Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse: The Car in and of Itself

If we scribble a typical car while speaking on the phone, it’s the E-Class. When children draw their first car on paper with a crayon, the result is something that looks like the E-Class. Our subconscious, using the classic three-box design as a template, retains an image of the car that is an exact match for the E-Class: functional, well-proportioned, solid and mature.

From all around, we are bombarded with more volatile forms, vans, pick-ups, coupes, crossovers. But when the going gets tough, when we need a real car, the E-Class has stood the test of time, even in those days when it wasn’t called that yet. This is not meant to be a history lesson, but the terms Ponton, /8 or W123 conjure up vivid images of living cars with which we largely associate pleasant things. 2.2 million vehicles sold – that can’t be a mistake.

Depending on how you count, the model is now entering its eleventh generation. But perhaps we are simply setting our clock according to the latest morphological principle. The E-Class is an indicator of the current state of the world – and that even works retrospectively when validating past trends.

But to get to the point: The new generation is three centimeters longer than its predecessor, which says a lot about our growth. The wheelbase has also grown by 22 millimeters. You can play Angry Birds, do Sudoku and watch TikTok. The 3D surround sound vibrates directly into your back accompanied by multi-color ambient lights thanks to Burmester. Plus: selfies all around with the conveniently situated driver monitoring camera. There’s no karaoke available in this generation yet – that’s something where the Chinese have still got the lead with their BYD Yuan Plus. On the other hand, they can’t light up their grille at night! A new law now allows that in Europe. The new Mercedes E-Class can also automatically overtake the car in front of you, and you don’t even have to set the indicator. This feature, which comes to us from North America, will be available in Europe in about a year. 

The rear axle can steer, which contributes greatly to agility. So despite the longer wheelbase, you actually gain a meter in the turning radius. 

The engine range is conservative yet substantial, right up to the plug-in hybrid variant. Strictly speaking, they’re all soft hybrids. After all, the alternator regenerates the on-board battery – to 48 volts, of course. 

What comes after carbon fiber in the interior? The renaissance of open-pored wood veneer, ideally as elegantly laid out as in a Riva motor yacht. And the magic 3D instrument panel with extra-flat round digital instruments, classically arranged speedometer and rev counter can indeed cause a slight sense of seasickness. 

The ambient light swirls gently to the Burmester sound. Now all that’s left to do is synchronize the lounge-soul rhythms with the LED indicator and then everyone would get something out of it. That, in turn, would be really wild.