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NEWS
Mercedes-Benz goes nine-speed for E-Class
Developed in-house, new nine-speeder debuts as part of another E-Class updateThe much-vaunted nine-speed automatic transmission is about to finally find a home in the E-Class Mercedes-Benz.
Talked about for years inside Mercedes-Benz, it will replace the venerable seven-speed automatic in an upgrade to its conservative mid-sizer that will also deliver more power, fewer emissions and new safety equipment.
Unusually, the changes come as part of a second mid-cycle upgrade for the E-Class, which has struggled to overcome the threat of Audi's A6 in its home market.
Dubbed 9G-Tronic, the new gearbox heads the upgrade charge in the E350 BlueTec's sedan, wagon, coupe and cabrio variants in Europe, with Mercedes-Benz claiming it delivers a 17 g/km CO2 emissions cut on its own.
The coupe is the lightest and greenest of the E-Class family, with emissions of 136 grams/km, though the E350 BlueTec's power has risen across the range by 3kW to 190kW.
The entry-level E220 BlueTec has also had a power hike, rising 5kW to 130kW and dropping its CO2 emissions by 16 grams to 116 grams/km.
Besides power and emissions upgrades, the E-Class picks up autonomous braking across the board as part of making Collision Prevention Assist Plus standard across the range.
There are luxury tweaks, too, with Benz adding Premium and Premium Plus packages to the range's engine steps, with the Premium Plus taking the panorama roof, reversing camera and split-folding rear seats from the Premium and adding keyless go and a better sound system.
Prices have risen slightly in Europe, though Mercedes-Benz has yet to announce its local pricing.
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Written byMichael Taylor
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