With new, efficient engines, new assistance systems, and a sharpened design, Mercedes-Benz has comprehensively modernised the E-Class to extend its leading position in the luxury segment even further. In both the Saloon and Estate models of the new-generation E-Class no fewer than 11 new or optimised assistance systems from the future S-Class celebrate their world premiere. They combine a host of comfort and safety features, all of which Mercedes-Benz refers to as “intelligent drive”. They include systems which for the first time can help to prevent accidents with vehicles or pedestrians crossing the path of the car and driver. As such Mercedes-Benz is underscoring its leading position as a safety pioneer. The new-generation E-Class makes a significant step forward when it comes to efficiency and ecology too. This comes courtesy of new, powerful BlueDIRECT four-cylinder petrol engines featuring sophisticated direct injection technology. This development boost is reflected to impressive effect in the evolutionary design of the enhanced E-Class. The E-Class, equipped with a new front bumper and a skillfully revised side view, looks almost like a new car, and encapsulates efficiency, intelligence and emotional appeal in a visually superior manner. Mercedes-Benz has revised all of the model series of the E-Class more comprehensively than ever before, to make the latest technical advances available in practice at an early stage. This is why it even makes early use of developments from the future S-Class. In addition, the new-generation E-Class offers a considerably sharpened design with a revised front-end and an elegantly sporty look, as well as significantly enhanced comfort, high-quality appointments, efficiency and driving pleasure. Both the E-Class Saloon and Estate are available with a particularly broad range of powerful and efficient petrol and diesel engines. All are fitted with ECO start/stop system and are highly efficient. A new element is the expansion of the BlueDIRECT petrol engine family with the addition of a four-cylinder petrol engine with spray-guided direct injection, based on the same trend-setting technology used in the latest generation of six and eight-cylinder engines from Mercedes-Benz. Its technology package includes fast-acting piezo injectors for multiple injection, quick multi-spark ignition, turbocharging, fully variable camshaft adjustment on the inlet and exhaust side, as well as a controlled oil pump. New developments for the four-cylinder engine include the first dynamic balancer with full anti-friction bearings to be used in a petrol engine, as well as a selectable water pump. The engine also sees the world’s first use of the stratified lean burn process in combination with exhaust-gas turbocharging and external high-pressure exhaust gas recirculation. As a result the E-Class achieves a combined optimum consumption figure of 5.8 litres per 100 km (corresponding to 135 g/km CO2), and is therefore the only vehicle in this class to achieve efficiency class A. In addition, the new BlueDIRECT four-cylinder petrol engines already meet the EU6 standard which will apply from 2015. All BlueDIRECT petrol engines of the new E-Class combine a spontaneous response and exemplary power delivery with the highest levels of efficiency and best-in-class emissions performance. All figures based on 7G-TRONIC PLUS (figures in brackets apply to Estate) Powerful diesel engines in the best efficiency class Some of the diesel models of the E-Class are available as BlueTEC models fitted with the established SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) technology and as such meet the EU6 emissions standard. The comprehensive engine range is supplemented with the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID. It combines the four-cylinder diesel engine with an electric motor, thereby producing a system output of 170 kW (231 hp) and 750 Nm of torque. The E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID returns 69.0 mpg and emits CO2 emissions of 107 g/km. As such it occupies the leading position among the most economical models in the upper medium-size category. From Motorin News