SPY PICS: Benz to pop E in '09
Spy pics provide more details on all-new Mercedes E-ClassSubtlety will be the byword when Mercedes-Benz reveals its next generation W212 E-Class at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show.
These photos shot just recently by spymeisters Carparazzi show more detail than we've seen so far (see original report here), including evidence that the new E-Class will continue the themes established with the current model, adding in some influence from the S-Class with just a touch of CL appearing in the slightly up-curved side window line.
It's well covered in the test prototype seen here, but it looks as if there'll be a rising character line starting from near the upper edges of the front wheel arches then curving rapidly upward to terminate near the top of the taillights.
The mid-size Benz will also add a touch of rakishness with sharper edges to things like the (now three-slat) grille, headlights and rear-end treatment. The oval four-eyed front end of the current model -- an identifiable E-Class feature since the 1990s -- has evolved to a similarly four-eyed, but maybe slightly fussier, squared-off look. The taillights appear to have been given a similar treatment -- once again slightly fussier -- to that seen in the new C-Class and the S-Class.
Technologically, the W212 can be expected to follow some of the themes established in the S-Class, including the Benz adaptive brake system that includes brake drying on wet roads, a hill-holder to assist getting under way when stopped facing uphill and emergency brake detection that readies the system if the driver's foot is suddenly lifted off the accelerator pedal.
Other S-Class features such as Neck-Pro anti-whiplash headrests and scratch-resistant paint could find their way onto the W212. It is also suggested a lane-departure warning system, an eye-movement monitor, traffic-sign identification, road-condition sensors, and a stability control system that accounts for crosswinds, camber changes and tyre wear could also appear on the new E-Class.
The engine lineup should follow that of the current range, with petrol and turbodiesel V6s and petrol V8s, as should the 7G seven-speed auto transmission.
All very well, but there's still at least a year to wait.
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