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

[K-A]

Face the reality KA. The E-class was conceived at a time when MB's resources were likely at their most stretched. They delivered a very conservative product that did not move the game on sufficiently. Sure it's build quality and reliability are beyond reproach now, but they have given up much ground in terms of comfort, refinement and general luxury.

Furthermore, they are simply not attracting enough younger buyers because the car is extremely conservative without the AMG sports pack. Even with it, it still looks like a product more suited to an older buyer, particularly when sat alongside the A6. As such they can't simply rest on their laurels for another 4 years for the sake of keeping happy a select few customers who only want to see evolutionary changes.

Expect to see major revisions with every facelifted benz, until they return to where they should be in terms of product competitiveness and market share. The newly released ML, A-class etc. will not be exceptions.

Problem is, these same words were said when the W210 was released, the W211, and I distinctly remember, the W212. People always allow M-B to have previously "flubbed" in the name of "having to change things around drastically to attract younger buyers". They've been pushing for younger buyers forever now. I remember when I had a W211 and was upset at how insanely different the W212 was, i.e breaking M-B's luxury-car-esque "evolution idiom", and W212 fans were telling me "M-B had to change the E look drastically to attract younger buyers", now they're saying the W212 is too much for "older buyers". I can almost promise that in 3 years from now, when the W213 rolls around, people will be saying the W212 facelift went for "older buyers" as well. and the "W213 is so drastically 'changed' because it has to attract younger buyers", and the cycle will likely continue.

Audi is changing cars so negligibly you can barely tell a difference between new and old, yet they have the young market on lockdown, BMW is actually making cars MORE conservative and carefully evolved, and are continuing to steal younger buyers within each segment. Porsche? The hottest car to youth is a 911 and it's looked the same for half a century. People love when designs become iconic due to evolved and improved execution. M-B has lost that plot, IMO. They already bastardized the CLS's original clean-elegance, they released an SL that is so seemingly not-hot in enthusiast-land you can almost forget the icon has been replaced after 10 years, the E-Class is going through extensive changes prematurely compared to before, etc. The S hopefully won't fall victim to this.

IMO, this is all just excuses by M-B for products that aren't up to competitive spec by M-B, which is why you can get E350's for over 20% discounts in the U.S with no sweat.

I'm sure the W213 will be a nice technical improvement, but the F10 facelift will pull further away from it, as will the facelift A6. Until M-B can confidently get back into their groove and do things on their own terms, without making it look so obvious that marketing is designing their cars and strategies, they'll keep losing share in the upper segments.

 

[Sovereign]

The E65 BMW was vastly updated exterior-wise during the mid life revision as its design was a whole lot more controversial and polarizing than the current or previous generations. E46 3series was quite different in appearance when launched as Coupe. So its not only Mercedes who are doing big revisions.

I think that Mercedes is updating their designs more comprehensively because they are facing competition not only from the European marques that are redefined recently (Audi and Jaguar) but companies like Hyundai are also trying to get some sales away with its top models. Mercedes faced competition from upmarket Japanese brands from 1990s and now the Koreans. Mercedes also increased their product portfolio significantly from mid 1990s which diluted the exclusivity of Mercedes' design and made their hall mark design language quite a common sight. What I am trying to say here is that when you have only few models on the road, the design language is definitely more exclusive and a particular design can be extended for longer period. Therefore, its not merely marketing talk when Mercedes is speaking about shorter design cycles with their current product strategy of having many models sharing the design language. My only concern at this stage is that the updated models of the previous SL and the current C class looked worse than original. I hope that wont be the case with the E.

 

[K-A]

The E65 is the perfect example of why M-B's current strategy won't work in the long term. As it was clearly a "mistake/about face".

I think that M-B keeps getting these excuses, but look at BMW, Porsche, Audi, all of whom are increasing their market share, and are doing it by getting even more evolutionary and precise, while M-B is doing the opposite. If you think about it, you could have gotten an F01 in '09 and had a still relevant model even after the 7er facelift. However, if you got a 2010 E-Class, come 2013, you'll have a noticeably dated car, showing you cracks in M-B's initial engineering and designing methods, which you entrusted (or to which was in your taste, of course).

BMW and Audi and Porsche seem to be putting a lot of R&D into putting out cars "the right way" when they launch, while M-B has to have corrective surgery's so prematurely.

IMO, when we're paying M-B prices and have dated cars after just a few years, and our competitors are doing just the opposite, there's no excuse for that other than bad management.

 

[SKY]

The E65 is the perfect example of why M-B's current strategy won't work in the long term. As it was clearly a "mistake/about face".

I think that M-B keeps getting these excuses, but look at BMW, Porsche, Audi, all of whom are increasing their market share, and are doing it by getting even more evolutionary and precise, while M-B is doing the opposite. If you think about it, you could have gotten an F01 in '09 and had a still relevant model even after the 7er facelift. However, if you got a 2010 E-Class, come 2013, you'll have a noticeably dated car, showing you cracks in M-B's initial engineering and designing methods, which you entrusted (or to which was in your taste, of course).

BMW and Audi and Porsche seem to be putting a lot of R&D into putting out cars "the right way" when they launch, while M-B has to have corrective surgery's so prematurely.

IMO, when we're paying M-B prices and have dated cars after just a few years, and our competitors are doing just the opposite, there's no excuse for that other than bad management.

I have told you a few times I think you tend to exagerate things too much some times. But this post is a perfect analysis of the situation.

 

[Merc1]

As much as I love BMW right now they aren't perfect either. Heavier cars with less and less involvement from behind the wheel isn't the direction they should be going either. The 3 and the 5 suffer from this. Design wise they are ahead of MB right now, but not the entire vehicle. Audi and MB are paying much more attention to weight than BMW is with their latest releases. To keep saying MB is behind and BMW is ahead is only partially true when you look everything and not just styling, which is what some here keep doing.

M

 

[PHYBENZ]

 

[SKY]

The grille has changed for the worse.

 

[bombardier01]

The new grille doesn't suit with the rest of the body which boxy & a bit old fashion. I hope they still offer the regular grille as well.

 

[thatsmrsnyder]

Those who say BMW are the ones to follow on the design front need look no further than the new 3 series GT that was just revealed without camo. If that is the direction our favorite Bavarians are going, MB fans needn't worry.

 

[Zafiro]

If thats the car the front been worse and the rear still looks like a Hyundai.

 

[Wolfgang]

Facelifted - 2014 E-Class Options and Changes released to U.S. Dealers:

E-Class Sedan & Wagon Models for 2014:

• E350 2WD and 4matic
• E550 4matic sport
• E63 AMG 4matic
• E250 Bluetec 2WD and 4matic (201 hp and 368 lb-ft)!!!
• E400 Hybrid 2WD sport
• E350 4matic Wagon
• E63 4matic Wagon

Major Changes:

• Static LED headlights standard
• Full LEDs Optional
• Daytime Running Lights integrated in Headlamp assembly
• Narrower Full LED Taillamps
• New Radiator Grille
• Richer Dashboard Wood Grain
• Analog Clock in dash
• CLS Style Instrument Cluster
• Additional Ambient Lighting Colors
• Collision Prevention Assist Standard
• ECO Start Stop standard
• Updates to Drivert Assistance, Attention Assist, Rearview Camera, Parking Assist
• Standard Media Interface

The 2014 E-Class is scheduled to be released for sale in May 2013 with the AMG version to follow in August.

More: http://www.benzblogger.com/


Now I'm excited. E63 4Matic!!!?!?!?!? Yikes! E250 diesel? Where is the entry-level E300 and the turbo V6? Shouldn't be much longer until we see pics and get that ever so important first press release.


M

Some more diesel info. Are both the E250 Bluetec 2WD and the 4MATIC expected?

Mercedes to Launch Four-Cylinder Diesel E250 4MATIC, ML250 Here Next Year

It sounds plenty conventional for today’s auto industry: Mercedes-Benz will downsize engines in two of its cars next year, replacing six-cylinder engines with turbocharged inline-fours. But this ain’t conventional—these are diesels. This is a big move for Benz, and—at least in the E-class—we think it’s going to be a home run.

Some months after the heavily face-lifted E-class debuts in January, the turbo-diesel E350 BlueTec will leave this earth. In its place, Benz will sell an E250 BlueTec with 4MATIC all-wheel drive. The engine is a 2.1-liter four—the same basic unit powering the GLK250 that launches this spring—and should make 190 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, roughly in the same ballpark as the 210 hp and 400 lb-ft of the E350 BlueTec. The diesel four is more than 100 fewer ponies down on the gasoline-drinking V-6 in the E350, but it churns up almost 100 additional lb-ft of torque. We’ll only see the E250 BlueTec in AWD guise, which rams open the gates to sales success in the Northeast, where premium shoppers almost exclusively buy cars with four driven wheels. Considering the friendliness of that region and other Snow Belt zones to diesel—especially in a Benz—the E250 has a shot at being a major player.

http://blog.caranddriver.com/mercedes-to-launch-four-cylinder-diesel-e250-4matic-ml250-here-next-year/

 

[Wunderkind]

Damn, not sure if I can wait that long. But I'd be doing myself a diservice if I buy a BMW 5-series with a facelift about 12 months away.............................

 

[tennmb]

Dropping 6 Cyl diesel in the US, to be replaced with E250. With the new DI gas engines, the benefit of the diesel has diminished. The 250 turbo diesel should push the E close to 40 mpg. Although the biggest potential market is in the more economical offerings of the C and GLK, and of course CLA. Just not enough net benefit in performance numbers to pay more for the V6.
Wise move IMO.
The E, like the C will come in two offerings, sport and luxury. The sport will have the star grill, with smaller, tapered design.

 

[bombardier01]

2 different grilles.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/112120551366/2014-mercedes-benz-e-class-sedan-facelift-spied
VS.

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/m...celift-ahead-of-2013-detroit-debut-52599.html

 

[Merc1]

Looks like they may for a luxury and sport look like the C-Class, that would be best IMO. AMGs get the sport grille only.

M

 

[PHYBENZ]

normal grill looks to small to me.

 

[K-A]

Looking at the car in one-context in the frontal-profile view, the front looks sooooo soft and friendly and round, which is just odd compared to the hard and angular front of the current one. It's too round compared to the box-cut body, just doesn't have cohesion. It also does look too small and feeble in that pic.

 

[bombardier01]

Looking at the car in one-context in the frontal-profile view, the front looks sooooo soft and friendly and round, which is just odd compared to the hard and angular front of the current one. It's too round compared to the box-cut body, just doesn't have cohesion. It also does look too small and feeble in that pic.

Agree. The new front end seems doesn't match with the body style which is a bit boxy. Hopefully it will look better irl.

 

[SKY]

To me, the key part is the grille. It´s like seeing a rude boy with a cute girl face.

 

[KonradK]

Where is the cabriolet in all this? Should have priority before the summer, unlike other models.