E-Class (W212/C207/A207) [Official] Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W212) Facelift

[Merc1]

Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W212) Facelift

2014 Mercedes-Benz E Class Sedan & Wagon Preview


M

 

[Top Secret]

A step sideways for me. Not better or worse than the pre-facelift W212 - just different.

 

[Zafiro]

 

[Merc1]

M

 

[Zafiro]

 

[Merc1]

Kinda disappointed that there is no turbo V6 or even an entry level E300 for the U.S. market. Humph.

I dunno though, I'm starting to come around the sport model more and more. This is why I hate making an initial judgement. UGH.


M

 

[Zafiro]

I really like the interior. Looks great!

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

When the hell is MB going to have their turbo 6 ready!?!

I'm actually warming very quickly to these images. I firmly believe there is some truth in what Jimmy has posted in the other thread. The E and GLK just didn't comfortably fit within the MB range, including cars that preceded them and cars that followed. They were very angular in relation to everything else. Who know's why Pfeiffer felt this was acceptable? Perhaps he thought the E would be his last hoorah! If MB left the E as it were, with a new S just around the corner and the new C only 12-18 months away it would have looked thoroughly out of synch and dated next to it's two siblings which will be sporting the completely new organic design idiom.

While it is not ideal, and it is obviously impossible to 100% successfully meld the two languages, angular and organic, they appear to have done a reasonable job. The design team has been tasked with shoehorning Wageners new vision on Pfeiffers overly angular baby, so in that sense it's not bad. I also don't doubt they were given the brief of freshening the car. Global sales are flagging in the face of the 5 and A6 as recent figures have proven, as the current car is probably seen as far too conservative. Without the AMG sport's pack (which I still love) it can look decidedly dull and old hat.

I really want to see if the dash and door plastics have been refined to match those of the CLS. Because while the thing is built like a brick shit house, and the fit and finish exemplary, it really can appear austere and even slightly brutal. When I sit in our E I feel it will last an eternity. But it doesn't pamper or cosset. A plusher atmosphere was required.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Marcus, MB answered your wish and they've dropped and straightened the lower chrome strip to reduce the wedge, bum in the air effect that plagued the cars with small wheels and no sports pack.

 

[nutriauthenj]

There is good and bad here. The front is okay. The new lights aren't bad. The tuck on the lower fascia looks very Acura-like. Which is not good. NOBODY should be copying Acura right now. The rear is okay too. The exhaust pipes are cool. But that odd crease on the side. It runs into another crease at the back and that seems half-baked.
The E-class is an institution. And while Audis and BMWs might have more dynamic abilities, nothing drives quite like an E-class. Its sturdy, smooth, and capable. It why people buy them. They are a solid cruiser.

 

[lukeswiss]

Excuse me while I melt into the individual rear seat. They look great, maybe a bit BMW 5er ?? Interior is a huge improvement, it really looks more comfortable and luxurious. Not sure about the seat piping, it reminds me of Range Rover.

 

[PINHEAD]

Exterior: steps for a modern design direction
Interior: better quality, better feel of comfort.

The monitor needs this bigger size.

 

[Mick Briesgau]

The overall lining of the car, especially side view, is very elegant and sleek looking. The backside looks also much better. altough minor changes have been made. In this respect the E-Klasse is what a Mercedes has to be, an elegant car. The pre FL E-Klasse wasn't elegant.

The more I look at it, the more I like this Benz

 

[Mick Briesgau]

Excuse me while I melt into the individual rear seat. They look great, maybe a bit BMW 5er ?? Interior is a huge improvement, it really looks more comfortable and luxurious. Not sure about the seat piping, it reminds me of Range Rover.

I like that piping, Luke. You're right, it looks british.Probably Designo-leather.

 

[K-A]

The silver Sedan with the Sports grille looks absolutely repulsive.

Hate the headlights as they look generic now, and cluttered/tacky/busy/fad-ish with the graphics inside, however those graphics won't be present on the VAST majority of E's, so we'll just see the generic shapes with generic insides on those (again, I see them as 90's W220 shapes all over again).

The Sports grille is a travesty on this car, and just looks very desperate from M-B. The Ponton elimination takes away some character and strength from the car, and now looks like the Designers were incapable of drawing what would have been the best option: One straight line, and just missed the mark in joining them (as someone said in the other thread).... BUT, the elimination of the vertical piece does give the car a longer and more slender look, and simplifies the side profile a bit. All and all I'd say the side profile is a wash, i.e both look equally as good yet in different ways.

The Luxury grille actually looks good, and it's a SHAME that it won't even be offered in some markets, like the UK! In the States, we'll be stuck with that tacky and soft, 90's-ish looking rendition of the over-used and tired "Star-Grille" on all models probably. Very unfortunate as I love the look of the W212 with the Luxury grille, and especially unique and characteristic quad lamps.

As for the rear lights.... not sure what to think. They look boring and plain, just like the current W212's, and maybe a little less sporty, but more sophisticated. All in all I probably prefer the rear of the pre-facelift, as I can see the facelift rear being dreadfully plain and boring after seeing it a lot (already is).

The side chrome going in one straight motion on the very bottom is interesting. IMO it looks more sophisticated and less sporty/aggressive than the original W212, however the big problem is it adds more complexity to the sides motion. First you just focused on the downward movement, and now you see all the downward lines, but then straight chrome? Lots of confusion and desperation by M-B designers and it seems they are all over the place and can't make up their minds in terms of providing a strong, confident and holistic vision.

 

[lukeswiss]

I like that piping, Luke. You're right, it looks british.Probably Designo-leather.

Yeah, I love the piping on Range Rover, will take some adjustment on a Merc. The seats look really plush though.

 

[K-A]

Appalling, absolutely appalling. An embarrassment that an E-Class has come to this, especially during a facelift (desperation factor).

 

[Monster]

I noticed MB has replaced the wood trim on the side of the command selector and beneath the door arm rest with aluminium trim, or aluminium look trim, is that standard or optional? I hope the new air vents are made from genuine metal, painted plastics simply won't do in this category.

 

[KonradK]

No cabriolet I dreamed to see cabriolet E250 CGI 240-250 Hp with 4Matic. That would be a perfect, inexpensive car for summer and winter time.They offered 4Matic in A250 in the A class, but not in the e class. Unfair. Again, only diesel E250 got 4Matic, petrol E250 has the same low 208 HP. So disappointing.Plus, E500 has same 408HP because CLS SL and CL must have damn 435 HP and be better. What a nonsense by Mercedes. Do they think they will sell CLS250 to me instead for 20k more than E250?

 

[K-A]

Upon further examination, I will say that due to being by far the worst and maybe only truly "terrible" parts of the facelift, if they didn't graft on those terrible headlights and Star grille, this would have been possibly a pretty damn good facelift to me.

I think the cars profile with the Ponton fender looked so much more characteristic and interesting/dynamic, but I can find merits in the new implementation.

It's just a joke that these guys were touting the Ponton like it was the "next big thing" just a few years ago when this car was released (the angular quad headlights too), and now eliminated them. So so much discordance and bad managing going on, directions changing, focus on fad/trends.

Find me a facelift with quad headlights and some LED tech inside, the new Luxury grille, and the previous AMG Sports bumper (the new one looks like any low priced "rice rocket" or French car, way too goofy and rounded, not very aggressive or serious, and the silver detached bottom portion is a trendy element used on mostly lower priced Japanese or French cars it seems), and I'd call it the perfect W212.

Apparently the UK and some markets will ONLY get the Star grille. The U.S will probably only see it as well. That's very unfortunate, IMO.