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Mercedes-Benz.tv: ‘Open’ for all seasons: A test drive of the new E-Class Cabriolet
E-Class Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet - First Drives/Road Tests
- Thread starter Merc1
- Start date
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a range of executive cars manufactured by Mercedes-Benz in various engine and body configurations. Produced since September 1953, the E-Class falls as a midrange in the Mercedes line-up, and has been marketed worldwide across five generations.
I think the red 550 pictured here is sitting in our service drive. MB is doing a huge press drive at Blackberry Farms (5* resort in the Smoky Mtns.)
The car looks a lot better in the flesh, and all CLKs should get the 18" wheels and AMG cladding. It makes such a difference.
Yep it is definately the same car. Just went out and looked at the lisence plate, and it is identical.
The car looks a lot better in the flesh, and all CLKs should get the 18" wheels and AMG cladding. It makes such a difference.
Yep it is definately the same car. Just went out and looked at the lisence plate, and it is identical.
Merc1
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Autocar - Mercedes E250 CGI cabriolet
There was a time when Mercedes didn’t consider it necessary to have an E-class cabriolet. Although this model made its debut – and its reputation – based on the W124 E-class, the German manufacturer decided to replace that model with a slightly smaller, C-class-based CLK cabrio.
More than 14 years after that switch, though, the E-class cabriolet has returned – and to a very different market. At one time this was the de facto choice if you were after a soothing big drop-top with a premium badge, fine build quality and a smidgen of practicality.
But now it’s a more complex decision, thanks to Audi’s A5 cabriolet and BMW’s 3-series convertible (the latter cannot match the Merc on size but does offer the ‘premium’ attraction of a folding hard-top roof, and a lower price). Japanese rivals from Lexus and Infiniti are chasing sales, too.
None of this has been lost on Mercedes, which is counting on the undoubted progress made with the latest E-class to underpin a car that will reclaim a clear advantage in the sector. Is its faith well placed?
Should the current E-class not appeal to you – and there are plenty who find its ultra-aerodynamic looks a turn-off – then the E-class cabriolet is unlikely to change your view. Because from the front, at least, there is little to differentiate this car from its hard-roofed brethren.
That the side profile is also remarkably similar is more of a credit to Merc’s engineers, for the E-class cabriolet does have a particularly neat fabric hood. It helps to make the car the most aerodynamic in its class, with a Cd of 0.28. That’s shy of the world-beating 0.24 of the E-class coupé, but still exceptional.
The switch from C-class to E-class underpinnings results in predictable growth all round. The E-class cabrio is 4698mm long – 46mm more than the old CLK – and its wheelbase is 45mm longer, at 2760mm. However, it is 17mm lower, at 1398mm.
Mercedes offers the E-class cabriolet with the model’s mainstream engine options – which translates into three diesels (two four-pots, the E220 and E250, and the six-cylinder E350), and four petrols, ranging from the 382bhp, V8 E500 and the V6 E350 down to two turbocharged, 1.8-litre four-cylinder units, the E200 and E250. We’re testing the last of those options here; it’s a direct-injection unit that produces 201bhp at 5500rpm and 229lb ft at 2000-4300rpm.
The E200 CGI, E220 CDI and E250 CDI all have six-speed manual gearboxes as standard, with the option of a five-speed automatic. Our E250 CGI gets that five-speeder as standard (and nothing else, even as an option). All six-cylinder motors and the V8 come only with Mercedes’ more recent seven-speed automatic transmission.
Mercedes has resisted the temptation to fit a folding hard-top to the E-class, instead sticking to fabric in a bid to keep to a minimum the inevitable weight gains caused by stiffening (the cabrio weighs 120kg more than the equivalent coupé). The roof can be closed in 20 seconds while travelling at speeds of up to 25mph.
Helping to keep the car’s occupants comfortable with the roof down is an optional Airscarf system that blows hot air from just beneath the headrests of the front seats, as well as a new wind deflector set-up called Aircap. It comprises a deflector in the windscreen frame and a draught-stop between the rear seats. Mercedes says Aircap is effective at reducing wind intrusion and noise at up to 100mph.
A car weighing 1745kg as tested with a 201bhp powerplant is never going to shred asphalt, and so it proves. It’s not that the E250’s engine is totally overawed; set out for a relaxed afternoon cruise and it will deliver one. It’s just that when you want to make decent progress you’ll have to use every rev available, and the turbocharged four-pot just doesn’t sound like it enjoys this very much.
That’s hardly surprising, though, given that it is mated to Mercedes’ ageing five-speed automatic gearbox. The firm continues to deny rumours that it will start to phase out this unit before the end of this year – but for now it’s the only option with this engine, and they aren’t a perfect couple.
Judging by the different variants we’ve tried, the five-speeder is relatively comfortable when paired with a torquey diesel engine. But here the narrower powerband and the need to keep the petrol engine on the boil at all times are simply too much for it. It ends up feeling clumsy and sluggish, and makes the engine sound strained even when that shouldn’t be necessary.
Attempting to use the so-called ‘manual’ mode won’t do you much good, either; it never passes full control to the driver, and the gearbox is a little too keen to regain command.
The E250 may make a bit of a meal of propelling itself forwards, but it’s reasonably good at coming to a standstill. We were impressed by both the short distance and time taken to stop in both dry and wet conditions, and the brakes only started to fade after four laps of our test track – a fair achievement, given the car’s weight.
Cabin refinement, meanwhile, is excellent. Apart from the engine’s occasional grumblings up front, there’s little to bother occupants when the roof is up. The fabric hood offers excellent sound insulation, to the point where it feels barely any louder than a hard-top.
Broadly speaking, there’s good news here, for the E-class’s core strengths – decent body control and a compliant ride – appear to have survived the switch from hard-top to convertible.
The E-class cabriolet is not without flex – hit a particularly rippled stretch of asphalt and you’ll notice the vibration in the rear-view mirror, while worse vibrations can be felt through the seat – but that’s about as bad as it gets on what is a well resolved package.
The standard E-class suspension set-up – three-link at the front, multi-link at the rear – provides a ride quality that’s generally superior to that of an Audi A5 cabriolet, with only the worst road imperfections making it through to the cabin. And the steering is pleasingly weighty around the straight ahead, albeit smooth rather than feelsome.
Find a more testing stretch of road and the E-class’s weight distribution (51 per cent front, 49 per cent rear) results in neutral balance and keen turn-in. The nose is more likely to give first, unless you’re particularly aggressive with the throttle. Truth is, though, that the engine/gearbox combination and its often unnecessary kickdowns are more likely to upset the car’s balance – and you – before you reach the natural limits of the chassis.
All of these characteristics mean that the E-class cabrio is well tuned to its most likely role – that of a relaxed cruiser – but frustratingly reluctant to go beyond it and offer entertainment. Perhaps we were being naïve to expect more, but if the E-class cabriolet has one weak spot that could be exploited by the 3-series, this is it.
Much like the exterior, the E-class cabriolet’s cabin will be instantly familiar to anyone who has driven a current E-class saloon, estate or coupé. That’s no bad thing. As we’ve said before, the E-class’s cabin is one of the finest Mercedes efforts of recent years, with understated sophistication, clear, easy-to-use instruments and a fine driving position. That’s all present and correct here.
There’s less space to play with in the rear, as you’d expect from a car whose lines are designed to mirror the coupe’s – but there’s at least as much space as in an Audi A5 cabriolet and a little more than in a 3-series.
SE specification brings dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and front and rear parking sensors. The Aircap wind deflector comes as standard, but the Airscarf neck warmer is a £350 option.
Both systems are worthwhile. Up to 70mph Aircap proves particularly effective, keeping noise down to a bit of rush and leaving cabin occupants impressively free of buffeting. At higher speeds, though, the windscreen frame deflector starts to produce white noise of its own, and front occupants will think the radio is between stations and turned up to full volume.
At least they’ll be warm, thanks to the blend of Airscarf and the heated seats. We tried a motorway run on an early April morning, with an indicated air temperature of 6deg C, and frosty ear tips aside, it was comfortable.
Boot space is a respectable 390 litres, but this falls to an awkwardly shaped 300 litres when you lower the hood. If you’re planning a long weekend of top-down motoring in the south of France, you’ll have to restrict yourself to overnight bags or be prepared to use the back seats as luggage space.
Mercedes’ E-class saloons have enjoyed strong residuals since their launch last year, and although cabriolet values may be more volatile, we see little reason for concern. Predicted residuals of 46 per cent after three years should help – and Mercedes’ recent award from the Institute of Customer Service would appear to indicate that its dealer network is up to scratch. The firm has also recently introduced a fixed-price servicing deal with monthly payments.
The E250’s powerplant may not set the world on fire, but neither does it set out to destroy it. Our test average was a relatively painful 26.5mpg, but the touring average – a more respectable 36.1mpg – is yet more proof that the E-class cabriolet prefers the easy life.
Verdict:
Enthusiastic drivers are unlikely to be surprised — or bothered — that the E250 CGI Cabriolet scores just three stars in this road test. And yet the E-class cabrio has to go down as a missed opportunity, in this guise at least.
If our test car had featured a smoother, less easily hassled six-cylinder powerplant — petrol or diesel — it may have notched up an extra half a star. However, the E250’s mix of 1.8-litre motor and five-speed ’box offers too little scope for exploiting what appears to be a well resolved, neutral chassis set-up. Indeed, it comes perilously close to tripping up a car that somehow still manages to be a comfortable, relaxed, premium drop-top.
Buyers after this type of vehicle should still place the E-class cabriolet high up their shortlist. But they should pay particularly close attention to engine and gearbox options before choosing.
Mercedes E250 CGI cabriolet - Autocar.co.uk
M
There was a time when Mercedes didn’t consider it necessary to have an E-class cabriolet. Although this model made its debut – and its reputation – based on the W124 E-class, the German manufacturer decided to replace that model with a slightly smaller, C-class-based CLK cabrio.
More than 14 years after that switch, though, the E-class cabriolet has returned – and to a very different market. At one time this was the de facto choice if you were after a soothing big drop-top with a premium badge, fine build quality and a smidgen of practicality.
But now it’s a more complex decision, thanks to Audi’s A5 cabriolet and BMW’s 3-series convertible (the latter cannot match the Merc on size but does offer the ‘premium’ attraction of a folding hard-top roof, and a lower price). Japanese rivals from Lexus and Infiniti are chasing sales, too.
None of this has been lost on Mercedes, which is counting on the undoubted progress made with the latest E-class to underpin a car that will reclaim a clear advantage in the sector. Is its faith well placed?
Should the current E-class not appeal to you – and there are plenty who find its ultra-aerodynamic looks a turn-off – then the E-class cabriolet is unlikely to change your view. Because from the front, at least, there is little to differentiate this car from its hard-roofed brethren.
That the side profile is also remarkably similar is more of a credit to Merc’s engineers, for the E-class cabriolet does have a particularly neat fabric hood. It helps to make the car the most aerodynamic in its class, with a Cd of 0.28. That’s shy of the world-beating 0.24 of the E-class coupé, but still exceptional.
The switch from C-class to E-class underpinnings results in predictable growth all round. The E-class cabrio is 4698mm long – 46mm more than the old CLK – and its wheelbase is 45mm longer, at 2760mm. However, it is 17mm lower, at 1398mm.
Mercedes offers the E-class cabriolet with the model’s mainstream engine options – which translates into three diesels (two four-pots, the E220 and E250, and the six-cylinder E350), and four petrols, ranging from the 382bhp, V8 E500 and the V6 E350 down to two turbocharged, 1.8-litre four-cylinder units, the E200 and E250. We’re testing the last of those options here; it’s a direct-injection unit that produces 201bhp at 5500rpm and 229lb ft at 2000-4300rpm.
The E200 CGI, E220 CDI and E250 CDI all have six-speed manual gearboxes as standard, with the option of a five-speed automatic. Our E250 CGI gets that five-speeder as standard (and nothing else, even as an option). All six-cylinder motors and the V8 come only with Mercedes’ more recent seven-speed automatic transmission.
Mercedes has resisted the temptation to fit a folding hard-top to the E-class, instead sticking to fabric in a bid to keep to a minimum the inevitable weight gains caused by stiffening (the cabrio weighs 120kg more than the equivalent coupé). The roof can be closed in 20 seconds while travelling at speeds of up to 25mph.
Helping to keep the car’s occupants comfortable with the roof down is an optional Airscarf system that blows hot air from just beneath the headrests of the front seats, as well as a new wind deflector set-up called Aircap. It comprises a deflector in the windscreen frame and a draught-stop between the rear seats. Mercedes says Aircap is effective at reducing wind intrusion and noise at up to 100mph.
A car weighing 1745kg as tested with a 201bhp powerplant is never going to shred asphalt, and so it proves. It’s not that the E250’s engine is totally overawed; set out for a relaxed afternoon cruise and it will deliver one. It’s just that when you want to make decent progress you’ll have to use every rev available, and the turbocharged four-pot just doesn’t sound like it enjoys this very much.
That’s hardly surprising, though, given that it is mated to Mercedes’ ageing five-speed automatic gearbox. The firm continues to deny rumours that it will start to phase out this unit before the end of this year – but for now it’s the only option with this engine, and they aren’t a perfect couple.
Judging by the different variants we’ve tried, the five-speeder is relatively comfortable when paired with a torquey diesel engine. But here the narrower powerband and the need to keep the petrol engine on the boil at all times are simply too much for it. It ends up feeling clumsy and sluggish, and makes the engine sound strained even when that shouldn’t be necessary.
Attempting to use the so-called ‘manual’ mode won’t do you much good, either; it never passes full control to the driver, and the gearbox is a little too keen to regain command.
The E250 may make a bit of a meal of propelling itself forwards, but it’s reasonably good at coming to a standstill. We were impressed by both the short distance and time taken to stop in both dry and wet conditions, and the brakes only started to fade after four laps of our test track – a fair achievement, given the car’s weight.
Cabin refinement, meanwhile, is excellent. Apart from the engine’s occasional grumblings up front, there’s little to bother occupants when the roof is up. The fabric hood offers excellent sound insulation, to the point where it feels barely any louder than a hard-top.
Broadly speaking, there’s good news here, for the E-class’s core strengths – decent body control and a compliant ride – appear to have survived the switch from hard-top to convertible.
The E-class cabriolet is not without flex – hit a particularly rippled stretch of asphalt and you’ll notice the vibration in the rear-view mirror, while worse vibrations can be felt through the seat – but that’s about as bad as it gets on what is a well resolved package.
The standard E-class suspension set-up – three-link at the front, multi-link at the rear – provides a ride quality that’s generally superior to that of an Audi A5 cabriolet, with only the worst road imperfections making it through to the cabin. And the steering is pleasingly weighty around the straight ahead, albeit smooth rather than feelsome.
Find a more testing stretch of road and the E-class’s weight distribution (51 per cent front, 49 per cent rear) results in neutral balance and keen turn-in. The nose is more likely to give first, unless you’re particularly aggressive with the throttle. Truth is, though, that the engine/gearbox combination and its often unnecessary kickdowns are more likely to upset the car’s balance – and you – before you reach the natural limits of the chassis.
All of these characteristics mean that the E-class cabrio is well tuned to its most likely role – that of a relaxed cruiser – but frustratingly reluctant to go beyond it and offer entertainment. Perhaps we were being naïve to expect more, but if the E-class cabriolet has one weak spot that could be exploited by the 3-series, this is it.
Much like the exterior, the E-class cabriolet’s cabin will be instantly familiar to anyone who has driven a current E-class saloon, estate or coupé. That’s no bad thing. As we’ve said before, the E-class’s cabin is one of the finest Mercedes efforts of recent years, with understated sophistication, clear, easy-to-use instruments and a fine driving position. That’s all present and correct here.
There’s less space to play with in the rear, as you’d expect from a car whose lines are designed to mirror the coupe’s – but there’s at least as much space as in an Audi A5 cabriolet and a little more than in a 3-series.
SE specification brings dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and front and rear parking sensors. The Aircap wind deflector comes as standard, but the Airscarf neck warmer is a £350 option.
Both systems are worthwhile. Up to 70mph Aircap proves particularly effective, keeping noise down to a bit of rush and leaving cabin occupants impressively free of buffeting. At higher speeds, though, the windscreen frame deflector starts to produce white noise of its own, and front occupants will think the radio is between stations and turned up to full volume.
At least they’ll be warm, thanks to the blend of Airscarf and the heated seats. We tried a motorway run on an early April morning, with an indicated air temperature of 6deg C, and frosty ear tips aside, it was comfortable.
Boot space is a respectable 390 litres, but this falls to an awkwardly shaped 300 litres when you lower the hood. If you’re planning a long weekend of top-down motoring in the south of France, you’ll have to restrict yourself to overnight bags or be prepared to use the back seats as luggage space.
Mercedes’ E-class saloons have enjoyed strong residuals since their launch last year, and although cabriolet values may be more volatile, we see little reason for concern. Predicted residuals of 46 per cent after three years should help – and Mercedes’ recent award from the Institute of Customer Service would appear to indicate that its dealer network is up to scratch. The firm has also recently introduced a fixed-price servicing deal with monthly payments.
The E250’s powerplant may not set the world on fire, but neither does it set out to destroy it. Our test average was a relatively painful 26.5mpg, but the touring average – a more respectable 36.1mpg – is yet more proof that the E-class cabriolet prefers the easy life.
Verdict:
Enthusiastic drivers are unlikely to be surprised — or bothered — that the E250 CGI Cabriolet scores just three stars in this road test. And yet the E-class cabrio has to go down as a missed opportunity, in this guise at least.
If our test car had featured a smoother, less easily hassled six-cylinder powerplant — petrol or diesel — it may have notched up an extra half a star. However, the E250’s mix of 1.8-litre motor and five-speed ’box offers too little scope for exploiting what appears to be a well resolved, neutral chassis set-up. Indeed, it comes perilously close to tripping up a car that somehow still manages to be a comfortable, relaxed, premium drop-top.
Buyers after this type of vehicle should still place the E-class cabriolet high up their shortlist. But they should pay particularly close attention to engine and gearbox options before choosing.
Mercedes E250 CGI cabriolet - Autocar.co.uk
M
Merc1
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Mercedes-Benz Group AG is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany.
Established in 1926, Mercedes-Benz Group produces consumer luxury
vehicles and light commercial vehicles badged as Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG,
and Mercedes-Maybach.
Its origin lies in Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft's 1901 Mercedes
and Carl Benz's 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen, which is widely regarded
as the first internal combustion engine in a self-propelled automobile.
The slogan for the brand is "the best or nothing".
Official website: Mercedes-Benz (Global), Mercedes-Benz (USA)
Official website: Mercedes-Benz (Global), Mercedes-Benz (USA)
