I can’t quite remember when, but my first introduction to Mercedes-Benz came about thanks to a ride in my uncle’s red 220S – a late-fifties model that he had purchased directly from the factory, drove all over Europe in, and later brought back to Calcutta. At the time, I was too small to register the design characteristics, or the fact that it had a six-cylinder engine as denoted by the S. All I knew was that it was an imported car, and one of the very best – being German, and a Mercedes.

Several years later, I’ve grown up to become an automotive photographer and journalist (some would say I’ve remained a child), and I’ve driven a few Mercs since Mercedes came to India – including the high-performance AMG versions. It was just the other day that I got a call from Manas Dewan of Mercedes India, asking me to let him know if I’d be interested in driving the new E Class in Germany – just prior to its launch in India. A quick scan of E Class history revealed that the car to be launched in India was the 9th generation model. But what was particularly intriguing was that the first generation model of what is now the E Class – its ancestor, so to speak – was my uncle’s model! So, in a way, I felt connected with both the first and the current car straightaway.




So it was that I found myself at the parking lot of the Mercedes Design Centre in Sindelfingen, amidst a small privileged group of Indian journalists. We had already been briefed on the evolution of the E Class by the top boffins at the design centre, and about how the product lifecycle involves the alternation of design evolution and design revolution. We also learnt about some tricks of design – while external design is based on the principle that a customer should be attracted at first glance, the interiors are meant to relax the driver, because a relaxed driver is a safe driver.

Coming back to the principle of revolution-following-evolution-following-revolution, and so on, the outgoing model, known internally as the W211, was an evolution of the W210, which was a revolution compared to the model before it. Thus, the W212 is a revolution, and one can make out at first sight that it’s a different car altogether – even though the grille and headlight treatment have Mercedes cues in them. First of all, the W212 has different dimensions compared to its predecessor. Length and width are up at 4.868m and 2.071m, compared to 4.856m and 2.063m for the W211. Wheelbase is enlarged too, at 2.874m compared to 2.854m.



Sitting in the parking lot, the looks certainly grabbed our attention. No more ‘twin-eyes,’ unless one can have vertical eyes. The rectangular headlamps are rakish, and very much in keeping with the new cars edgy look. Yes, the soft curves of the predecessor have gone, and the W212 has been transformed into something that’s not only good looking but purposeful also – as if it can storm up a mountain road on a Sunday as easily as it can cruise to office during the rest of the week.

Inside too, sitting in an abundance of beige leather, one realizes that there is a lot of space in the front. One reason is that the gear lever has been moved to the steering column, a-la’ the ML off-roaders, and what’s in its place is a multi-function control-knob, as is prevalent in cars from other German manufacturers. Linked to the central display, it allows the driver to control the navigation system, the radio, the telephone, and DVD-player. This, of course, is in addition to the multifunction steering wheel that is standard for this class of car.



What’s most interesting of course is what’s under the bonnet. The 350 CGI is a new nomenclature for models that feature the new direct injection motor in them. Charged Gasoline Injection is what Mercedes calls it’s stratified charge direct-injection engine, and in the 350 CGI that translates to a 272bhp, 3498cc V6, producing 262lb/ft of torque, and driving the rear wheels via a ‘7 G-TRONIC’ automatic transmission.

The E 350 CGI has McPherson struts with coil springs in front, and a multi-link independent suspension with coil springs at the rear. Gas-filled dampers do duty at both front and rear, while the car rides on 245/45 R17 tyres.

Following our introduction, we left the Mercedes design centre for lunch – after which began the drive to the Bodensee with me in the passenger seat. The interior of the car was swathed in beige leather, which was cheering considering the gloomy weather outside. Sat-Nav is something that may not come to India, but we were travelling in a convoy, and therefore there was little chance of our getting lost on the speed-limited Autobahn.



When my turn came to drive, it was on a country road 80km away from Stuttgart, which we had turned onto to do our photography. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as the road dipped and climbed through a picturesque German village that would have been even more beautiful had it not been grey and drizzling constantly. Direct injection motors have a reputation of being noisy and thrashy at high revs, but there was no chance of checking this out. At normal driving speeds though, the cabin was pretty silent. It’s a very torquey engine too – one can just blip the throttle in neutral, and feel the twist immediately. Even at low speeds, it never complained and just got on with the job. Yet, it is more fuel efficient than the previous engine, says Mercedes.

I’m not one for being reckless around blind corners on unfamiliar roads, especially in a foreign country, so the handling report will have to wait till I’ve driven the car at length. However, I have to say that the car felt securely planted on the road at all times.



Every new Mercedes launched comes with something new to assist the driver, be it Parktronics or lane-keeping or blind spot warning where an orange triangle flashes in the door mirror and an alarm sounds. Sure enough, the 350 CGI comes with Attention Assist for drowsy drivers, which it essentially monitors the alertness of the driver, and, if required, sounds and flashes a warning – a steaming cup of coffee. No, the car doesn’t serve you a cup of coffee – you have to stop and get it yourself – but knowing Mercedes ingenuity I wouldn’t be surprised if the Merc boffins are working on it.

I would have liked to drive the car for a little longer, but there were others in line. So I relinquished the steering wheel, and reluctantly returned to the passenger’s seat. Nevertheless, what I can tell you is this: the new E Class epitomizes the characteristics that Mercedes has historically stood for – quality, refinement and technology. It adds a touch of serenity to an otherwise chaotic world, which is what Mercedes does best. In this case, however, the powertrain and chassis also has the ability to set your pulse racing if you so wish. So, the Mercedes E Class once again has more than a fighting chance against its cross-town rivals – the BMW 5 series and Audi A6. Market share battles in this space are about to get even more fierce.