Mercedes-Benz has been pretty generous with teasers for its next-generation W213 E-Class, giving us glimpses of how the headlamps and tail lamps look like as well as completely revealing to us the interior towards the end of last year.
Now, just a week ahead of the car’s official unveiling on January 11 at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, a set of exterior photos of the new E-Class have made their way onto the internet. No idea how this happened, but it has. It’s pretty much as per what we expected – like the already unveiled interior, the exterior is sort of smack in the middle of the smaller C- and flagship S-Class in terms of both size and design.
We already know the front will not feature split headlamps which was an E-Class feature since the W210, but now the rear end has gone back to the W211’s design, with the light staying clear of the boot lid. Thanks to that, the new E-Class looks like both a baby S-Class and a big C-Class.
You’ll notice two different types of exterior styling here – the grey and red car features a sportier outlook with a sport grille while the dark blue car features a more traditional outlook sporting a stately grille paired with a hood ornament.
While the headlamps are no longer split units (gone since the W212 facelift), the design of the integrated daytime running light design sort of pays homage to this short history. A teaser video released yesterday reveals it has an 84 diode Multibeam LED module although we expect this to be optional.
The leaked interior photos are of no surprise since Mercedes-Benz has already unveiled the interior before this. The S-Class-inspired dash has twin 12.3-inch displays on higher-end models, new digital instrument cluster and COMAND Online display graphics, steering wheel-mounted touch pads to control the infotainment system as well as an impressive new 23-speaker Burmeister sound system.
We also know the W213 will get a new key fob design. Unlike the previous fob, the new one is a lot slimmer and curvier. It features four buttons, with three traditionally being to lock, unlock and to remotely open the boot lid. The fourth button is the panic button, an alarm trigger which may be unfamiliar to Malaysians. Only the United States has this.
The push start button has also been revamped – it doesn’t look like there’s no option for a key hole behind it. The button is flush with the dashboard, and doesn’t look like it has a removable cover that would expose a slot for the key.
The company has also detailed the technologies that will come, including expanded smartphone integration – your phone can now serve as a key, as well as guide the car in and out of parking spaces via the Remote Parking Pilot function. Safety technologies like Active Brake Assist also get a bump up, capable of scanning other lanes for cars and initiating braking earlier if it senses an evasive manoeuvre is impossible.
Other features include the new Evasive Steering Assist, Distance Pilot Distronic with Speed Limit Pilot and Active Lane Keeping Assist, semi-autonomous Active Lane Change Assist as well as an uprated Pre-Safe system – the latter now protects your ears in a loud crash, and pushes you closer to the centre of the car using the inflatable seat bolsters to provide more survival space in the event of a side impact.
We’ve also seen long wheelbase Maybach versions of the new E-Class on test with a slightly different C pillar – will it be confined to China as per the current car or will it be a global model this time?
What do you think of the new E-Class so far? Do let us know your thoughts in the comments and stay tuned for more information as we get closer to the car’s Detroit debut.
GALLERY: W213 Mercedes-Benz E-Class leaked images
GALLERY: W213 Mercedes-Benz E-Class interior
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
Let’s be real here, for a moment, I thought I was looking at a minor revision of the C class.
Seriously Mercedes, the interior looks impressive, but I’m sorry, if you are going to make the exterior look like a fatter C class, what’s the whole point of spending years to design the exterior. The thing is, I’d say the front looks more C class than S class, mainly due to the headlight size (not so large vertically like the S class, which is a shame as the S class’ vertical height of the headlights make it look so much better.)
Salute to PT crews. Upload post at 3 in the morning!
Jealous losers/wannabes could only admire the bling bling logo n LED lighting. Real hardworking owners so shiok enjoying their drive in super plush n opulent interior
I concur with what you’d said bro.. C-class at first glance. The notion of one sausage, different length seem to get caught up with Mercedes Benz
Agreed.
Was looking forward to seeing what the new E-Class would bring. Exceptionally disappointed to see a larger C-Class.
Now let’s hope BMW comes out with decent interiors for their 5 series.
While on the topic of interiors, I do like how the BMW 7 Series has the speedometer rings on the screen. I hate the fully flat and fully digitized screens of current gen cars..
Coming from the “Play Station Generation” so to speak, I want to look at a real speedometer while driving, not some digital ones I had when I was growing up playing computer games….
Bravo! Mercedes hits the G-spot well & sweet. Steps ahead of perennial rivals – 5 Series, A6, Jaguar XF, Lexus GS, Volvo S80 & Camry Hybrid
Very Nice
Excellent.
Is it just me or they making their cars all look like the S class now??
1200 engineers oOo same design wtf!!
Typical malaysian will be just like ahh new merc lets buy -_-
No shockers here. Its an up sized c class.
I like the look of the previous E-class much more. It does not look as sharp as the previous E-Class and the C, E and S-class have almost identical rear tail lights now.
finally a poor men’s S-Class…
#unkercar
“The fourth button is the panic button, an alarm trigger which may be unfamiliar to Malaysians..”
Unless you are downgrading to the new Merc from the Proton Exora which has this very same feature frequently accidently pressed at inopportune moments making your neighbours love you more.
i love your last sentence
It used to be easy to tell Merc models apart. Now they went and did an Audi; same sausage different lengths.
As for the new E-Class, doesn’t look special at all. You would have expected Merc to have put more effort in designing the car. Now when we see a C-class or E-class on the road, both would look the same.
If buy C-class then slapped E at the back people won’t notice meh..look same
Mercedes seriously? you should have fired the entire car design team from now on. Basically they just use the “stretch & narrow” function from Microsoft Paint to create C-Class and E-class from the S-class.
Insert Pepperidge Farm Meme here:–
Remember when Mercedes c-, e- and s- class exterior designs are distinct to each other (same goes to BMW and Audi too)??
Pepperidge Farm remembers :)
wow such design, much different, very individual
yeah and MB fanboys still impressed with it
after all the teasers and hypes, all we got is an enlarged C-class.. lol.. we used to recognize every MB cars based on the design but now, why the hell they all look the same..
This is as uninnovative as it gets. The best or ntg?! Seriously?!
too much C and S class, i like the old version so much better with angular lines but that curve silhouette from front to back
Expect better design than this… 95% looks like C-Class.
Zzzzz
current e class is nicer with its sharper front look…
this front looks like mini size old s class with butt of current c lass
want to see the new e class in real life!? go to any mercedes showroom and look for the c class! both are essentially the same car! potong stim!
Don’t bluff! this is C Class!
Current Facelifted E-Class have much more sharper and nicer looking front headlights, this one is too small. However is interior is better. Exterior – current
Interior – 2016 E-Class
Looks like kereta potong…first half taken from a C class and last half from and S class. It does make sense coz the E class sits in between those 2 models but they didn’t have to make it a combination of both! The E class used to have its own identity (4 eyes) and it was the C class that looked more like a scaled down version of the S class. I don’t think the new E is ugly but its just not exciting or unique anymore.
Oh, hi grown up C-Klasse.
It should be named “A Luxury C Class” !
After seeing the new E in all its glory, makes me want to get the current model even more. The engine options will be a carry over at least for now till the next facelift and what you’ll be missing is the new interior. The exterior is better on the current FL model.
Holy moly is that a S-class or a C-class? Cheap it’s an E-Class!
Your second hand 320d more expensive?
His 316..
ur myvi ok? cheap :P
at last the ugly ipad-stick-on design is gone..
lol nw C-class,E-class,S-class looks similar.Whats going on merc?? where did all your designer goes??
lol nw C-class,E-class,S-class looks similar.Whats going on merc?? where did all your designer goes??
Really dissapointed on this design
basically the C-Class Long Wheel Base, pity the S Class owners cause now people with C, E, and S Class will all look the same, non petrol heads would look at them and be like ‘ohh another merc’ now where’s the joy in driving a 588k car? might as well get the 250k C Class
I’m pretty disappointed how the new E-Class looks to be honest. Love the interior but exterior just puts me down. My C200 looks identical to this. MB designers should put some effort into making each model unique.
Why it looks so feminine to me?
it’s getting harder to distinguish these mercedes nowadays