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ONCE AGAIN, BUILT TO A STANDARD, NOT TO A PRICE ONCE AGAIN, BUILT TO A STANDARD, NOT TO A PRICE

l● words paul horrell

STUTTGARTengineers are putting the years of cost-cut me-too Benzes behind them. Ditto the endless distractions of the Chrysler affair. The new E-Class represents Mercedes’s contrition for those sins. The new E, like the recent C and S, is a return-path to what people always loved Mercedes for: a solid, safe, comfortable, conservative car in which you can invest utter faith.

That’s not to say there hasn’t been progress—it’s clearly part of the new design generation. The E posts impressive economy and performance numbers thanks to careful weight reduction, low aero drag, and powertrain improvements. It inherits a panoply of fancy driver-assist systems from the S-Class. But overall, the impression is that nothing has been done to upset the solid evolution and granite-like quality.

The design sits somewhere between crisp and boxy, with a bluff front end desperate (almost too desperate) to imply status. The flank design is pleasing, with good sculpture and, in the fairing behind the rear wheelhouse, a sly reference to its ancestor, the 1953 Ponton Mercedes. The look is a bit busy, but there’s lots of surface detail and it’s hardly boring. And the aero performance is superb, with a Cd of just 0.28.

Inside, the instrument binnacle is equally bluff, and the switchgear and surfaces feel like they’re built for the end of time. All models get a high-mounted center ICE/Navigation screen with superb control logic and graphics. The cars we drove featured poly-adjustable heated and cooled massaging seats, but the normal chairs are also shaped for a perfect long-distance driving

position. Rear head- and legroom are carefully planned . . for this car’s pivotal role in the German taxi trade. n

The bodyshell uses high-strength steel to produce better crash results than ever without adding weight. Indeed, the shell is optimized for the V-6 models: The V-8 and AMG editions get reinforcements, so that the cbase-engine cars aren’t unnecessarily heavy. To protect pedestrians who stray into the E-Class’s path, the rear t of the hood pops up on impact to give their heads a cushioned landing.

A switch to three-link front suspension improves crash performance, though it required a lot of development driving to ensure the dynamics weren’t compromised t compared with the more complex previous design. The new suspension also improves component commonality with the C-Class. In fact, Mercedes engineers no longer t, talk of the C and E being separate platforms. .

On the active safety side, a bundled option is radar cruise control with collision mitigation. If the driver neglects to react to a closing gap ahead, it will sound a warning, then tighten the seatbelts, next tap the brakes, , and finally, if the driver still remains unresponsive once it deems a crash inevitable, apply the brakes fully. “The “ electronic crumple zone,” Mercedes calls it. There’s also ” a night-vision option, lane-change blind-spot warni t ng, lane-keeping assist, and, as standard, a drowsiness sensor. Mercedes says a quar ter of the worst accide . . rc nts are caused by drivers falling asleep. . .

The new system monitors steering and accelerator o input among other factors and, if the driver’s styl le

dependent damping, an all-mechanical system. Optional leveling air springs come with electronically controlled dampers. The air system is standard on the V-8 and does an excellent job. The ride is properly plush if you hit the comfort button and still pretty sweet if you hit sport, which moves the adaptive thresholds a little toward the liveliness direction. The steering is superbly accurate and never nervous and imparts just enough road feel to give you confidence. Mid-bend, the E is well-balanced and manages to feel like it’s on a shorter wheelbase. But add excess g-loads and it’s super-safe understeer all the way. This isn’t trying to be a 5 Series.

The mechanical chassis option is very nearly as good. Neither ride nor handling suffer much, especially if you go for the higher-geared rack that’s standard on the V-8. The mechanical dampers remain plush on short strokes, then stiffen up on longer suspension excursions to keep body movements in check. Okay, the body control isn’t as strong-willed as with the air system, but it seldom slows you down.

There’s clearly a sound base here for AMG to work on. Its manic 525-horsepower E63 will appear at the New York auto show in April. The E range is also to be widened by the new E coupe, as seen at the Geneva salon in March, and 2010’s matching cabrio, the larger replacements for the CLK. There will also be an E wagon later this year and AWD variants.

The E has a wide range because it’s at the heart of the Mercedes business. Quite right then that it feels so like a Benz. You might take issue with the V-6 powertrain refinement—it looks like the price you pay for such clean, efficient combustion—but in other ways this is an utterly respectable sedan. Now, about that AMG model… ■

2010 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS

B A S E P R I C E $ 5 5 , 0 0 0 - $ 6 6 , 0 0 0 ( e s t ) V E H I C L E L AY O U T F r o n t e n g i n e , R W D /A W D , 5 - p a s s , 4 - d o o r s e d a n E N G I N E S 3.5L/268-hp/258-lb-ft 24 -va l ve V- 6 , 5 . 5 L / 3 8 2- h p / 3 9 1 - l b - f t V- 8

T R A N S M I S S I O N S 7- s p e e d a u t o m a t i c C U R B W E I G H T 3 8 5 0 - 4 1 5 0 l b ( m f r ) W H E E L B A S E 1 1 3 .1 i n L E N G T H x W I D T H x H E I G H T 1 9 1 . 7 x 7 2 . 9 x 5 7. 2 - 5 7. 6 i n 0 - 6 2 M P H 4 . 7-7. 0 s e c ( m f r e s t ) E PA C I T Y/ H W Y F U E L E CO N N o t y e t r a t e d O N S A L E I N U . S . A u g u s t 2 0 0 9