ford outfit.Interestingly for South Australian fans, Adelaide driver Tim Slade is in the Stone Brothers camp. Erebus Racing runs its SLS AMG models under AMG's “customer sport” system. AMG is the high-performance arm of Mercedes-Benz. A similar AMG customer sport system could be in place for the V8 Supercars. The AMG race team, HWA, leads the German Touring Car Championship, using a C-Class coupe.AMG cars have won that championship six times since 2000. V8 Supercars already has rounds in New Zealand and the Middle East and will add a round in Texas next year - the US and the Middle East being big markets for Mercedes-Benz. A Mercedes-Benz Australia-Pacific spokesman had no comment and the principals of Stone Brothers Racing could not be contacted. If the Clipsal 500 is again the opening round of the V8 Championship next year and the Mercedes is on track for that, it will bring enormous interest to the Adelaide event, already growing due to Nissan's 2013 debut in the Kelly Racing team.

The new standard for mid-sized and mid-priced luxury, even if the bottom end is out of reach for most Australians, is a must-have contender for COTY. It's not as fast as Godzilla or as economical as the Prius, but the E is the car which will set the bar for luxury and comfort and overall refinement.Price: from $96,900Output: 150kW/4200revs, 500Nm/1600-1800revs, 5.3L/100km, 139g/kmMercedes-Benz E-Class: reviewMercedes-Benz E350 E500: reviewMercedes-Benz E63 AMG: reviewMercedes-Benz E-Class coupe: first driveMercedes-Benz E-Class 2009 price and specsACT dealer locationsNSW dealer locationsNT dealer locationsQLD dealer locationsSA dealer locationsTAS dealer locationsVIC dealer locationsWA dealer locations

Benz execs are not talking about the Brabus version of the Coupe because it's not officially sanctioned. But the company has partnered with Brabus in the past to produce other high-performance models including one of the tiny Smart. It makes us wonder whether there may in future be room for two performance lines in the Benz lineup — a move that would surely add much-needed sales? Drivetrain A 6.1-litre Brabus V8 replaces the standard 5.5-litre unit in the top of the line E500 that will be fitted with an AMG kit as standard when it arrives in our showrooms in July. The bigger V8 puts out 340kW of power and boasts an impressive top speed of 315km/h. The 6.1-litre engine is a bored and stroked version of the E500's 5.5-litre V8, with a maximum 340kW of power and 615Nm of torque — the latter available from 3100 revs. It'll do the dash from 0-100km/h in just 4.7 seconds. The increase in engine displacement has been achieved through the installation of a billet crankshaft with longer stroke and larger pistons. The four-valve cylinder heads have also been machined and fitted with custom camshafts. Contributing to the higher power output, the engine management system has been reprogrammed and a sports exhaust system fitted with high-performance metal catalysts. Appearance The Brabus model has also been fitted with an aero kit developed after extensive wind tunnel testing. Further highlights include custom wheels up to 20 inches in diameter, sporty yet comfortable suspension solutions and exclusive interior options. Exterior enhancements include a Brabus front spoiler with LED daytime runners that not only gives the car a more striking appearance, but also reduce lift at high speed. New aluminium front sport quarter panels with integrated clear-coated carbon-fibre inserts have also been added. Together with new rocker panels that incorporate LED entrance lights into their undersides, it give the coupe a lower and sleeker stance. You can also option rockers with an integrated illuminated BRABUS logo. Down the back the Brabus rear apron features a centrally mounted reflector and custom-tailored cutouts either side for the quad tailpipes. One-piece or multi-piece monoblock light-alloy wheels round out the look, ranging in size from 17 to 20 inches. The larger 20-inchers are fitted with Pirelli or Yokohama rubber, shod with 235/30 ZR 20 in front and 265/25 ZR 20 on the rear axle. The list of interior options includes stainless-steel scuff plates with illuminated Brabus logo, an ergonomically shaped sport steering wheel and an entirely new interior crafted from especially soft yet durable Brabus Mastik leather and Alcantara. Platform A variety of suspension solutions are offered, tailored to the various engines available in the new E-Class. The kits range from simple lowering springs to complete height-adjustable coil-over sport suspension. Brabus even offers a high-performance brake package, with six-piston aluminium fixed calipers and 360mm vented and cross-drilled discs on the front axle. The rear axle stops with four-piston aluminium fixed calipers.

The almost unbelievable move of prestige cars carrying small-car engines is being sparked by punishing global fuel and emission regulations. As performance is becoming replaced with economy, Mercedes-Benz is even admitting high-efficient four-cylinder engines may be seen in its S-Class flagship range. For now, the German won't timetable an S-Class four, but has confirmed its new E-Class will hit Australia this year with its entry-level E220 sporting a turbo-diesel four. It is the first time Mercedes has announced a diesel as the base model. The 125kW E220 CDI is expected to arrive in September, three months after the first wave of E-Class sedans led by the petrol-engined E350 and E500, priced at a bit more than the $75,000 green luxury threshold. Regardless, the E220 will save buyers about $5000 compared with the old luxury car threshold that didn't favour low-emission cars. The E220 will not be the only turbo-diesel four on offer in the E-Class range. It will be accompanied by the 150kW/500Nm E250 that has a 2.1-litre turbo-diesel engine. This engine, rated at a hybrid-busting 5.1 litres/100km yet capable of a 0-100km/h sprint of 7.4 seconds, is also being picked up by the E-Class Coupe which from October this year replaces the long-standing CLK range. The use of this engine in the performance-styled Coupe says it all about the change in thinking of European car makers. It comes as the January 2012 deadline draws closer for the European Union-mandated 120 grams per kilometre of carbon-dioxide emissions. Mercedes smartly believes that collecting a band of low emission models will allow it to continue developing and making its big-bore AMG models. With its family of cars including the 90g/km CO2 Smart MHD and a sub-90g/km CO2 Smart diesel, Mercedes may be on its way to fulfiling the EU demand. The E250 is the engine that is being talked up by Mercedes. Quietly, it is plausible that the engine could be the first four-cylinder to be slotted into the S-Class —- though that won't happen for the Mercedes-Benz 2010 S-Class range being unveiled now. Rather, it could be on the cards within five years.

Mercedes-Benz almost apologised for the delay in releasing its BlueTec technology — which uses ammonia to erode nitrogen-oxides from the exhaust — but blamed ongoing research, hiccups in Australia and demands from bigger markets in the US and Europe.BlueTec is available on the E320 diesel that went on sale in the US late last year. Later this year in the US will be BlueTec versions of the M-Class SUV, R-Class people-mover and GL-Class 4WD.Early in 2008, the BlueTec version of the new C-Class, the C220, will be launched in Europe.Some of the problem for a delayed Australian release of BlueTec can be aimed at government and also industry.BlueTec technology requires diesel fuel to have a sulphur content of 5 parts per million or less — the standard in the US and Europe. Australia only recently reduced its sulphur rate to 50ppm which is too high to allow the BlueTec system to operate.A second issue is the additional catalytic converters. Australian Design Rules require these converters to each have a heat shield — unlike other countries — but Mercedes quietly said that this impost was very expensive to design, engineer and produce.The third issue is the size of the Australian market compared with diesel-hungry Europe and the potential of huge diesel sales in the US.BlueTec technology, which is licensed to other manufacturers including the Volkswagen Group, was introduced in Mercedes trucks in 2005 and is basically additional cataytic converters.A BlueTec engine has a primary converter — common in all new petrol and diesel-engined vehicles — to reduce emissions of carbon-monoxide and hydrocarbons.A second converter makes ammonia that goes into the third converter to react with the exhaust and specifically target nitrogen oxides. The result is that 90 per cent of a diesel engine's nitrogen oxides are chemically changed into nitrogen and water vapour.As nitrogen oxides are reduced, the soot particles visible from a diesel exhaust are similarly diminished.Original BlueTec technology had a cannister of ammonia — it was coloured blue, hence the name — to be replaced every time the vehicle was serviced.The C220 version has an onboard self-generating ammonia system.Mercedes said the BlueTec C220 meets Euro-6 emission standards that apply in Europe from 2015. Australia this year adopted Euro-4 emission standards.The C220 turbo-diesel produces 125kW and 400Nm and sips fuel at 5.5-litres/100km.

That's when you find the changes run way deeper than bumpers and lamps, drilling deep into the body and including engines, transmissions and suspension ...Luxury buyers looking at the latest mid-sized E-Class Mercedes should like what they see, but still deserve some answers.Let's not forget how owners of the previous E-Class cars — without the substantial upgrading, which was done in September — will feel about their cars, particularly when it comes to trade-in time.The update is so substantial, and was so essential, that some carmakers would probably have moved to identify the model shift. To be fair to Benz, the update this year came at a time when the company was ready with new running gear to give the mid-sizer a performance boost on several fronts.It also brought out the E280 and the sledgehammer E63 AMG.The latest E-Class picks up everything from cosmetic changes at both ends and in the cabin to revised steering, improved suspension, power boosts in several engines, and more safety, including the Pre-Safe system — which detects a coming impact and primes the car's safety systems — and Neck-Pro head restraints.Tiny changes include repositioning the GPS antenna and redesigned mirrors. There is much more than can be listed here or that Benz could provide in the press pack, but Mercedes says engine output in the basic E200 is up by 15kW and 10Nm while the E500 is better by 60kW and 70Nm.And the flagship E63 AMG? It has 378kW, up by 28kW over the previous E55, although the torque has dropped slightly but still remains strong at 630Nm.The Mercedes-Benz model update also includes the arrival of the latest E280 CDi.Prices have risen a little. The E200K is now priced from $84,500, a $2000 rise. The E350 starts at $126,500 (also up by $2000) and runs to the E63 AMG at $227,600.Putting a wagon tail on an E-Class car is still a $6000 job.The first impression of the updated E-Class was good. Very good. It felt more substantial, the quality seemed better and it was more inviting in the cabin.The test car was an E280 wagon that came with a sports package, which made it the sort of car we would like to drive — for a long time.The combination of the mid-sized body with the sweet V6 motor made the car enjoyable to drive, all the way from puddling speeds to a cornering thrash. It even did well at the pump — average consumption 8.9 litres for 100km. The V6 E-Class is a sweet and well-balanced package. The engine gives more than enough thrust, even with a load.We have liked the 280 in other Benzes, including the SLK drop-top, and it is best suited to the E wagon, giving more flexibility than a four and avoiding both the price and petrol hikes of a V8.The latest E actually felt more like the lovely CLS to drive, with better feel through the steering, more response from the suspension and more of the luxury stuff to match a price which comes in at a fair bit more than $100,000.Benz won't like us saying it, but the cabin quality is now more like the latest Audis.Those cars were developed very specifically to make a good showroom impression. Lots of people buy on their emotional response to the cabin. Now Mercedes has the right idea with its trim and dashboard combinations.The gearshift paddle change is good, too, and triggers a seven-speed automatic that is probably the best in the business right now.The latest E rides extremely well, even on the sports springs and low-profile tyres, and the braking is great. There is more than enough safety equipment: development included 330 crash tests.The wagon is very flexible and that's great for the families who should be looking at a car instead of a four-wheel drive, but all the basics are the same in the wagon.We enjoyed the previous E-Class but could see and feel its shortcomings, a lot like the previous generation S-Class.These are good cars, but not as good as they could or should have been. Line the latest E up against its rivals and it is back to best in the class, which is all anyone needs to know.