GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Mercedes to grow E-Class Cabrio

Mercedes-Benz has resorted to a unique rear-end structure for its new E-Class Cabriolet to stifle criticisms of its predecessor’s cramped rear seating.

The new E-Class cabrio makes its global debut at the Geneva motor show early in March, just two months after its close relation, the E-Class Coupe, broke cover in Detroit.

But development director Christian Fruh revealed to motoring.com.au that while the two cars share the same fundamental MRA modular rear-wheel drive architecture, the cabrio has further rear modifications that require a separate body in white.

The changes are designed to ensure adult passengers fit comfortably in the rear and that there is decent boot space despite having to make room for roll-over hoops and folding cloth roof storage.

Heavy bracing under the engine and boot also help make up for the rigidity lost by removing the steel roof.

“In the E-Class coupe and convertible we have two different back structures,” Fruh confirmed. “So we invested our money on those cars to differentiate them.

“On the E-Class the back seats will move a little inwards and forwards.”

“We wanted to have this concept to offer this comfort in the back for the coupe, also the cabrio offers a lot more space,” Fruh said. “The wheelbase is 11cm longer now, so we optimised both concepts.

“It has about 7cm more legroom in the back, it has about 5cm more shoulder room -- 3cm more in the back of the cabrio -- and up to 20mm more headroom.

“It has so much room inside because it has grown so much in size; 120mm in length, 74mm in width."

The C-Class coupe and cabrio now take over the role of penny-pinchers when it comes to back-seat space, Fruh describing them as 2+2s.

“We wanted to offer more space and we wanted to clearly differentiate between the E- and C-Class.”

On sale in Australia in the second half of 2017, the new E-Class cabrio will sit in the middle of a trio of four-seat drop-tops between the C-Class and S-Class. When its predecessor launched back in 2010 it was the only four-seat convertible Benz offered.

The previous-generation coupe and convertible were based on a bitsa platform that employed both C- and E-Class and bespoke parts.

The new generation is very much based on the latest E-Class sedan, which means the wheelbase grows enormously, creating substantially more interior space.

The new two-door Es will also share the same family of four- and six-cylinder turbocharged engines as the sedan, but the coupe and cabrio won’t get the full-house AMG V8 treatment.