New Mercedes Benz E-Class W212 Launched in Malaysia

The new class leading Mercedes Benz E-Class was officially launched today. Coded W212, the new E yet again represents everything it has been associated with over the years – status, quality, technology, driving pleasure, comfort, safety and more. It’s bold new angular design is set to turn heads in a frenzy of aww and glee. Launched today was the new E300 which is currently the only W212 model currently available for sale here in Malaysia. To follow later would be the E200 and Coupe models. Priced at RM455,888.00, the new E once again defines standards in its class with ingenius technology and engineering. Follow the jump for everything you need to know about the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

Kuala Lumpur – 25 November 2009: The new E-Class stands for status, quality, highly advanced technology and driving pleasure – and it also reflects these attributes in its self-confident design. With its allured character and bold, distinctive design, the new E-Class promises to be a real trend-setter.

The new E-Class represents the pacemaker when it comes to safety, comfort and environmental compatibility in this market segment. With its unique combination of driver assistance systems, this saloon further consolidates the leading position of Mercedes-Benz in the luxury class. Its standard features include a drowsiness detection system – ATTENTION ASSIST, Adaptive High Beam Assist, Parking Guidance System and Pre-Safe.

Mercedes-Benz has improved the already exemplary long-distance comfort of the E-Class even further in the new saloon, principally through the use of intelligent bodyshell technology with up to 30 percent greater rigidity, further improved seats and a newly developed suspension “ DIRECT CONTROL” whose shock absorbers automatically adjust to the current driving situation.

The outstanding safety and comfort of the E-Class are matched by its environmental compatibility and economy. A sophisticated technology package is also the secret behind the 6-cylinder V-engine in the new E300. All four camshafts, for example, feature variable adjustment across the entire engine speed range – ensuring that high torque is available from low revs on up. Optimised fuel combustion also results in lower consumption, while a balancer shaft ensures smooth operation. New technologies in the new E-Class reduce fuel consumption by up to 22%, while CO₂ emissions are lower than ever.

Along with the engines, the BlueEFFICIENCY package for the E-Class is in large part responsible for the considerable fuel savings. Engineers from every development department have worked together to optimise assemblies and components, to save fuel by means of reduced weight, a new form, improved functioning or efficient energy management.

The work done in the wind tunnel was particularly successful, as the resulting drag coefficient of only 0.25 makes the new E-Class the world’s most aerodynamically efficient luxury saloon. It betters the already good Cd figure of the preceding model by another four percent, which represents a fuel saving of around 0.25 litres per 100 kilometres when driving at a motorway speed of 130 km/h. One of the measures taken to improve the aerodynamics is the adoption of automatically adjustable fan louvres which control the airflow to the engine compartment in line with the engine’s cooling requirements.

Other BlueEFFICIENCY measures include newly developed tyres with up to 17 percent lower rolling resistance, energy-saving control of the alternator, fuel pump, air conditioning compressor and power steering. Displays in the speedometer inform the driver how much fuel is being consumed (per 100 kilometres), and when the next higher gear should be selected in order to maintain an economical and environmentally conscious style of driving.

Safety: “Intelligent” partner thanks to unique combination of assistance and protection systems

For more than 50 years, the E-Class and their predecessors have been acknowledged as trendsetters in the safety field. The new saloon continues this tradition with an unrivalled combination of the very latest assistance and protection system whose concept and development are based on what actually happens during accidents. These technologies make the E-Class an “intelligent partner” able to see, feel, react reflexively in critical situations and if necessary act independently to prevent accidents or mitigate their consequences. With this concept, the new Mercedes model not only protects its own occupants, but also contributes decisively to the greater safety of other road users.

The new E-Class is the first car in the world to be equipped with headlamps which adapt to the traffic situation and respond automatically to avoid dazzling other drivers. The Adaptive High Beam Assist uses a camera on the windscreen to recognise oncoming traffic and vehicles moving ahead and to control the headlamps so that their beams do not reach the other vehicle. This achieves the best possible road illumination in a given situation. The range of the dipped headlamp beams can be extended from 65 to as much as 300 metres. If the road ahead is clear, the system performs a gentle transition to high beam.

Mercedes-Benz offers this new system in a lighting package that includes bi-xenon headlamps, the Intelligent Light System and LED daytime driving lights.

Detection of drowsiness based on 70 parameters as standard

Thanks to an innovative technology, the new E-Class is very sensitive to its driver’s attention level, and warns him or her of drowsiness in good time. This new ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detection system, which is standard equipment, is equipped with highly sensitive sensors that continuously monitor more than 70 different parameters. Observing the driver’s steering behaviour has proved to be a particularly strong indicator: several years of practical research by Mercedes engineers have shown that drowsy drivers make minor steering errors which they often correct very rapidly in characteristic ways. These corrections are recognised by a highly sensitive steering angle sensor.

Eight airbags and PRE-SAFE® as standard

During the course of its development, the new E-Class was subjected to more than 150 high-speed crash tests. The crumple zone principle invented by Mercedes safety pioneer Béla Barényi has been continuously improved by the engineers in Sindelfingen. The front-end deformation zone of the E-Class acts on four independent levels, and is even more effective than before. The increased use of extra-high-strength steel alloys also helps to ensure that the bodyshell is able to withstand high impact forces. Around 72 percent of all the body panels are made from these high-tech steels — yet another unrivalled figure in passenger car development.

With eight airbags as standard, belt tensioners, belt force limiters, crash-responsive head restraints and ISOFIX child seat attachments, the new E-Class has even more extensive safety features than the preceding model.

Another standard feature is the preventive occupant protection system PRE-SAFE®. In potentially hazardous situations this reflexively activates precautionary protective measures for the vehicle occupants, so that the seat belts and airbags are able to fulfil their protective function to the full during an impact.

Comfort: Further progress through adaptive shock absorbers and improved air suspension

As well as being a trendsetter in the safety field, the E-Class has been setting the standards for long-distance comfort in this vehicle class for several decades. Bettering the already high level of the preceding series, Mercedes engineers have achieved further advances with the new saloon — especially where ride, seating and climate comfort are concerned.

Standard equipment includes a further improved suspension with adaptive shock absorbers. These automatically adapt to the current driving situation by reducing the damping forces when driving normally, thereby noticeably improving ride comfort. When taking bends at speed or during rapid evasive action, the system switches to the maximum damping effect so that the saloon is stabilised to best effect.

A version with dynamic damping characteristics and a lowered suspension is also available as standard for the E300 AVANTGARDE.

Well-proven seat technology with a new design

When it came to developing the seats for the new E-Class, Mercedes-Benz chose a new, enhanced version of a well-established Mercedes concept, namely padded seat piping — a sophisticated and demanding upholstery technique that is only used by Mercedes-Benz. This involves the insertion of an additional foam filling under the fabric or leather cover, and gives an immediate feeling of comfort and well-being when sitting in the car.

Individual climatisation modes at the touch of a button

Mercedes-Benz has developed a climate control system “multi-zone THERMOTRONIC system” for the E-Class which not only allows individual temperatures to be set in three zones – for the driver, front passenger and rear passengers – but also offers different “climatisation modes”. The occupants of the new E-Class are able to select “Diffuse”, “Medium” or “Focus” modes at the touch of a button, and so adapt the air volume and distribution to their personal preferences without sacrificing the convenience of automatic mode.

Design: Distinctive lines as an expression of effortless superiority and status

In 1995 the E-Class was the first Mercedes model to appear with the widely acclaimed twin-headlamp face – a highly symbolic design feature that still characterises the identity of the E-Class. Nonetheless, the design idiom has remained fluid — even for this characteristic styling feature — and has been adapted to suit the very self-confident, more masculine overall appearance of the saloon. The designers have now reinterpreted these four “eyes” as rectangles, with a direct reference to the interesting geometrical shapes found in cubism. They resemble precious gems that have been precisely set into the wings. In the same way, the radiator grille with its three-dimensional chromed surround, dynamic arrow-shape and more upright position underlines the status of the car as the epitome of a business saloon.

A sophisticated interplay between lines and surfaces is one of the hallmarks of today’s Mercedes design. Large concave or convex surface areas are structured by taut, clearly defined lines. This design concept has been perfected down to the last detail in the new E-Class. The side contours become connecting features that influence the entire body design, that is to say not just the side aspects but also the front and rear-end styling.

At the rear, this harmonious flow culminates in a new feature: a graceful line that follows the rear wheel arches and lends a clear shape to the imposing, muscular contours of the rear wings. Here Mercedes aficionados will recognise styling features reminiscent of the famous “Ponton Mercedes”. Introduced in 1953, this model underlined its self-assured character by means of similarly striking contours. In addition to this symbolic role, the rear styling treatment is also a hallmark of the E-Class which well illustrates how tradition is made to harmonise with the future in this model series.

Typical Mercedes attention to detail has also been lavished on the interior of the new E-Class where the designers have ensured that every feature appeals in both emotional and functional terms with its form, colour or material. The result is a harmonious whole — an atmosphere in which the car’s occupants immediately feel safe and protected, and long journeys can be enjoyed without any feeling of effort or stress. In short: typically E-Class; welcome home!

In contrast the AVANTGARDE line shows the E-Class in a decidedly modern and innovative light. This is ensured by additional standard features such as bi-xenon headlamps with the Intelligent Light System and LED daytime driving lights, LED technology for all the rear lights, 17-inch light-alloy wheels in a five-twin-spoke design, a special, lowered suspension setup, ambient lighting and the instrument cluster in a sporty tubular design. This model variant can also be distinguished by its different bumper design and a chrome-plated radiator grille with three high-gloss, black louvres.

Market position: with ten million models sold over a period of sixty years, the E-Class is the world’s most successful business saloon.

The new E-Class Saloon is the successor to a Mercedes model that has been successful throughout the world, achieving sales of more than 1.3 million units since 2002. In Germany, more than 40 percent of all saloons in this market segment have the “E” in their model designation, and in many western European countries this Mercedes model series is the number one in the luxury class.

Since 1947, when the Model 170 V was introduced as the direct forerunner of the E-Class, Mercedes-Benz has produced more than ten million saloons in this vehicle category. This makes the E-Class the world’s most successful business saloon by far.

To welcome home the legendary New E-Class further, 16 Mercedes-Benz dealers will open its doors nationwide on 28 & 29 November 2009 and 5 & 6 December 2009 respectively for customers to view the new E-Class. A comprehensive line-up of Mercedes-Benz models will be available for test drives. For more details, contact your preferred authorised Mercedes-Benz dealers or Mercedes-Benz customer care centre at 1-800-88-1133.

The new locally assembled Mercedes-Benz E300 Avantgarde is priced at RM455,888.00. For more information, log on to www.mercedes-benz.com.my.