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Mercedes Benz is expanding its new 2010 E-Class engine lineup with two economical four-cylinder models: the E200 CDI turbodiesel and E200 CGI petrol model. One diesel and one petrol. Both cars are labeled as BlueEFFICIENCY models. However, buyers have to wait until September since both models will go on sale in Europe this September. And they are unlikely to be sold in U.S. showrooms.
The E200 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY gets a 2.1L engine with an output of 136hp (100kW), and achieves as much as 45mpg (5.2L/100km) in fuel economy. The model reaches 100 km/h in 10.2 seconds. A respectable top speed of 210 km/h is achievable, but the automaker does not mention how long it takes to get to that speed.
The petrol powered E200 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY, meanwhile, generated 184hp (135kW) from its 1.8L engine and achieves a fuel economy of 32.6mpg (7.2L/100km). To further aid fuel economy, the cars also come with engine stop start technology as standard for models equipped with a six-speed manual transmission. The model uses 7.2 liters of fuel per 100 km, while also increasing CO2 emissions to 169 grams per km. Top speed reaches 232 km/h.
Both the two models feature direct injection, and adjustable intake & exhaust camshafts. One of the main features of the new diesel engine is latest-generation common-rail direct injection.
Pricing for the E200 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY begins at €38,734.50, while the E200 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY begins at €39,508.
After unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show earlier this year, the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class has drawn fans’ attention to news of the upcoming E-Class Cabriolet and Estate models.
The former spy shots of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe Cabrio showed the car with a soft top, now spy photographers have caught the car testing in Germany with its top down.
About 100mm longer than the CLK Cabrio preceding it, the E-Class Cabrio also bears the same raked A pillar and steep belt-line of the ConceptFASCINATION study revealed back in September last year.
With the top down, we can see the test car's unique air deflector. Taking the shape of a mini-spoiler over the windscreen, the item is sure to cause a stir amongst Mercedes fans. Should the piece stay on the final version of the car, it will likely polarize those interested in the E-class into two groups: one that likes the function, and one that hates the look.
Power is expected to come from the same engine line-up as that featured in the E-Class Coupe, which means four, six and eight-cylinder units with outputs from 150kW/200hp to 285kW/382hp - the top end model being the E500/550.
2010 Mercedes Benz E-Class Coupe, the svelte two-door is the hotly anticipated replacement for the aging CLK Coupe, which has been falling behind against newer competition such as the Audi A5 and E92 BMW 3-series Coupe.
Surprisingly, Mercedes Benz priced its new 2010 E-Class Coupe for less money than the E-Class Sedan, with which it shares its styling, interior and positioning. After all, which carmaker makes a more exclusive coupe model and then sells it for less money than the sedan variant?
The E-Class Sedan starts at $49,475 for the base E350, while the similar E350 Coupe is slightly cheaper at $48,925.
It appears that Mercedes had some method to its pricing madness, however, and not purely because it wanted to hit its rivals by undercutting them in price. It turns out that while the new E-Class Coupe borrows its svelte styling from the E-Class Sedan, underneath the handsome exterior sits the smaller and cheaper C-Class platform.
This certainly explains why Mercedes can charge less for their E-Class Coupe than the Sedan, but pricing wasn't the only factor behind the decision to use the C-Class platform. Speaking with Automotive News, Mercedes U.S. chief Ernst Lieb explained that the older C-Class platform results in "a stiffer car with a bit more performance".
The news also follows earlier missives from Mercedes about the reason for dropping the previous CLK class of vehicles, which like the new E-Class Coupe were also based on the less expensive C-Class platform. The axing of the CLK was thought to be a sign that Mercedes would be using the E-Class Sedan's platform but instead the use of the C-Class platform harks back to how the company created its original CLK range of cars - essentially, the whole change was just an exercise in nameplate swapping.
The new E-Class Coupe will first hit European showrooms this May and should be on sale in the U.S. by the third-quarter of the year.
Mercedes-Benz used to be able to charge whatever it wanted for its luxury cars because, well, it could. But times have clearly changed, with formidable competition coming not just from BMW, Audi, and Cadillac, but also from Lexus, Infiniti, and even Hyundai’s compelling Genesis.
In what may prove to be a major blow for the BMW 3-Series Coupe and Audi A5, the upcoming Mercedes Benz E-Class Coupe will actually cost less than the E-Class Sedan on which it is based. Despite the new Coupe’s predecessor - the CLK - costing thousands of dollars more than the E-Class Sedan in most markets - the U.S. being a notable exception - this differential will no longer exist for the latest breed of E-Class variants.
The sedan itself is competitively priced as well, starting at $4,600 below the previous model's base price. The entry model, the 2010 E350, will start at $49,475, while at the other end of the spectrum, the V8-powered E550 will start at $57,175. The Coupe starts at a mere $48,925 for the E350 model, while the E550 kicks off at $55,525.
Earlier reports had hinted that the prices would be the same, or similar, because the E-Class Coupe shares most of its equipment and powertrain packages with the Sedan. While coupe and convertible models traditionally attract a price premium over sedan siblings, Mercedes appears to be attempting a new, aggressive pricing strategy to really hit its competition hard.
The CLK was always positioned slightly above the BMW 3-Series Coupe and Audi A5 and the new E-Class Coupe is no different. It won’t help that the new Mercedes two-door is not only cheaper, but also one of the best luxury coupes we’ve seen in a while, and is easily the pick of the bunch next to its rivals.
Sales of the new E-Class Sedan and Coupe will start in June, but that’s not the end of the story. At September’s Frankfurt Motor Show, Mercedes will unveil the new E-Class Cabrio as well as the E-Class Estate wagon, but both of these models will almost certainly attract a price premium over the Sedan.
Pricing for the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG and E350 BlueTec diesel models will not be announced until a later date.
