2003 E-class
Roadster2
02-22-2002, 07:04 AM
Mercedes E-Class
It has become a bit of a running joke in the motor industry. How every time a big new executive saloon is launched, the relevant manufacturer pro-mises us it will be better than BMW's all-conquering 5-Series. But despite the fact that the car companies have had six years to catch up, this has all been wishful thinking - no one has managed it yet.
Sure, there are a few competitors which are better looking, more economical or slightly faster - but there hasn't been one which can topple the all-round ability of the Bavarian.
Determined not to be beaten this time, Mercedes has thrown all it's got into the all-new E-Class. Four years and £1.25billion have been invested in the new saloon to make sure it can finally wipe the smug grin off the face of that pesky rival. The result is the most sophisticated and advanced saloon ever to make it into production.
The specification sheet includes the sort of technology you only usually read about in sci-fi novels. Brakes which are only connected to the pedal by electronics, seats which grip harder as you drive faster, solar-powered ventilation, radar cruise control and E-mail connections are only a few of the range of gadgets drivers of the new E-Class will have to play with. But does it add up to the best car in the world, or is it technology overkill?
To ease ourselves in gently, we tried the entry-level E220 CDI first. Most new E-Classes will be bought with company money and, with the new CO2 tax rules in place before the car goes on sale in August, it seems to be a fairly safe bet that more or less everyone will be clamouring for the diesel variants. As the entry-level version, the E220 is largely stripped of all the gadgets which made the headlines, but the basic car is still an impressive package. The interior is spacious, especially in the boot, and it feels far better built than anything Mercedes is currently producing - and that includes the S-Class. Expect a very similar look and feel to make it to the rest of the three-pointed star's range very soon.
As one of the 'cheaper' models in the line-up, the E220 has to make do without the help of the E500's standard air suspension. Despite this, the conventionally sprung chassis makes you feel instantly secure and has an amazing ride quality, soaking up bumps and ridges with ease, especially when driving at speed.
At first glance, though, you might think the E220 would be difficult to coax up to a fast pace. With a 147bhp four-cylinder oil-burner borrowed from the C-Class, it is easy to assume the huge E220 would be sluggish to say the least. But Mercedes has worked hard to ensure that the engine is acceptable and has added balancer shafts to smooth out the vibrations, while also fiddling about with the injection system to make sure that the car's performance is adequate.
At start-up there's still a disappointing amount of clatter reaching the cabin, but there's little in the way of vibration through the controls. The biggest surprise, however, comes with the performance. With a 0-60mph acceleration time of only 10 seconds, no one could accuse the E-Class of being a lumbering machine. Actually, the Merc is a second faster than the smaller, lighter Chrysler PT Cruiser CRD we tested last week, which uses the same powerplant - those modifications obviously work well.
Even so, the E220 is still more than a second behind six-cylinder rivals for the benchmark sprint. The engine does struggle with inclines or when asked to pull in a high gear, and it's certainly not the best choice if you want to make quick progress on back roads.
The handling's not been tuned for the more twisty tracks, either. Although the response is far better than that of the barge-like old E-Class, pushing the new car hard into a bend is not something you'll want to do often. Body roll becomes pronounced and the sheer bulk of the new E causes its tyres to lose grip easily. There's little need to worry, though, as you always have the safety net of the most sophisticated ESP system in the world, as well as an amazingly complex series of airbags if it all goes horribly wrong.
Mercedes is obviously wary of criticism about the car's steering being too light in the past, so the new E's wheel has been given a much meatier feel. In fact, it now weights up too much when taking bends.
Then there's the electronic brakes. They will stop the E amazingly quickly and safely, with computers working out the optimum way to bring the car to a halt depending on how the driver has hit the pedal, road conditions and speed. But while they are undoubtedly powerful and very clever, too, the boffins haven't quite got the response right yet. The computer control can't seem to work out how much braking pressure to deliver, and a quick dab of the pedal to wipe off speed before a corner will often result in more deceleration than you may have intended.
It does, however, come together on this car's natural habitat - the motorway. Slip into sixth gear and the E220 is spookily refined, and should return around 40mpg. But slipping into sixth isn't easy with the manual gearbox - it's obstructive and generally nasty, especially when you have to use a footbrake for hill-starts.
We can't warn you enough to steer clear - Mercedes still can't get manuals right and re-sale values of this version will be hit. Luckily the company's autos are the best in the business, giving seamless changes and hardly hurting performance at all.
If speed is what you crave most, then the E500 is the car you'll have to plump for until the bonkers supercharged E55 AMG arrives early next year. The 301bhp 5.0-litre V8 is new in the E-Class line-up, replacing the 4.3-litre unit which was the previous non-AMG range-topper. As you would expect, this is the technological flagship, too, and has all the new innovations on board, including the SL's air suspension system.
The computers adapt the spring rates to your driving style and the road conditions, giving the best compromise between ride and handling. For the most part it works, too, and apart from a patter over broken surfaces caused by the huge tyres on our test car, this system improves the conventionally suspended vehicle's performance while maintaining its exceptional cruising ability.
The engine couldn't be further removed from the diesel, either. Even with an AMG exhaust fitted it's virtually silent, and never found wanting in terms of performance. Plant the throttle, the big tyres dig in and exactly six seconds later you'll be doing 60mph. Within that time, the seat will have squeezed the side support tighter to hold you in, the suspension and gearbox will set to sport mode and the throttle will adjust it's response time, too.
But the electronics aren't perfect. The accelerator adjustment can be too sensitive, making it impossible to feed in the power without causing the car to lunge forward, ruining the refinement.
So, is the new E-Class better than a BMW 5-Series? The Mercedes will comfortably beat the Beemer in some areas, but when we get the cars together on UK roads it's going to be close run which is the best overall. The joke isn't quite on BMW yet.
The new E-Class is an impressive machine, with effortless cruising ability, unrivalled safety equipment and plenty of interior room. But those clever electronics still need fine-tuning, and we suspect the BMW 5-Series will still prove a better driver's car when we get them together to group test.
At a glance
* New E-Class on sale in August, priced from around £25,000
* At launch available with 2.4, 3.2 and 5.0-litre petrol power or 2.2, 2.7-litre turbodiesels
* More to follow, including bigger diesels and a supercharged AMG. Estate model due early 2003
http://www.fordfans1.homestead.com/FORDFAN1.html
It has become a bit of a running joke in the motor industry. How every time a big new executive saloon is launched, the relevant manufacturer pro-mises us it will be better than BMW's all-conquering 5-Series. But despite the fact that the car companies have had six years to catch up, this has all been wishful thinking - no one has managed it yet.
Sure, there are a few competitors which are better looking, more economical or slightly faster - but there hasn't been one which can topple the all-round ability of the Bavarian.
Determined not to be beaten this time, Mercedes has thrown all it's got into the all-new E-Class. Four years and £1.25billion have been invested in the new saloon to make sure it can finally wipe the smug grin off the face of that pesky rival. The result is the most sophisticated and advanced saloon ever to make it into production.
The specification sheet includes the sort of technology you only usually read about in sci-fi novels. Brakes which are only connected to the pedal by electronics, seats which grip harder as you drive faster, solar-powered ventilation, radar cruise control and E-mail connections are only a few of the range of gadgets drivers of the new E-Class will have to play with. But does it add up to the best car in the world, or is it technology overkill?
To ease ourselves in gently, we tried the entry-level E220 CDI first. Most new E-Classes will be bought with company money and, with the new CO2 tax rules in place before the car goes on sale in August, it seems to be a fairly safe bet that more or less everyone will be clamouring for the diesel variants. As the entry-level version, the E220 is largely stripped of all the gadgets which made the headlines, but the basic car is still an impressive package. The interior is spacious, especially in the boot, and it feels far better built than anything Mercedes is currently producing - and that includes the S-Class. Expect a very similar look and feel to make it to the rest of the three-pointed star's range very soon.
As one of the 'cheaper' models in the line-up, the E220 has to make do without the help of the E500's standard air suspension. Despite this, the conventionally sprung chassis makes you feel instantly secure and has an amazing ride quality, soaking up bumps and ridges with ease, especially when driving at speed.
At first glance, though, you might think the E220 would be difficult to coax up to a fast pace. With a 147bhp four-cylinder oil-burner borrowed from the C-Class, it is easy to assume the huge E220 would be sluggish to say the least. But Mercedes has worked hard to ensure that the engine is acceptable and has added balancer shafts to smooth out the vibrations, while also fiddling about with the injection system to make sure that the car's performance is adequate.
At start-up there's still a disappointing amount of clatter reaching the cabin, but there's little in the way of vibration through the controls. The biggest surprise, however, comes with the performance. With a 0-60mph acceleration time of only 10 seconds, no one could accuse the E-Class of being a lumbering machine. Actually, the Merc is a second faster than the smaller, lighter Chrysler PT Cruiser CRD we tested last week, which uses the same powerplant - those modifications obviously work well.
Even so, the E220 is still more than a second behind six-cylinder rivals for the benchmark sprint. The engine does struggle with inclines or when asked to pull in a high gear, and it's certainly not the best choice if you want to make quick progress on back roads.
The handling's not been tuned for the more twisty tracks, either. Although the response is far better than that of the barge-like old E-Class, pushing the new car hard into a bend is not something you'll want to do often. Body roll becomes pronounced and the sheer bulk of the new E causes its tyres to lose grip easily. There's little need to worry, though, as you always have the safety net of the most sophisticated ESP system in the world, as well as an amazingly complex series of airbags if it all goes horribly wrong.
Mercedes is obviously wary of criticism about the car's steering being too light in the past, so the new E's wheel has been given a much meatier feel. In fact, it now weights up too much when taking bends.
Then there's the electronic brakes. They will stop the E amazingly quickly and safely, with computers working out the optimum way to bring the car to a halt depending on how the driver has hit the pedal, road conditions and speed. But while they are undoubtedly powerful and very clever, too, the boffins haven't quite got the response right yet. The computer control can't seem to work out how much braking pressure to deliver, and a quick dab of the pedal to wipe off speed before a corner will often result in more deceleration than you may have intended.
It does, however, come together on this car's natural habitat - the motorway. Slip into sixth gear and the E220 is spookily refined, and should return around 40mpg. But slipping into sixth isn't easy with the manual gearbox - it's obstructive and generally nasty, especially when you have to use a footbrake for hill-starts.
We can't warn you enough to steer clear - Mercedes still can't get manuals right and re-sale values of this version will be hit. Luckily the company's autos are the best in the business, giving seamless changes and hardly hurting performance at all.
If speed is what you crave most, then the E500 is the car you'll have to plump for until the bonkers supercharged E55 AMG arrives early next year. The 301bhp 5.0-litre V8 is new in the E-Class line-up, replacing the 4.3-litre unit which was the previous non-AMG range-topper. As you would expect, this is the technological flagship, too, and has all the new innovations on board, including the SL's air suspension system.
The computers adapt the spring rates to your driving style and the road conditions, giving the best compromise between ride and handling. For the most part it works, too, and apart from a patter over broken surfaces caused by the huge tyres on our test car, this system improves the conventionally suspended vehicle's performance while maintaining its exceptional cruising ability.
The engine couldn't be further removed from the diesel, either. Even with an AMG exhaust fitted it's virtually silent, and never found wanting in terms of performance. Plant the throttle, the big tyres dig in and exactly six seconds later you'll be doing 60mph. Within that time, the seat will have squeezed the side support tighter to hold you in, the suspension and gearbox will set to sport mode and the throttle will adjust it's response time, too.
But the electronics aren't perfect. The accelerator adjustment can be too sensitive, making it impossible to feed in the power without causing the car to lunge forward, ruining the refinement.
So, is the new E-Class better than a BMW 5-Series? The Mercedes will comfortably beat the Beemer in some areas, but when we get the cars together on UK roads it's going to be close run which is the best overall. The joke isn't quite on BMW yet.
The new E-Class is an impressive machine, with effortless cruising ability, unrivalled safety equipment and plenty of interior room. But those clever electronics still need fine-tuning, and we suspect the BMW 5-Series will still prove a better driver's car when we get them together to group test.
At a glance
* New E-Class on sale in August, priced from around £25,000
* At launch available with 2.4, 3.2 and 5.0-litre petrol power or 2.2, 2.7-litre turbodiesels
* More to follow, including bigger diesels and a supercharged AMG. Estate model due early 2003
http://www.fordfans1.homestead.com/FORDFAN1.html
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