Leaping Ahead

Towkays will hanker after the latest E-Class, which is not only bigger but also more advanced and refined than its predecessor.

HUMAN limits are pushed further during the Olympic Games. In Rio last year, 27 world records and 91 Olympic records were set.

Some records were smashed by fractions of a second. Hometown hero Joseph Schooling, for instance, beat the previous Olympic record for the 100m butterfly by 0.19 of a second.

Just like Olympic athletes, cars also advance with each succeeding generation, either incrementally or significantly. The latest Mercedes-Benz E-Class belongs in the latter camp, for it is a huge leap over its predecessor.

Its design, for one, is a sharp improvement from the previous model. To me, it is best viewed from the side, as the coupe-like roofline gives the saloon a more sculpted profile than its predecessor.

However, unlike the older car, the current one’s styling is no longer distinctive. In fact, the E-Class looks like a smaller S-Class or a larger C-Class, depending on your perspective.

The E200, the base model and sole variant on Cycle & Carriage’s stock list for now, has the same turbocharged 2-litre powerplant as the preceding E200.

The engine’s outputs are still 184bhp and 300Nm, and the new car’s combined fuel consumption is unchanged at 15.9km per litre.

This is impressive because the new E-Class is bigger than before. Having grown by 43mm, it is nearly five metres long (4923mm, to be exact).

Its wheelbase, which has been lengthened by 65mm to further increase backseat legroom, is now 2939mm. Unchanged, though, is the cavernous 540-litre boot.

New E200 has a snazzier instrument panel than the old model and also offers superior features.

The latest E-Class not only resembles the flagship S-Class limousine, it possesses some of the latter’s amenities, too.

The front seats now have extendable thigh-rests that taller drivers and passengers will appreciate. There’s also an LED ambient lighting system that lets drivers choose from 64 different colours – more than enough for every conceivable mood and/or occasion.

In contrast, the old E-Class’ mood lighting consists of a single colour – a warm yellow. Even the S-Class is limited to just seven different hues.

MERCEDES HAS MADE THE LATEST E-CLASS EVEN MORE APPEALING THAN ITS PREDECESSOR.

The one feature that will seriously woo drivers, though, is the all-digital instrument display. The two large screens, which are placed side by side, are much snazzier than the analogue cluster in the preceding model.

Equally impressive is the factory-fitted satellite-navigation system, which is the most advanced one I have ever used. In 3D mode, the map even displays the height of the buildings.

Old E200 backseat has less space, style and comfort for towkays than the new one.

And almost all the menu functions of this virtual display can be accessed by the driver’s thumbs via two mini touchpads on the steering wheel.

Together with the paddleshifters and column-mounted gearshift lever, they help the driver keep his hands on the wheel, thus enhancing safety.

On the move, the latest E-Class continues to be comfortable and cosseting – the two attributes that this model is most noted for.

Interestingly, however, the E-Class now offers five selectable driving modes, or three more than the older car, which only has “E” and “S” settings. Drivers can choose from Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual. The last option lets you mix and match different settings to suit your driving style.

In my case, I left the dampers in Comfort for a cushier ride, but chose Sport for both the steering response and transmission settings for a more spirited drive.

For those who prefer a more relaxed drive, the new E-Class has a host of useful semi-autonomous driving aids, such as Steering Pilot. When activated, said function automatically makes steering adjustments to keep the car within its lane.

But if there is one feature of the new car that is arguably redundant, it is the new 9-speed automatic transmission, which replaces the older 7-speed auto.

On paper, the extra gears enable faster gearchanges, hence the marginal decrease in the century sprint time from 7.9 to 7.7 seconds.

However, over a four-day test drive, I never reached ninth gear – not even on the expressways. At 110km/h, the new E200 hummed along in eighth gear at 2000rpm.

Whenever the car came to a halt, the gearbox downshifted to second gear instead of first. So in Singapore, the first and ninth gears are unlikely to be utilised.

That aside, Mercedes- Benz has taken an already accomplished package and improved it, making the latest E200 even more appealing than its predecessor.