E-Class (W212/S212/C207/A207) Mercedes W212 E-Class Facelift: Renders, Spyshots, Etc

[SKY]

It seems they don´t know 100% where are they going in terms of design. The new front looks more like the one a new C-Class would have. In fact, the W205 spy pics reveal the next C-Class is going to have a very similar grille/bumper than this new E-Class FL. It also appears to me that the LED in the bumper´s air intakes have passed and will be replaced by chrome strips.

 

[mercpassion]

agree 212 is a marvelleous machine, as far as quality and merc'ness goes, it doesn't almost get much better for modern standards, 212 clearly harks back to the classic mercs of the old..however design department needs a bit updating, the front is a large issue for contreversy among many people, perosnally i love them although they look just that slight odd at some angles, due to the 4 lamp design, therefore single unit excellent idea.

quite frankly shocked at the front spy's , already looks superb, and that beuatiful grill, whats going on overall tho lol, there is no need for such curvy grill, as im yet to see how it would blend with the rest of the angularness of the whole car, otherwise this grill is what i expect, a nice relaxed curvy shape, clearly influenced f700, and the bumper...are they planning to save any bits for the 213 lol

 

[HighestOfHigh]

It seems they don´t know 100% where are they going in terms of design.

"They" know exactly what they are doing (in terms of design). We may not like it, but they know what to do. With over 100 years of experience, why question them?

 

[Gianclaudio]

They don't, obviously.

They're changing and rearranging everything in a very close time frame. They don't seem to have a clear horizon.

Regards!

 

[K-A]

Yes Sir! I was thinking the same exact thing. Looks like they are going for elegant instead of bold.

Hmm...I wonder if the new 5 series had something to do with all these changes???

Totally what I was thinking. It seems *to me* like M-B are caving on the E's differences and trying to please the "5 Series crowd" with the assumed/purported changes. Less lines on the side, traditional headlights, and a rounder, more elegant/sporty yet not as dominating/aggressive/bold grille.

Sad because all Sedans look like the 5-Series now. Some of us want bold and differentiation in areas, even if it comes at the price of perhaps less harmony in this segment, and M-B have always been good at bold/stately yet restrained Sedans. In my eyes, as an enthusiast who buys a segment of cars that aren't aimed at enthusiasts. I look at the 5er and A6, etc. and find designs elegant and simple, yet matched with an elegant and simple nature/segment.... it's just too uninspiring. Then you have a car like the E.... made to be as inspiring looking as one could for a "Family Sedan", which garners a very dynamic enthusiasm from those like me, and of course can also be quicker to turn some off (a great attribute if pulled off correctly). The E60 was the same idea and way, though I hated that design.

It's all about market share these days.

 

[K-A]

They don't, obviously.

They're changing and rearranging everything in a very close time frame. They don't seem to have a clear horizon.

Regards!

Agreed. I've never seen such discordance from M-B. It's insane. Back in the day people expected their cars to look unchanged and still relevant and at the top for the entire production cycle at the very least. And to anyone who says "it's different today, blah blah", it isn't actually, as BMW, Audi, and about everybody else still do small changes, very successfully sometimes.

Now a round and relaxed front end on a very bold and purposefully tense/intense car otherwise?

 

[Sayyaaf]

the most beautiful car in the world is getting an extensive facelift. Wonder why K-A

I wanted to say it, didn't have to though Movin on

 

[Gianclaudio]

Because, they are indeed chasing a market share. IMO Mercedes seems to be desperate trying to catch a bigger portion of the pie, trying to be trendy/cool, and again IMO failing. If we think, in just 4 years they switched from the double round lamps, "cute" styling to a more blocky, serious, "german" style and now to be fuzzy all over the place, with design elements clashing one to each other and lack of coherence between parts of the same car.

Regards!

 

[K-A]

the most beautiful car in the world is getting an extensive facelift. Wonder why K-A

I wanted to say it, didn't have to though Movin on

'Cause they couldn't handle it.

But it's really what Gian said. There's no coincidence that all Sedans look homogenous now, save for the E who looks to be trying its best to do its own thing. IMO it makes the E more praise worthy in design though M-B chasing down market share will do whatever they can to make it easier to swallow/blend in with the masses. Dual headlamps, take out half of the Ponton crease, happier grille, etc.

As an enthusiast of the car and being that the very nature of the car is already homogenous (Midsize Sedan), I just don't want homogenous elements on it to boot, that's not what gets my goat, but of course I am but one mans opinion.

Oddly enough, I'd love more homogenous elements on a car like the CLS, i.e straightforward lines. The CLS's nature and shape make it practically exotic-ish from the get-go, adding "exotic cues" all over it just makes it too much fuzziness. If they matched more simplistic design elements to go with the architecture, I would have loved it. The E however, being a conservatively natured car, is more beneficial of some *TACTFUL* stand-out decorative elements like quad headlamps, a Ponton fender, etc., to give it some balance with spicy elements.

Basically: A Midsize car is supposed to be boring by nature. If you take a boring car, and try and make it look boring, it'll look boring (pretty much all Midsize Sedans nowadays to some measures) yet very friendly to a wide group who wants nothing polarizing. However, if you try and make it look interesting.... you might turn some people off, but you will also give others who seek something to be inspired by, reason to do so.

 

[941benz]

Big face lift is a one of the smartest decision Mercedes ever made, is good for a company and customers. Luxury car buyers usually have a lot of money, they don't want spend 7 years of their life driving a same car, so they always looking for something new and fresh product. I had 2010 E350 I loved that car and still do , but after one year I wanted somethink different so I got 2011 E550 coupe, after having it for 6 month im already thinking about new car, I wanted to get BMW550i but after I find out that w212 getting a major face lift I decide to get another E but as a diesel or a hybrid only if car will look different enough. I'm in car business my self , I buy a lot of late model luxury cars to ship them over seas , so I meet a lot of people that selling their cars just because they want something different but they always come back to same brand after redesign. Plus Mercedes selling almost to many w212 , you see them on every coner, and from my experience people with money don't want to drive same car as everyone is driving, is actually brining resale value down because there is a lot to choose from. For a company it means a lot if they can keep a customers and offer fresh product.

 

[K-A]

That's the only thing that I can agree with, regarding extensive facelifts: The fact that it gives you two versions of one car. I.e you can have the one you like more and be happy with it, and avoid further dilution on the roads. For example, an E with a smaller, rounder grille, no Ponton vertical crease, and no quad headlamps will probably not be nicer to me, therefore I'll be happier with the earlier model.... and I'll have just 4 years of that cars exposure on the roads rather than the full 7 (not as many of the exact same look everywhere). Though, if I DID like the facelift more, then I'd feel screwed by M-B, shortchanged, and it could hurt my cars resale.

Every manufacturer changes entire designs every 4 years. Luxury Cars are supposed to be designed to last double that, and still look perfect, relevant, timeless, untiring. It's been like this forever, and it goes for all fields of manufacturing. We pay exuberant price tags because we EXPECT a car that can at least survive in all aspects much longer than generic flash-in-the-pan designs.

If you think about it, the more important and premium the design, the longer it stays in production, the more R&D is invested to ensure it'll be timeless, everlastingly relevant, etc. The Porsche 911, Mercedes SL, Bentley GT, etc. are all premium cars that stay the course for a long time, and are praised and revered for it, in a sea of ever changing cars that can't stay relevant for longer than a handful of years.

M-B used to be this way. Now, they can't stand behind their products for more than 3-4 years it seems.

 

[941benz]

SL, 911, Bentley are not a big sellers you dont see them on a road every day, so their design last a life time. Luxury big sellers such as E class and 5 series is a different story, they dont hold their value as good as Lexus GS for example, because there is to many of E and 5 for sale. When it comes to GS you dont get a lot to choose from so you have no choice but to pay more for them. This is what Mercedes is trying to do, is to keep all cars always frech. If you take $100k S550 vs $160k S600, 2 years old S600 is loosing about $70k of is value just because it looks like S550. It will be very smart for Mercedes to give S600 is own look to help it keep is value, maybe this is what they plan with a Pullman.

 

[Keyonte]

This is how bad it will be if the E class got the 3 point star on the grille

 

[Keyonte]

This is how bad the E class will look if Mercedes put the tri point star on the grille

 

[GTA45E]

Because, they are indeed chasing a market share. IMO Mercedes seems to be desperate trying to catch a bigger portion of the pie, trying to be trendy/cool, and again IMO failing. If we think, in just 4 years they switched from the double round lamps, "cute" styling to a more blocky, serious, "german" style and now to be fuzzy all over the place, with design elements clashing one to each other and lack of coherence between parts of the same car.

Regards!

Let hope the f/l E doesn`t turn out that way. It`s too earily to make logical judgements at this point.
I like the fact that the Ponton rear fender treatment on the W212 f/l is dismissed because it frees` up the wheelbase
making the car look more relaxed and stretched out a bit.

Btw, the f/l models usually introduce subtle design themes of the next generation models. This has always been the case with Mercedes, it`s not like thay are trying to "fit in". Thay don`t need to do that... your talking about the company who invented the design of the luxury car... most others are still following that blue-print.

 

[K-A]

This is how bad the E class will look if Mercedes put the tri point star on the grille

Dude, I'm eating! There goes my dinner! [vomits profusely on keyboard].

No better way to spoil every good thing about the W212 than to put one of those ill fit aftermarket Star grilles on it. Quintessential tasteless cheese.

 

[lukeswiss]

Wow a double star disaster !

 

[K-A]

This is the reason why IMO the W212's front is unmatched in character and presence. And why I think it is the epitome of a modern design that already looks like a (instant) classic. In conjunction with a heavily modded C, who has a nice front of its own, the W212 just pops and stands out at you.

 

[tennmb]

The one on the black car is very tasteful and doesn't look aftermarket, except for the star on the hood. I agree, one or the other. A lot of the younger generation see hood mounted emblems as out of date.

 

[HighestOfHigh]

They don't, obviously.

They're changing and rearranging everything in a very close time frame. They don't seem to have a clear horizon.

Regards!

Lol...Your opinion vs. 100 plus years of Mercedes-Benz's experience?

Although you might not like their design direction, it doesn't mean "they" don't know what they are doing.

Only thing you should question is why they ever brought the R-class to the market.