By: Denis Droppa
Johannesburg - We’re not yet at the point where you can hunt Pokemons on your smartphone while your car drives itself, but we’re getting closer.
Once restricted to the fertile imaginings of science-fiction writers, fully-autonomous cars are now but a few years away from reality, and in the meantime cars like the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class can go into semi-autopilot mode to make for a safer and more stress-free drive.
Known as Drive Pilot, it gives the car the ability to maintain a safe following distance in traffic, read road signs and automatically stick to the speed limit, and steer itself even when there are no clear road markings. The caveat is you still need to keep your hands on the wheel; try it hands-free and the E-Class will drive itself for a few seconds but then remind you with a warning flash in the instrument panel to grasp it again. If you don’t, the car will assume you’ve either fallen asleep or had a medical emergency, and bring itself to a stop with the hazard lights flashing.
And, if you fail to hit the brakes to avoid an impending collision, the car will do it for you. Think of it as having a computerised driving buddy on board who will bail you out of trouble when the chips are down.
Some of these abovementioned features come standard on the new E-Class, including a parking pilot which automatically steers the car into a bay, but if you want the whole semi-autopilot thing you’ll have to cough up an extra R32 500 for the Driving Assistance package.
Luxury and opulence
It’s all very clever, but the tenth-generation E-Class is a lot more than a technology showcase brimming with gizmos. Like the over 13 million E-Classes that have sold worldwide to date, it’s primarily about the business of conveying executives in comfort and refinement. To this end, the new version lays on the luxury with even more interior opulence.
Clearly Benz got tired of Audi making the best cabins in the segment, and a new creative flair flows through the interior designs of its latest vehicles. The E-Class cabin is pure finery, laying on Merc’s typically lavish materials with a modern twist that includes an LED interior ambient lighting system with 64 colours to choose from. There’s also the option of large Imax-like digital screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment system (the standard instrument cluster still uses traditional needle-based dials).
The infotainment’s operated by a mouse-like controller between the front seats (Merc hasn’t opted for a touchscreen). It’s all generally intuitive and easy to use, and the Blackberry-style touchpads on the steering wheel which control the onboard computer are a clever touch. But there are certain functions – for instance the audio sound settings – that are buried deep inside the computerised maze and should perhaps have their own dedicated buttons for quick access.
Homogenised styling
As with the interior there’s a new wind blowing in the external styling of Mercedes-Benz, and the company’s latest sedans are far from the stodgy and rather conservative designs of yore.
A coupé-esque roofline and streamlined shape makes the new E-Class one of the most aerodynamic cars in its class. It essentially looks like a stretched C-Class although not everyone would agree this is a good thing; Mercedes styling is becoming very homogenised and it’s getting difficult to tell its different ranges apart without using a tape measure.
The new E-Class has grown in length to give 6mm extra rear knee room to a sedan that was already a family-gobbling car, while the boot’s shrunk slightly (by 10 litres) but still offers a very roomy 530 litres.
Adquate urge from 2-litre turbo
On test here is the entry-level version, the E200, powered by a turbocharged 2-litre, four-cylinder petrol motor with outputs of 135kW and 300Nm.
Unless you’re an AMG-minded adrenaline seeker the E200 has more than adequate urge, and the turbo-petrol engine delivers the goods in a pleasantly lag-free fashion.
It’s a happy cruiser and gets off the line reasonably quickly and the factory-quoted performance figures aren’t too shabby, with a claimed 0-100 in 7.7 seconds and a 240km/h top speed.
When revved harder the four cylinder engine’s just slightly gruff for a luxury car, but for the rest it’s a very refined experience with little wind or mechanical noise. The smooth 9G-Tronic transmission performs flawlessly, and to free up space in the console between the front seats the gear stick is mounted on the steering column.
Our test car’s fuel consumption averaged 10 litres per 100km which is decent for this size car (Benz claims 6.3 litres).
Stick to the smaller wheel options
The E-Class is available with either steel springs or air suspension, for a total of four different suspension options. The standard steel setup has selective damping that adjusts itself to different road conditions, but you can specify a sportier Avantgarde package that lowers the ride by 15mm, or one where the driver can select a stiffer or softer ride at the press of a button. The optional air suspension offers the best of all worlds.
Our test car had the steel suspension which offered a mostly comfortable ride, although the optionally fitted low-profile 275/35 R19 tyres had a detrimental effect on the bump-soaking ability on rougher roads and potholes. Such AMG-spec wheels don’t belong on an E200; the car will ride much better on the standard 225/55 17-inch versions.
The E200’s standard price is R709 608 but you’ll be paying a lot more than that if you start ticking options boxes, of which there are many.
VERDICT
A technological masterpiece, the tenth generation Mercedes E-Class edges us ever closer to a future of cars with true artificial intelligence. Amidst all the Star-Wars tech it’s been polished and groomed into an even better executive car, with improved luxury and refinement and probably the classiest interior in its segment.
FACTS
Mercedes-Benz E200 Auto
Engine: 2-litre, 4-cylinder turbopetrol
Gearbox: 9-speed automatic
Power: 135kW @ 5500rpm
Torque: 300Nm @ 1200 - 4000rpm
0-100km/h (claimed): 7.7 seconds
Top speed (claimed): 240km/h
Price: R709 608
Warranty: 2-year / unlimited km
Maintenance plan: 6-year / 100 000km
ALTERNATIVES
Mercedes E200 - 135kW and 300Nm - R709 608
Audi A6 1.8T - 140kW and 320Nm - R662 000
BMW 520i - 135kW and 270Nm - R654 166
Follow us on Twitter