E-Class [Official] Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe & Convertible Facelift

[K-A]

What are these headlights? Are they the standard version? I see no Xenon (not even halogen+projection lens), and no LEDs. Are they serious?

It looks like they're applying the "market it like an upgrade but realistically downgrade" approach.

Just like the W204 facelift, it looks like they're applied reflectors now to the base headlight cars (instead of projectors like they were before). On a C it's bad enough but I can't understand how they can justify ugly, 80's style reflectors on an "E" line especially.

On the other hand, the upgrade part is that those who pay for the premium lights package will get the LED headlight units. Therefore, realistically 98% of E's on the roads will have regressive headlight units with unacceptable reflectors, and 2% will actually have improved headlight technology from M-B's projectors of previous.

I'm not sure if M-B is the only one cutting corners in this area or if others are as well. I do know that even low priced ECONOMY cars now are upgrading from reflector lights to projector lights, while M-B's $50+K "E" line is doing the opposite?

 

[silverarrowCY]

This is ridiculous...What is next? manual windows?

 

[K-A]

This is ridiculous...What is next? manual windows?

LOL. My 2010 E had a classy alarm "chirp" like any Luxury Car should, and in 2011 they introduced a "Horn Honk" sound to activate the alarm (which my 2011 E had).... all the way up to the SLS model.... something akin to what a Chevy Cobalt rental car would sound like when you hit the "door lock" button.

As a Member of "MB Advisors" I brought up the issue and asked them why they'd skimp on such a valuable refinement detail that is part of what one pays for when paying a premium for cars (who wants their elegant Benz to sound like a disturbingly raunchy "honker" when locking/unlocking doors?), and they said "We are aware that this is a customer issue and are working hard to correct it back for upcoming model years"....

.... That was in late 2010/early 2011.

 

[silverarrowCY]

I really can´t understand their logic. Even the previous A-Class offered projection halogen headlights as a standard for the Avantgarde line! They have an issue with lights! The S-Class W220 offered LED stoplights as a standard. The new ML doesn't even have it as an option!
And about the E coupe, there are not even LED DRLs as far as i see from the pic. It is just chrome details

 

[silverarrowCY]

 

[941benz]

Every one cutting cost this days, but good thing that Mercedes doesn't cut cost on Satety like BMW does. If you take 06-08 BMW E90 they all had rear seatbelt pretensioners, 09-11 E90 doesn't have them any more, even new F30 doesn't. All E60 had rear pretensioners but F10 doesn't. Guys you can complain all you want about FL C class not having projectors in headlights but E90 and F30 also doesn't have them. Headlights is a business, if you want better looking car you can pay money and get them, company make profit and at same time you benefit from having better looking car.

 

[skbmw]

The rear wheel arches are plain and simply ugly. There is no flow in the lines meaning they come to a sudden stop. It looks like there are 4 rear wheels there, 2 on both sides. Apart from that the facelift looks crisp.

 

[PHYBENZ]

Part of the reason for the reflector headlights is that when they burn out they are CONSIDERABLY cheaper than replacing projector headlamps

 

[lukeswiss]

On the other hand, the upgrade part is that those who pay for the premium lights package will get the LED headlight units. Therefore, realistically 98% of E's on the roads will have regressive headlight units with unacceptable reflectors, and 2% will actually have improved headlight technology from M-B's projectors of previous.

Only in the USA, Europeans are conditioned and prepared to pay for Xenon/LED.

 

[silverarrowCY]

Well I also see it as a matter of safety! Projection lamps were not discovered and introduced because they look cooler than reflection, but because they offer better road illumination. You can´t on one hand add 100 new(not that important) safety gadgets as a standard, and on the other hand make your standard versions less safe during a night drive!

 

[K-A]

Only in the USA, Europeans are conditioned and prepared to pay for Xenon/LED.

In Europe M-B's are much more interesting to see.

Out here it's like the Ford Model T. "You can only have it with AMG Package/Reflectors/P1/A horn honking sound/Etc.".

MBUSA seems like they want to turn the M-B line into a Rental Fleet out here, no variation of aesthetic equipment, REFLECTORS now on $60K cars, hideous honk-sounds to activate and deactivate the alarm.

In Europe I saw E-Classes with packages I've never seen even on the Forums. I didn't know you can even get a W212 with black window trim (instead of aluminum which in EU I came to understand is only for the high end models).

Part of the reason for the reflector headlights is that when they burn out they are CONSIDERABLY cheaper than replacing projector headlamps

I doubt that's why a luxury car manufacturer is putting those 1980's era style of lights on their upper segment line. I mean, people nowadays have $15K Hyundai's and Chevy's with projectors, not to mention, if M-B/BMW/et all were considering how cheap things should or would be to change, they would be vastly different cars with vastly different forms of technology and packaging than what we see now.

 

[K-A]

Well I also see it as a matter of safety! Projection lamps were not discovered and introduced because they look cooler than reflection, but because they offer better road illumination. You can´t on one hand add 100 new(not that important) safety gadgets as a standard, and on the other hand make your standard versions less safe during a night drive!

Exactly, and that's what I was touching on.

I swear every time I see a W204 with reflector halogens at a distance I think it's some old 80's car from the front.... if it wasn't for the LED bar under it (which looks even worse as you have yellow reflector output on top of LED DRL's, very disoriented look) it would look like anything but a Premium Car at said distance with said light setup.

I had reflector headlights on my Chevy Malibu, and they illuminate horribly, and look terrible. Very shameful that an E-Class is applying the same formula. And get this... the new generation of Chevy Malibu just went to projectors for the first time.

Halogens with projectors are bad enough, but halogens with REFLECTORS? It's unacceptable.

 

[Nicks]

In Europe I saw E-Classes with packages I've never seen even on the Forums. I didn't know you can even get a W212 with black window trim (instead of aluminum which in EU I came to understand is only for the high end models).
.

In Russia you can't get E-class without Xenon even if you want to. Even E200 comes with minimum package (it's called special series) - ARTICO artificial leather, ILS system, front-seats heating, tire pressure drop alarm

 

[K-A]

In Russia you can't get E-class without Xenon even if you want to. Even E200 comes with minimum package (it's called special series) - ARTICO artificial leather, ILS system, front-seats heating, tire pressure drop alarm

A lot of my complaints about how M-B's are spec'd I've come to realize are mostly MBUSA issues. In Europe there are so many types of Packages, so many versions on the roads, little detailed changes, more prevalence of better options.

In the U.S, they don't care what it does or has, a honk for an alarm? A 1980's reflector tech? Lease-then-toss as long as it has the Star decal, is the mentality.

I wish U.S consumers demanded more from their Luxury Cars. They're mostly just in it for the panache.

 

[lukeswiss]

In Western Europe you can pretty much order all option individually, and additionally there are some packages that save you some money when you order some together.

I think something else is, they sell the cars to the North American market for so cheap (compared to EU) in order to remain competitive. I can imagine with the lower US dollar it's been very difficult.

 

[Nicks]

A lot of my complaints about how M-B's are spec'd I've come to realize are mostly MBUSA issues.

Well, people who rule Daimler responsible for choosing MBUSA execs, aren't they? Same thing with China, where MB is showing miserable results compared to AUDI and BMW

 

[W201]

Hmmm, regarding the alarm... Alarms are usually installed by dealers, not by the factory itself. So it is possible that dealers decided to change to some cheaper alarm system. That doesn't necessarily mean that all MB USA dealers are using the same system.

Still, The next C class will be produced in the USA, and since M-B is transitioning to modular platforms, who knows... maybe you'll see an E class made in the USA as well. That will probably give you more packages and options to choose from.

Lukeswiss is right, strong euro/weak dollar makes M-Bs which are made outside the USA more expensive to sell in your market, and they have to make their prices competitive. Till the production is moved in USA, some other ways of cost-cutting have to be found, and that's is probably the reason of 'honk-honk' alarm, and who knows what else...

 

[Wolfgang]

This vid features the offending chirp. Enjoy.

 

[silverarrowCY]

This vid features the offending chirp. Enjoy.

I don´t know what fetishes MBUSA has, but unlocking a Mercedes in Europe(with or without alarm) is silent!

 

[skbmw]

I don´t know what fetishes MBUSA has, but unlocking a Mercedes in Europe(with or without alarm) is silent!

It's not just MBs, it's also BMWs and Audis. Most cars here in California make a noise when locking and unlocking. There are some annoying noises and some very annoying noises. The worst that I can think of are the car horn ones. It took me couple of weeks to stop looking behind me whenever hearing a car horn. Yes, I know I should keep looking...