E-Class W212 Mercedes W212 E-Class Facelift: Renders, Spyshots, Etc

[K-A]

Sports grille is hideous. Headlights are way too distracting and overdone to where they won't age good.

The front looks like a totally different car. Bye bye resale of pre-facelift, thanks to lousy timeless mapping by M-B designers.

Edit: Sides lost some flair by changing the Ponton lines, yet it looks more straightforward and easy to digest, yet lacks character.

The rear looks as plain and straightforward as the pre-facelfit I think, maybe a little more due to more monochromatic tones.

 

[K-A]

All in all, IMO M-B will still be losing market share in this segment as the current F10 and A6 will still look more appealing to customers, especially as they get more elegant and non-abrupt facelift subtle refinements. Some people might gaga over the overdone headlights but IMO that's going after a less intelligent form of design appreciation (accessorizing over holistic and fundamental design prowess), but IMO the W212 won't have a high degree of appreciation when looked at in retrospect, in the future.

 

[lukeswiss]

I don't like the sports grill either.... the normal grill looks fine, because it seems bigger due to the extra chrome.
Interior is great, B&O is a nice addition.

 

[lukeswiss]

The new tail light optics are from the S.

 

[montana]

Interior and rearlights changed for the better, rest for the worse IMO. Headlights might look good in person, but I doubt they'll be better than the pre-fl ones.

 

[Monster]

All in all, IMO M-B will still be losing market share in this segment as the current F10 and A6 will still look more appealing to customers, especially as they get more elegant and non-abrupt facelift subtle refinements. Some people might gaga over the overdone headlights but IMO that's going after a less intelligent form of design appreciation (accessorizing over holistic and fundamental design prowess), but IMO the W212 won't have a high degree of appreciation when looked at in retrospect, in the future.

You can't possibly know how well it will do at this point, however I do agree with the part about the W212 not having a high degree of appreciation in the future.

btw I actually like the standard non sports facelift. The front bumper looks so much better resolved than the pre face-lift version. However the sports version of the face lift isn't as successful, it looks cheap and over aggressive for a car like the E-class.

 

[K-A]

Interior and rearlights changed for the better, rest for the worse IMO. Headlights might look good in person, but I doubt they'll be better than the pre-fl ones.

Imagine how cool the headlights would look if they had all those nu-age LED's on the original QUAD design! They'd be the most unique headlights on the market when on AND off. Now they have a generic and homogenized shape when off, save for the internal graphics, and will obviously have a wild look when on. You'd get the best of both worlds with quad cutouts like the original and LED technology replacing the projectors.

 

[Cashmere]

Now that is a proper facelift.

 

[fortuner]

I been looking at these pics a few times....

As a current owner off the W212 E class my views..

1.The front I think looks lovely especially in the standard grill...The sports one I need to see more pictures and colors before I can say..I really like the New grill and new Headlights.

2.Side looks fresh but I guess ill miss the Ponton Arch...But side profile looks much sleeker.

3.Rear I think is the best part I like the new lower bumper as well as the new lights..They changed the graphics for the better no doubt.

4.Interior nice subtle change but I expected slightly more change but looks very luxurious..

Overall I think its a very very good facelift

Hope Engines are beefed up ...

 

[lukeswiss]

If this is their new strategy, I guess it does mean you'll need to get used to the fact that, if you buy a new car, 1 year after it has been on the market, that in another 2 years you'll have an out of date car.

However, I have the impression they won't be doing this with every car. I doubt the CLS is going to get such a facelift. I think they've just realised what is more commercially successful and want to bring their whole range up to date with that.

Hope this makes sense, I've just rolled in late to the office and only had one coffee.

 

[Mick Briesgau]

This is a real facelift, not just a little tweek there an here. Like the non-sports-grille very much. The sports-grille however doesn't suite the E-Klasse. Backside is more elegant.

Interior is partly a copy of CLS (three in stead of five clocks, analog clock in the middle, aluminium buttonstrip etc.

The B&O looks really very good in this car. Wouldn't order one without it.

 

[lukeswiss]

The arrangement of the cameras is different to the existing one.... perhaps they've added some new tech?

 

[Mick Briesgau]

They most certainly have. Partly new Tech form the S-Klasse (360 camera etc.)

 

[montana]

Imagine how cool the headlights would look if they had all those nu-age LED's on the original QUAD design! They'd be the most unique headlights on the market when on AND off. Now they have a generic and homogenized shape when off, save for the internal graphics, and will obviously have a wild look when on. You'd get the best of both worlds with quad cutouts like the original and LED technology replacing the projectors.

Well, a man is allowed to dream. I really do agree, that would've been absolutely sick.

 

[lukeswiss]

They most certainly have.

Are you actually in Briesgau ? Driving between Basel and Freiburg is where I often see Merc. testing cars.

 

[K-A]

If this is their new strategy, I guess it does mean you'll need to get used to the fact that, if you buy a new car, 1 year after it has been on the market, that in another 2 years you'll have an out of date car.

However, I have the impression they won't be doing this with every car. I doubt the CLS is going to get such a facelift. I think they've just realised what is more commercially successful and want to bring their whole range up to date with that.

Hope this makes sense, I've just rolled in late to the office and only had one coffee.

I think they're gonna keep doing this with designs they don't deem strong enough to stay relevant for a long enough time. Which is unacceptable to consider from a premium manufacturer who charges so much money for an E350 which isn't technically much superior to cars that cost a lot less than it. Much of what we payed for was the assumption of timeless value in the design.

Until then, people can support BMW and Porsche who don't make the pre-facelifts so drastically out of date by providing original designs that "don't need such extensive 'fixing'", therefore not having to do such extensive facelift work.

IMO a good facelift is a little refreshening, this goes much beyond that.

 

[lukeswiss]

Time for that Porsche, KA !

 

[K-A]

I want.

Need to wait for this Lease to be up or find someone to take this damn thing off my hands! I still love the car but ready to move on and just don't feel like a million bucks getting into an M-B anymore. It was a good feeling while it lasted, though.

Also need to save up some more to not feel crazy for going all out on a bonafide Porsche.

Oddly enough, with these Holiday deals and M-B bending over backwards to keep current customers, I could probably get the best deal possible and not take a hit on my car if I got myself into a CLS (next price level up from an E, basically). Too bad I can't convince myself to "feel the magic" again, yet, and certainly not on a CLS.

 

[lukeswiss]

The CLS is probably just a bit too similar to make you feel like you're getting something special/different.

 

[Mick Briesgau]

Are you actually in Briesgau ? Driving between Basel and Freiburg is where I often see Merc. testing cars.

No Luke, I'm not. But I've seen a lot of testing going on in that area as well.