Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has officially introduced the W213 Mercedes-Benz E-Class in the country. The tenth-generation executive sedan makes its local debut five months after its premiere in Detroit, initially arriving in fully-imported CBU form, with the usual CKD programme to come about some point down the line.
At the start of the cycle, four variants have been announced for our market, all petrol units, with the line-up consisting of the E 200 Avantgarde, E 250 Avantgarde, E 250 Exclusive and E 300 AMG Line.
At the launch, only the pricing for the E 200 was revealed, and the entry-level model in the range goes for RM395,888, on-the-road without insurance; MBM says that the two E 250 versions will only be available in September, followed by the E 300 in November, and prices for each will be announced when they arrive.
We’ve covered the W213 in detail in our international drive report, but a recap of the basics. The new car measures in at 4,923 mm long, 1,852 mm wide and 1,468 mm tall, which makes it longer by 43 mm, narrower by two millimetres and lower by three millimetres than the ninth-gen it replaces.
The new car – which sits on the Modular Rear-drive Architecture (MRA) used by the C-Class – also has a longer wheelbase, with its 2,939 mm length representing a 65 mm increase from previously.
All versions are powered by the same engine, in this case the familiar M 274 DE 20 AL 2.0 litre four-cylinder turbo petrol unit equipped with an ECO start/stop function, with different states of output tune for each model. On the E 200, output is rated at 181 hp (184 PS) at 5,500 rpm and 300 Nm at 1,200 to 4,000 rpm. Performance figures for the variant include a 0-100 km/h time of 7.7 seconds.
The reveal of the E 250, which was not announced at the car’s debut at the North American International Auto Show and not mentioned at the international drive in Portugal back in March, was a surprise. For this one, output is rated at 208 hp (211 PS) and 350 Nm.
On the range-topping E 300, the engine delivers 241 hp (245 PS) and 370 Nm, identical numbers to that seen on the numerical equivalent of the W205 sedan and recently-introduced C205 coupe model. The numbers are good enough to haul the W213 variant to the 100 km/h mark from standstill in 6.3 seconds.
All will be paired with a 9G-Tronic nine-speed torque converter automatic transmission with Direct Select shift paddles (on the E 300, aluminium units). Dynamic Select, which offers four selectable operation modes (Comfort, Eco, Sport and Sport+) as well as a customisable Individual mode, is also present.
As for suspension, all our E-Class variants will ride on an Agility Control set-up, consisting of a comfort suspension with selective damping and a 15 mm lowered ride height. With the exception of the E 250 Avantgarde, which runs on normal tyres and comes equipped with a TireFit kit, the rest of the range go with run-flat rubbers.
Standard equipment across the range will include a widescreen cockpit, which consists of two 12.3-inch display screens – each with a resolution of 1,920 x 720 pixels – merged to form a single instrument cluster, with a common glass cover giving it a seamless, flat-screen look. Drivers will be able to choose between three different styles – Classic, Sport and Progressive – to select a preferred screen design for the cluster.
Also fitted as standard is COMAND Online, which offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, touch-sensitive Touch Controls on the steering wheel and a sun protection package (rear sunblinds, rear windscreen electric roller blind).
Notably, the E 200 at the launch isn’t equipped with the widescreen cockpit, but MBM says that the particular unit is an advance unit and not fully representative of the mass market vehicle, which will come equipped with the digital screen.
Available driving assistance systems include Attention Assist, Crosswind Assist and Active Brake Assist, as well as Parking Pilot, which can park the car in parallel and perpendicular fashion; the package contains Active Parking Assist with rear cross-traffic alert. No Remote Parking Pilot, Drive Pilot or the Digital Car Key to be found on local cars, as expected.
As for variant specific equipment, the E 200 – which sits on 18-inch five-spoke light alloy wheels – comes equipped with static LED High Performance lights, while the rest of the range feature Multibeam LED units with auto high beam. No 360-degree camera either (available on the E 250 and E 300), the variant making do with a reverse camera.
The E 200 also omits the sunroof (the rest, panoramic) and only has keyless start, while the E 250 and E 300 are equipped with the Keyless-Go pack, which adds keyless entry, a powered boot and contactless opening. As for an Artico leather-covered dash, that’s found only on the E 250 Exclusive and E 300 AMG Line.
Both E 250 versions and the E 300 come equipped with 19-inch wheels. The E 250 Avantgarde gets a five-spoke design while the Exclusive wears a 10-spoke tremolit grey unit with a high-sheen finish. As for the E 300 AMG Line, its shod with AMG five twin-spoke light alloy wheels.
The E 250 and E 300 variants are also equipped with a wireless, inductive charging system, which works with all mobile devices that either support the Qi standard or that can be upgraded to the standard. The charging pad, built into the stowage facility at the front of the centre console, is compatible with mobile phones with a screen up to six inches in size diagonally.
Finally, unique to the E 300 is a heads-up display and a midline Burmester surround sound system, which consists of 13 speakers and nine channels of amplification.
GALLERY: W213 Mercedes-Benz E 200 Avantgarde
GALLERY: W213 Mercedes-Benz E 250 Exclusive
GALLERY: W213 Mercedes-Benz E 300 AMG Line
