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June 23, 2006
Mercedes-Benz E-class
Mercedes back in quality street
Stuart Birch
From the outside, it is almost impossible to tell that Mercedes-Benz has been taking an axe to its reputation. Apart from a few touches and cues here and there, only an enthusiast would be able to tell that the company’s E-class has been updated.
But the story of the new E-class is all under the skin and the Germans are desperately hoping that its customers will notice for the better. For its mid-life update, the E-Class has been given about 2,000 new or redesigned parts, most of them out of sight but not out of mind.
Mercedes quality has been on a rollercoaster ride over the past few years, partly because the company fell into the technology trap, introducing loads of complex electronic wizardry that looked great in theory but some of which graphically demonstrated the meaning of the word “glitch”. Without its legendary quality and longevity, Mercedes would be just another carmaker — and it knows it. So it set about improving things, not only introducing massive test programs but also reducing the plethora of electronic gizmos.
And it seems to be working. The defining JD Power customer satisfaction survey has just announced that Mercedes was the most improved brand in the service satisfaction section, accelerating from 27th place to eleventh in Britain — good, but not exactly stardom. The now outgoing E-Class, though, rose an extraordinary 56 places (which shows how bad things had become) to get a podium place, gaining third for customer satisfaction in the luxury/executive car category.
“This reflects the technical revisions and quality enhancements made to the car even before the new model goes on sale,” a Mercedes spokeswoman said. Cars surveyed were registered between September 2003 and August 2004.
With this “never mind the width, feel the improving quality” philosophy cascading through the company, the new E-Class (prices from £27,520) needs to be as utterly reliable as makes no difference because if it isn’t, a slippery slope towards mediocrity lies ahead and it will take more than antilock brakes to stop the slide.
This car has been subjected to a rigorous test programme involving 1,000 cars covering almost 3.5 million miles; not just miles on test tracks across deserts or in the Arctic, but in normal, everyday use.
Although the new E-Class has plenty of advanced technology, Mercedes is confident that it is practical, safety and efficiency-enhancing stuff. There is an “intelligent” lighting system, developed with specialist Hella that can tell whether the car is being driven in or out of town.
An extra-cost option (from about £340 to £1,120, depending on model version), it “recognises” big roads or motorways and as speed approaches 60mph, the headlights produce an even cone of light that allows the driver to see an extra 50 metres ahead. At lower speeds in “country mode”, the lights give improved illumination of the offside verge. The lights also provide added illumination when cornering.
Brake lights that flash during emergency braking are a potentially important contribution to accident avoidance; they can reduce the following driver’s braking time by 0.2sec and cut braking distance from 60mph by about 18ft.
The E-Class’s standard equipment also includes PRE-SAFE, a system that can electronically anticipate a potential accident, simultaneously tightening seatbelts and adjusting windows, sunroof and front passenger seat for added protection. And it has anti-whiplash NECK-PRO head restraints. As well as all this, the E-Class’s steering and suspension have been improved. Each version drives with a degree of smoothness, competence, comfort and capability that nudges it close to its big brother, the S-Class.
And there is one version that does so to with the sort of power that would probably have drivers of the lesser examples nipping off for an ECG test. It is the “most powerful E-Class of all time”, as Mercedes puts it. The E63 AMG has a 6.2-litre, 507 brake horsepower engine and seven-speed auto gearbox to give a tyre-chirping 0-62mph time of 4.5sec.
Apart from big, overtly sporty wheels, four exhaust pipes, and a few other styling details, the AMG looks understated, although at £66,520 for the saloon, its price is not. But the sound of its engine, its stability at high Autobahn speeds and yes, its quality, make it something special. For those who must have power with added presence, there is the E-Class-based “four-door coupe” CLS 63 AMG, with similar performance but at £ 72,995.
As a fine compromise, though, I was impressed by the rapid, luxurious (0-62mph in 6.7sec) new CLS 350 CGI at £43,440. Now, there’s quality. Or, at least, we hope it is.
