Executive rarity
Mercedes doesn’t expect the average luxury car punter to go for this E-class V8, nor does it think it can lure S500L users. So why is it here?
Published: 25/09/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Motoring
Why on earth, you may wonder, would Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) want to kick off its all-new E-class offensive with a range-topping model costing B10m?
According to MBT, the E500 is intended to showcase all the new technologies the Germans have incorporated into its bread-winning executive saloon.
In other words, Mercedes wants to build on image first before offering lesser variants with cheaper price tags. But why, you would ask again, when the brand is already so established in the Thai luxury car market?
Here’s the real motive. As many of you readers may already know, Mercedes is in the process of making Thai-assembled E-classes for sale towards the end of this year.
And now that the new E-class, codenamed W212, comes with new-generation petrol and diesel engines replacing dated ones of the outgoing W211, special modifications had to be made for the latest motors to cope with inferior quality of fuel in Thailand.
Which is a civil way of telling buyers who go for the E-class from the grey market that they risk experiencing premature engine damage because Thai pumps still sell mostly Euro 3 diesel and 95 RON petrol.
Theoretically, that means the E500 is the only model that needs no alterations to run on the existing fuel the country has. A case of an old engine? Not exactly, but definitely not a new one.
So it’s like buying time in the meantime for Mercedes-Benz where they want to tell the market that a “proper” E-class is coming soon. But for those who can’t wait and can afford a B10m purchase, your official E-class has finally arrived.
But Motoring isn’t going to give the full lowdown yet on the E-class because the car you see on these pages this week is actually different in several areas from the ones buyers will be getting in locally assembled forms.
And even though the body of the E-class is going to basically resemble that of the Thai-made version, it’s not going to be easy to make a full assessment when it comes to design.
Subjectively speaking, the new E-class is a little controversial in appearance. Those rigid lines may hark back to the days of the W124, but they look a little clumsy from certain angles.
But what has helped sustain the new-found proportions of the E-class are the fatter rear wheels which help inject a dynamic look. Since the core-selling Es will come with far less powerful engines, wheel rims won’t come in bespoke sizes.
Just to make sure the W212 is not meant to be a direct descendant of the W124, designers have maintained the “new eyes” used in the W210 and W211 but this time in square-like theme instead of the round type.
The interior of the new E-class will basically preview the thing to come, except for some small details like the steering-mounted gear-lever (like in the M-, R- and S-classes). Four-cylinder Es get a conventional mounting on the centre console that runs between the front seats.
Like the wedgy exterior, the cliff-like dashboard seems to be going retro and is something you are either going to like or loathe. But it works well; various instrumentation are within natural reach, the panel dials are clearly legible and the traditional column stalks won’t scare away existing Merc customers.
Since one of the main priorities in the new E-class was to improve cabin space (luggage space remains the same, according to Mercedes), expect it to be done so; all passengers are treated with ample space that isn’t inferior to any of its rivals’.
Noteworthy though is the lower seating position for rear occupants. It now feels more claustrophobic than before and is very much like in the BMW 5-series where you can feel the car’s high waistline.
And since Mercedes wanted to show off the E500’s specification, the video monitors behind the front head restraints hinder visual airiness for rear passengers. It works better in the S-class since the long wheelbase allows more distance between the rear and front seats. And of course, those visual screens won’t be coming in the lower Es.
The other feature that surely won’t filter down into the four-cylinder Es is front seats that have massage function and automatically adjustable contours. More useful, but still as gimmicky, is a host of driver assistance technologies that would usually be reserved for an S-class.
That explains why the E500 is priced so highly at B10.26m. Apart from being imported in completely built-up form, the car comes with a big-hearted specification. Buyers wanting to omit some features for a lesser price can do so, according to MBT.
As the badge hints, the E500 comes with a huge 388hp 5.5-litre V8 which is the same as the petrol powerplant used in the S500L. Transmission is also the same: seven-speed automatic.
For those already acquainted with the S500L’s appealing V8 performance will find the E500 an even more effective high-speed express due to the smaller and lighter body.
There’s plenty of drama in the low- to mid-ranges, thanks to a fat amount of torque it has on a wide usable engine speed range. We’re not talking about an AMG here, so all-round refinement holds the key – and that means no aural fireworks near the redline, unlike the Jaguar XF’s free-revving naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 that sings more as it is pushed.
Just because it’s a big-bore motor doesn’t necessarily mean it’s utterly thirsty. Okay, 5-6kpl isn’t that cool in city-driving, but 8-9kpl isn’t that bad when cruising out of town, thanks to a low-geared seventh.
The E500, as tested, comes with Airmatic air suspension which is quite an effective tool for drivers needing the best of both worlds: comfort and sporty chassis settings.
Around town, comfort is obviously the mode to use. And even though you are not a fast driver, you’ll feel inclined to go into sport mode at higher speeds because the ride really needs to be flattened, otherwise there’s excessive roll especially when you sit in the rear.
That said, Airmatic is very clear about the damper settings and you don’t need to experiment with it much at all. Comfort for low speeds and sport elsewhere. There’s also enough distinction in the transmission’s comfort/sport settings.
Big wheels and low-profile tyres look cool, so ride refinement is still compromised. It can felt around town over sharp ruts and it can be substantially heard at high speeds especially when seated behind.
Even so, ride comfort is something we can’t say much about at the moment since the E250s (yup, it’s that badge) will come with conventional shock absorbers and thicker tyres (that theoretically should make the ride more cosseting than in the E500).
The lads at MBT were keen to know whether the E-class is now a better car to handle. Judging from our impressions, a Merc is Merc, that is to say that the E is still about driving comfort.
It won’t eat corners as keenly as in the 5-series or XF, yet it feels marginally sharper to steer than in the W211. But one thing’s for sure: the steering feels light and direct at low speeds and offers enough weight at high speeds which rightly is acceptable for an executive saloon like the E-class.
So where does that bring us with the E500? It’s for those who need big performance but in an even more understated way than how an E63 AMG would feel. Such a kind of buyer in Thailand is rare, and that could be tempting for some people who don’t like to be compared.
Accountants will be quick to point out that the E500 is only B629,000 cheaper than the Thai-built S500L and summarise the E as poorer value for money due to less metal.
But here’s the catch for driving enthusiasts, especially those who like to see the three-pointed star in front while driving.
The E500 is practically as well-equipped, a shade quicker and more agile to drive than the S500L. If you drive the S500L most of the time, then the E500 is worth looking at.
But can such a theory be applied in Thailand? We’d say that’s a tough call, which simply explains why an XF V8, BMW 550i or Lexus GS460 is practically non-existent on Thai roads. So roll on E250 CKD.
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