The Greatest Of Es

1:58pm Friday 23rd November 2007

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The new E-Class from Mercedes is a handsome beast and no mistake.

The new bodystyle is sleek, poised and has considerable presence, making it the sort of car you turn round to admire as you leave the car park.

But then it should be. The E has always been one of the Mercedes mainstays - a million of the last incarnation were sold - and has built a reputation for luxury, refinement and comfort. In its various guises, the sophisticated E is happy munching motorways and, for the sportier driver, is quite capable of being thrown round the B roads.

But that doesn't mean Mercedes has been sitting on its laurels. The company has made some 2,000 technical changes to the new model, underlining the claim for being arguably the most innovative car manufacturer in the world. Three safety innovations of particular interest are the optional Intelligent Light System which has four modes varying the throw, spread, output and direction of the head and foglights to suit road and weather conditions.

Pre-Safe recognises when an accident is imminent. It automatically prepares the car and its occupants for an accident by tensioning the seat belts, closing windows and sunroof, and moving the front electric passenger seat to its optimal position for an impact.

Even after an accident, Pre-Safe cuts off the fuel supply and activates the hazard lights and, if the airbags have been deployed, it will open the windows for ventilation and unlock the doors for rescue access. Alas, it's not yet programmed to dial 999 The Adaptive Brake function allows the driver to prod the footbrake after the car has stopped at a junction or lights instead of using the handbrake. The brake will stay locked on until the accelerator is pressed - good for hill starts, too.

Other brake features include flashing brake lights under harsh braking (which other drivers react more quickly to) and automatic brake priming when the driver lifts off the accelerator suddenly.

It's hardly surprising that, once again, the E is the safest car in its class.

The E320 CDI Avantgarde is pitched near the middle of the range in terms of price at £37,735 on the road.

Performance-wise, it's near the top. A healthy 224bhp launches it to 60mph in well under seven seconds, top speed is limited to 155mph and the maximum torque of 400lb/ft arrives at just 1,600rpm.

The Avantgarde models feature lowered suspension for a sportier drive, bi-xenon headlights, special 17-inch alloys and LED brakelights.

Inside there are plenty of extra leather and aluminium design features, and a special seat design.

Options fitted to the test car, including electrically adjustable front seats with memories, telephone pre-wiring, semi-active air suspension, Mercedes' acclaimed Comand system (sat-nav/CD/DVD/radio centre console and display) and heated leather seats, bumped the price up to £44,125.

Equipped with the splendid and widespread 3.0L V6 diesel, the big car is a very competent performer, belying its size, and is a delight to drive, whatever is asked of it.

The standard seven-speed auto box has an effective and straightforward over-ride, called Tipfunction, and is as smooth and quick as any, particularly when set in Sports rather than Comfort mode.

This hangs on to the revs longer before changing gear and, in conjunction with one of the two manual Sport damper settings, allows you to enjoy as lively and robust an experience as you desire.

It's hard to fault the E-Class. The handling is spot on, the steering is perfectly weighted with good feedback, visibility is very good, the instruments are clear and well laid out, wind, road and engine noise are well suppressed, the stereo sound is excellent and the cabin is a cossetting and relaxing environment.

It's one car built for comfort AND speed...