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NEWS
Aussie Benz E-Class V8 and V6 threat
Shrinking sales and a buyer preference for four-cylinders mean big-engined Benzes could be cut from E-Class rangeSlowing sales have prompted Mercedes-Benz to consider launching its overhauled E-Class sedan in Australia without a V8 petrol or V6 turbo-diesel model in the line-up.
While the decision is still being debated, the most likely scenario is the E 500 and E 350 CDI will stay in the line-ups.
The E350 V6 petrol wagon's fate is also being reviewed, but the E 300 diesel-electric hybrid and E 400 twin-turbo petrol V6 have already been confirmed as additions the sedan range.
The final line-up of the updated sedan, estate, coupe and cabrio is expected to go on sale together in September, with only AMG models arriving a little later.
Mercedes-Benz Australia-Pacific is forecasting the overhauled range will stay roughly unchanged in price but add significant value in terms of new equipment.
“There will be extra equipment but the price won’t move much at all. We haven’t set final pricing yet,” Mercedes-Benz Australia-Pacific Senior Communications Manager David McCarthy told motoring.com.au.
Current E-Class pricing stretches from $79,900 (E 200 Elegance sedan) to $244,000 (E63 AMG Estate).
The potential deletion of the E 500 and E 350 CDI reflects shrinking interest in big-engined luxury cars, with the vast majority of E-Class sales nowadays accounted for by four-cylinder engines.
And the fours are also fighting a losing battle, as traditional large-car sales decline. In Australia in 2012, E-Class sales slid 25 per cent.
“Everywhere in the world large cars are in trouble,” Mr McCarthy explained. “If you look at the sales split in E-Class taking out AMG, you have got probably less than 10 per cent V8, six-cylinder petrol probably about 10 per cent, even six-cylinder diesel is only about 10 per cent. It’s all four-cylinder and the majority of that is the diesel.
“So it’s really a challenging market simply because people aren’t buying that sized car in the volumes they used to in any price bracket and where they are, they are buying stuff that is economical, low emissions. They want the features but they are not buying the high-output engines other than in AMG.
“It’s sad because the E350 diesel is a ripper car, but it just doesn’t sell in big numbers.”
Definitely staying in the sedan line-up will be the E 200 turbo-petrol, E 250 turbo-petrol and diesel, E 350 V6 petrol and E 63 AMG.
The wagon line-up definitely includes the E 250 CDI and the E63 AMG, while both coupe and cabrio will include 250 petrol and diesel, 350 petrol and 500 V8.
The E 300 hybrid will be positioned above the E 250 and below the E 350, suggesting a price range around $120,000. MB A-P is hoping to sell 100 per year.
“Customers have told us they want it, whether they actually step up to the plate and buy it we’ll see,” Mr McCarthy said.
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Written byBruce Newton
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