The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class will be officially launched by the German luxury automaker in the upcoming North American International Auto Show to be held in Detroit, Michigan in January next year. Based on the leaks that have already been making the rounds on the internet, the next-generation E-Class sedan will get a visual design that is far more dynamic than its predecessor.
The last time that Mercedes-Benz released an E-Class was early last year but the 2017 version of the sedan, featuring coupe and cabriolet models, will have an encompassing upgrade that the brand deserves.
Although the E-Class has long been a staple in Mercedes-Benz’s roster, the 2014 model has nonetheless struggled to keep up with the more popular models of the German carmaker. It is described as undersized and also overpriced, notes Top Speed.
It was for such reasons that the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class shall be released to redeem the misgivings of its predecessor and it seems that the carmaker is on the right track considering that the upcoming variant has utilized Mercedes-Benz’s new MRA architecture.
Reports also have it that the E-Class redesign will be as comprehensive as the one previously made by Mercedes-Benz on the C-Class and the S-Class.
When it officially comes out next year, the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class shall compete head on with the likes of the 2016 Audi A6 as well as the upcoming 2017 BMW 5 Series.
A close look at the interiors
Several snapshots of the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class were taken with the vehicle still wearing camouflage and cladding while undergoing test runs.
But the German carmaker has taken the extra mile by officially releasing photos and a video showing the car’s interiors several weeks ahead of its formal launching early next year.
The video showed that the interiors of the 2017 E-Class are practically covered in digital displays. The sedan features more video displays and less actual buttons. It actually marked the first time that a car has touch-sensitive control buttons on the steering wheel, which respond to finger swipes, very much like the functions of a smartphone, to be able to control the car’s infotainment system, details Jalopnik.
The center console of the 2017 E-Class is also touch activated. According to Mercedes-Benz, letters, numbers, and symbols can be entered into a handwriting-recognition system, which is a relatively new means of controlling infotainment system, that was seen in the recent Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
Greater efficiency
The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is also set to debut in its home market in Germany on January 18, which will happen after the Detroit Auto Show.
The sedan is expected to make it to the US showrooms in the second half of next year. With the way images of the vehicle have been making the rounds on the internet, it seems that the 2017 E-Class is indeed ready to roll out of the Mercedes-Benz assembly line very soon.
The 2017 E-Class also accentuates the pursuit of Mercedes-Benz for greater efficiency across its vehicle lineup, particularly on what is under the hood.
The luxury sedan will come with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and diesel engine variants. A V6 engine variant will likewise make way for direct injected gasoline and common-rail diesel inline sixes, sending power to the rears via a 9-speed automatic transmission.
In addition, there will also be a high-performance E63 variant from Mercedes-AMG, which will feature a powerful twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine and shall have a maximum power of close to 600 horsepower, a figure that represents a 25-pony increase over the current model.
The luxury sedan will also come with a straight-six engine variant, which will be a modular design that would allow it to share components and production lines with smaller four- and three-cylinder units, which are also reportedly in the works.
In terms of design, the E-Class will sit right in the middle of the C-Class and S-Class sedans. Some critics, however, observed that the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class looks strikingly similar to the carmaker’s flagship sedan based on its exteriors, the S-Class.