SPY PICS: More detail on 2016 Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz is doing a great job of creating a long, drawn-out tease programme for its next generation E-Class.

These most recent Automedia photos were snapped during winter testing in northern Sweden and show the car with a tad less of the cladding applied to disguise the car than seen in previous photo sessions.

It reveals for the first time the full side window line, plus more of the grille opening to give a more complete picture of the new model that will go on sale in European markets early in 2016.

These most recent photos show just a little more detail than was evident in previous images and indicate Benz is treading a conservative styling path with its mid-size sedan. A clean, balanced look for the luxury four-door offers a contrast to the edgier A-Class, and even the current C-Class models, that should appeal to the more mature tastes of its presumed target market.

As has been reported previously, the next E-Class will share its basic MRA platform with the latest C-Class and will grow in size to separate it from the lower-rung model. That added size will be manifest in the longer wheelbase, offset by shorter front and rear overhangs. The extra size is expected to cancel out any weight-saving benefits of the new platform.

Sources have also suggested the next E-Class will get a big upgrade in interior presentation, using numerous design concepts borrowed from the latest S-Class.

The E-Class, as in the current version, will come in sedan, two-door coupe and convertible form, while the platform will also underpin the next generation of the swoopy CLS four-door coupe and wagon. The versatility of the platform will also become evident when the all-wheel drive AMG version becomes an option for those who like to send every available kilowatt to the ground.

It's expected the E-Class will premiere the new family of V6-replacing inline six-cylinder engines being developed by Mercedes that will be sandwiched between petrol and diesel four-cylinders and the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that is rumoured to produce close to 450kW and will power the E63 AMG version.

While there has been talk of the possibility of a three-cylinder engine in the line-up, it's also expected the next E-Class will be offered with plug-in hybrid petrol and diesel powerplants.