Tried & Tested: Mercedes-Benz E200 CGI (W212)

Click on all images to enlarge

How often have you noticed a burnt-out third brake light of the car in front of you? Or a pair or even all brake lights not functioning at all? More often than can be imagined right? So imagine the gall of the parliamentary lawmakers wanting to amend the Malaysian Road Transport Act 1987 to slap a maximum fine of RM1000 for road traffic offences currently capped at RM300. How often do you see people with malfunctioning brakes lights get pulled over? Not as often as for alleged speeding offences (speed trap) I bet.



Back to the subject of third brake lights, the all-new E-Class from Mercedes-Benz has had it migrating from the rear boot lip to the rear parcel shelf again...and in a very slim form. Neat. However, the rear end appears to be a rehashed W123's arse (think: white diesel taxis in the 70s) with angular theme and larger, horizontal tailamps. Altogether with an up-curved blistered arch that looks fussy and very much an after-thought. With such a disastrous looking butt - more so in solid-white - I seriously do not think the W212 leaves the W211 design for dead - unlike what the W211 did to the W210. It awed many - with its sleek n fluid design - in its movie debut "Men In Black 2". Remember that?



Aesthetic wise, the corner of the front headlamps where it meets the fender, bonnet and bumper is quite a disaster too - with surfacing and meeting of dissection lines grossly incongruent.




Cost cutting are abound almost everywhere in the new E200 CGI. Dash top material is B-class-esque rather than S-class aping. Of course, there are Artico-leather wrapping for the dashboard (Porsche's option style!) in the loftier E350, E500, E63 etc models in other markets but the base material is plain disappointing. So is the inner door rubber strip which is naked now. The premium fibred-fabric wrapping is gone: now a pale grained surface imprint serving to mimic the former. Rear seat are also disappointingly smaller with too much rounded edges, while the front seats bottom rounded sides translates to a noticeable lack of thigh support around the corners. What happened Mercedes-Benz?




For the base model E200 CGI too, there is now measly one-sided muffler at the rear, whereas the last E200K from the onset had a pair of mufflers - regardless of whether the exhaust tips are downturned or not. While the last W211 clearly had better differentiation at the steering wheel from the W203 C-Class, the new W212 compels you to steer gripping an item from a common parts bin. Does not convey a higher premium feel I must say. Not when you are asked to part with some RM366k in hard cash or hire-purchase for that matter.



Also, what's with this 3-zone Thermotronic (or is it called the lower-spec Thermatic) climate A/C now? It used to be twin-zone independent temperature control for the rear passengers, plus silent operation even at full cooling capacity. Now the centre console box mounted rear A/C blower just whirr and whine at its highest or near-maximum fan setting. No good.



While the A/C main control looked decidedly classier now, the cabin air-conditioner fiter(s) has lost its 'iconic' odour filtration finesse. Yes, you can smell diesel fumes and other noxious traffic odour(s) - albeit not excessively - once the A/C goes into fresh air intake mode. For the record, it's almost never insulting to your olfactory (nasal) bulbs in any of the previous W211 variants, unless you are in a diesel trucks and buses stationary convoy e.g. basement parked in KL's Puduraya bus complex.



Now, the good side of the new E200 CGI. The modified (read: recycled with turbocharger and direct injection cam-heads for the new dacade) M271 powerplant - 4-pot displacing 1.8L is now way more refined, NVH-wise than the clunky-cluttery Kompressor. So is the throttle response and engine pulling power, noting the 270Nm advantage over 250Nm previously for the final edition E200K. The 5 A/T 'box also seem better with the extra torque but a 6th cog (or 7-G Tronic?) would have been welcomed for calmer high-speed cruising at possible lower engine revs.


Steering feel, weight and feedback in the E200 CGI is way ahead the the "first gen" W211 E200K and felt like a superbly retuned and recalibrated version of the FL (new generation W211) E200K's rack - launched in 2007. It is very close to the E60 5-series in agility and hydraulic-resistance-feel now, minus the parking-speed "dead weight feel" of a typical BMW M-Sport rack.

Ride wise, it is undeniably firmer now in the E200 CGI. More so when you push the car harder and harder into corners. I reckoned it has got to do with some mumbo-jumbo regarding reactive dampers which closes some valves in the struts, thereby firming up damping rates, non-pneumatic nor electrical nor magnetic in execution of course. After all, this is the entry level W212. Tracking corners are sharper and quicker now, thus inspiring more confidence and smiles as you string up the bends, palpably better than the W211.

Rear passenger calm ride composure are still maintained mostly, even on busily winding B-roads, a classic, affable trait of M-B midsized execs accompanied by excellent incisive rebound damping i.e. no wallows whatsoever. The comfort "Benz" hallmark is not lost in the new E200 CGI, even in the pursuit of better handling and overall sportier drive here. High speed blasting stability still leaves the W204 C200K in the dust. An engineering input (or rather slightly lacking thereoff in the junior sibling) being intentional on M-B engineers part, as evident in W203 versus W211 of the previous decade.



With so much to love under the skin (drivetrain,chassis and suspension) and solid comfort of the new E200 CGI - the fronts seats are okay as you acclimatise to it (rear seats still have room for improvements) - it is sad that the external metal sheets of the new E-Class from C- pillar onwards right up to the butt lost its plot somewhat, somehow. Pity.



You might want to read this:
Mercedes-Benz E200K (FL) versus E200K (first gen)

2009/10 Mercedes-Benz (W212) E-Class undisguised!

Spotted over at paultan.org are a few of the latest leaked images of the upcoming 2009/10 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, a full replacement model due for next year's Geneva debut. At the front (in E500 guise) , it appeared decently refreshed and stately - as an E-Class should rightfully be - though somewhat Lexus GS300-ish, if not for the trademark Benz grille.

The side profile cuts a swage line to be in tune with the rest of the M-B saloons i.e. the W204 C-Class and of course, the W221 S-Class.



Coming to the rear is where For Wheels reckon that Daimler AG designers lost their plot or fell asleep at their respective workstations! Or did the Computer Aided Design (CAD) software failed them? I could recall that I was awed with the new W211 when M-B refined it into something modern yet classy in 2003, versus the clunky W210. Remember that sleek W211 E-Class in 'Men In Black II'? So desirable that I eventually committed to hire purchasing one in 2006.

All hope may not be lost though, I am pretty sure it will look more convincing in the metal come Q3/Q4 2009 when launched in Malaysia. Knowing how some Conti designs do look better with age, with conditioned acceptance as we see more of them on the road. But does Mercedes-Benz have to relive its W124 era so much - applying much retro cues for the W212's butt - as it boasted returning to the E's solid-built state of the 1980s?

Will the M271 (E18) of the E200 get a turbocharger instead of the trusty but 'over-worked' Kompressor? Anyone for a brand new W212 E200T with direct fuel injection pushing higher torque and more power output?

Forget the fancy Park Assist, Panoramic Roof, Keyless Go et al, the new W212 E200 deserves both DFI/GDI plus modern turbocharging! Errr...maybe even a more flexible 7-G Tronic 'box to go with it?

2009 W212 'real' E-Class picture by Autozeitung

The image that you see above - of the new W212 E-Class by German auto mag Autozeitung - is likely as close to the real thing as possible - for now. Due for debut at Geneva Motor Show in 2009, the all-new E-Class is looking grown-up with more presence, somewhat reminiscent of the 1990s W140 S-Class (check out at the rear door window span!). With adequate rear door access aperture plus a generously thick C-pillar, at least this Merc doesn't have to make do with a 'micro' ala-Hoffmeister kink (think: W204 C-Class) at the C-pillar window frame.

In Europe, the new E-Class will boast of Mercedes' new generation BlueEfficiency turbodiesel engine e.g. the new 2.2L found in the C250 CDI, capable of 204 hp and 500 Nm. For the Malaysian market and most of Asia, this question remains: Will the all-new E-class get a turbocharger intead of the trusty (and clunky) Kompressor for the entry-level 1.8L E200?

Also, will the top-end Advanced/Sport Avantgarde E-Class W212 wear a frontal visage (Big-Star grille et al) as seriously menacing as the ConceptFASCINATION below?


Click on image to enlarge


Related post:
Next Generation W212 E-Class Pictures

Road Test: Mercedes-Benz E280 AMG Sports

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has long been a benchmark luxury executive saloon from the heydays of the 1970s W123, 1980s W124 (almost built like a tank!) and the W210 of the 1990s. There is no denying that the E is popular for its solid built, comfort and classy image of prestige. The current E-Class, codenamed W211, made its debut in 2003 and had undergone a mid-cycle facelift in 2007 in what is known as ‘New Generation’ in Mercedes lingo.

The top-of-the-line locally-assembled (CKD) E-Class in Malaysia is the E280 with a 3.0 litre all-aluminium V6. For 2008 model year, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) has added AMG goodies to this variant: 18-inch 5-spoke AMG alloy wheels (Style III) in titanium grey, AMG bumpers with sportier front and rear aprons, twin AMG exhaust mufflers, sports-tuned suspension, AMG Sports steering wheel with paddles gear shifter, brushed stainless steel foot pedals/footrest with rubber studs, and 7G-Tronic sport automatic transmission. Sounds delicious in theory and on paper, yes?

In all their effort to make it sportier, somehow the sill plates are still standard M-B items. There is also none of the distinctive AMG badges or emblems to say that this is an official E280 AMG Sports from MBM. Well, perhaps just those AMG acronyms stitched on the carpet mats and embossed on the 18” alloys. Unlike BMW Malaysia’s 5-series wearing numerous M-labelled items adorning its M-Sport variants, the E280 AMG Sports is subtle in aggressive aesthetics enhancements, so much so a dental ‘colleague’ thought it was just my regular E200 Kompressor with upsized alloys! Not much good for a car asking for RM438,888, was our initial impression. Strangely, Mercedes’ famed ‘Keyless Go’ entry and access system is also missing here.

Much like the M-division of BMW, AMG is the high-performance arm of Mercedes-Benz. AMG was founded as an independent company in 1967 by Hans-Werner Aufrecht (A) and Erhard Melcher (M) in the town of Großaspach (G) near Stuttgart. Specialising in high performance enhancements and engine tuning for Mercedes-Benz, it was entirely bought over by then DaimlerChrysler AG in 1998.

Despite being AMG-spec, the E280 engine (M272 E30) is very much stock standard with 231hp at 6000rpm while maximum torque is 300Nm from 2500 - 5000rpm. For motoring enthusiasts who are fascinated by tech acronym like VVT (variable valve timing) the E30 powerplant doesn’t disappoint with continuous VVT on both inlet and exhaust sides, Variable Length Intake Manifold and a balancer shaft in between the cylinder banks to deal with vibrations in the 90º V6 design. That said, idling vibrations still plague our tester on the steering wheel and door trim…just that wee bit.

Despite being a normally aspirated, we found the E280 to be very tractable in city traffic; with meaningful shove from a low 2000rpm onwards should you want to speed up. Upon closer scrutiny, we discovered a couple of significant technical upgrades on the new E280 AMG, namely the sports suspension tuning and probably with the ‘New Generation’ facelift exercise, a newly-developed spring link bearings to handle lateral forces more effectively around bends and enhance more neutral (read: less roll) cornering characteristics. Of course, aiding this road holding forte are those lovely – and highly premium - ContiSportContact 3 in 245/40 ZR18 (front) and 265/35 ZR18 (rear). As tested over the few days the ‘local’ AMG paired with its sharper and accurate steering, took corners in flat poise and tracks very confidently and faithfully around bends.

The E280 AMG Sports has indeed made remarkable progress in terms of handling dynamics, something which contrasted affably with E200K, the previous E240 and even the fully-imported Brabus K4. Amazingly in the E280 AMG Sports this is achieved without compromising the supple and gliding ride comfort, which is a consistent hallmark of the E-Class. In all fairness, it must be said though that the AMG’s ultra-low profile rubbers do not tolerate those yellow speed breaker strips on highway well, with much studded and lumpy feedback!

It took slightly over 7 seconds for the E280 AMG to reach 100km/h from standstill and the 7G-Tronic slush box was smooth and imperceptible when left on its own devices. However, it is vague when you up-shift manually while the lag upon downshifting is a little disconcerting should you want to rush things. Probably the gearbox is tuned more for wafting finesse than outright lightning quick manual shifts. For Benz fans who fancy the aesthetics of the bluish-hue windscreens and windows on Avantgarde Mercs, it would be interesting to know that these glasses don’t work much better than the regular green tint (in Elegance and Classic spec) in blocking out heat. The A/C on our tester has to be turned up to 20ºC for effective cooling on hot afternoons.

The Adaptive Brake system taken from the latest Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W221) is also very commendable. It is progressive, comfortable even on rapid deceleration and yet powerfully fade-free. On more than one occasion when the right foot was taken off the accelerator and shifted quickly over to the brake pedal, we found the brake pedal travel to be lesser, therefore cutting down braking response time while the system applied more powerful brake servo assistance. With the E-Class facelift exercise, the standard xenon HID items are no longer spotty and halogen-mimicking in intensity and throw. Even in the darkest of nights, we see just bright lit, clear and farther view ahead. The upper third of the main headlamps now gets illuminated as well, negating the droopy-eye look of the pre-facelift model. Refreshing indeed.

The E280’s COMAND APS incorporating GPS Navigation is quite easy to use, with pin-pointing of junctions and landmarks accurate. Maps are not that up-to-date though for PJ, Seremban, Hulu Langat, Titi, Kuala Klawang and Port Dickson, to name a few places, with one-way streets not updated while some small or new streets were non-existent. Having sampled a popular 3^rd party local GPS system we think that the RM2000 system can outdo any original OE Sat-Nav out there, more so with a touch-screen interface that is more intuitive and easy to use.

All in all, the E280 AMG Sports still does well to represent the top-end of officially available, locally-assembled E-Class in Malaysia. Like most, if not all of modern Mercedes-Benzes, it is the facelift model that has effectively ironed out all the design and initial manufacturing bugs of that vehicle range. For those in the market for such D-segment luxury sedan, and perhaps wanting some sporting intentions without sacrificing long-distance comfort and luxury, the E280 with AMG Sports pack is certainly worth to be on that shortlist. You may still want to shop for that after-market “////AMG” emblem for the rear boot lid though.

Next Generation W212 E-Class Pictures

Here are two images (spotted at Auto-Motor-und-Sport website) of the all-new Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W212) due sometime late 2008/early 2009.

Looking like a enlarged C-Class, the new E seem to have abandoned twin-round 'eyes' headlamps for a design that's a cross between the current Lexus GS and the new W204 C-Class.
Moving to the rear, Mercedes seem to have improvised on - and widened - the new C's butt by adding elements of the new LS460's rear lamps flanking the registration plate at the back. Resulting in a boot cover section that even reminisce Saab's 9-3 sedan to a certain extent!


Will this be the final production version of the next generation Mercedes-Benz W212 E-Class?

For pictures of the estate version go here:

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/fotos/foto-shows/mpsfshw_show_501910_14015.hbs?ext_index=0

Spied: Mercedes-Benz W212 E-Class

By Dr Long

The successor to the current W211 E-Class isn't expected to make its official public appearance until the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. Codenamed unsurprisingly - in an ascending numerical tag - as W212, right hand drive units are predicted to roll off production line only by early 2010. Yet, DaimlerChrysler AG has been caught busy with its development work of late.

In trend with current developments seen in the new C-Class (W204) and the facelifted E-Class (W211), Mercedes is expected to standard-fit a more conventional braking system (Adaptive Brake), as the electro-hydraulic SBC set-up has proved expensive to make and maintain (costly recalls and upgrade). Electronic driver aids - ala the W221 S-Class – like advanced stability control, night vision assist and lane departure warnings will be standard in the higher end line up.

Styling is expected to take leads from the latest S-Class plus the just-premiered C-Class, with more sculpted bumpers, bulging wheel arches and more sharp-edge lines. Design cues like decked-on bonnet (as seen in the B, C and R-Class), chromed window frames and distinct rising flank lines are probably omnipresent too.

Engine range is expected to be topped by the same V8 found in the E63 AMG, being normally aspirated. However, it is still too early to predict whether the supercharged M271 all-aluminium engine will soldier on for the ‘entry-level’ models come 2010. Predictions are abound that Mercedes-Benz will likely introduce direct injection - for its petrol engines – with turbocharging as well for the smaller capacity blocks. For the European market mainly, diesel CDI variants will carry over Merc’s greener BLUETEC technology.

Pictures from channel4.com

Brabus CLS B7 Test Drive

By Dr Long

Mention the word coupe, a two-door sedan comes to mind. That is…until 2004 when DaimlerChrysler threw a spanner in the works by introducing a 4-door coupe in the form of Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class. Come to think of it, they had actually done this before – blurring the lines of distinction of a body form – when they tagged their C-Class hatchback a coupe!

Well, so much for nomenclature. Imagine the enthusiasm when Naza-Brabus invited me to review their tuned and kitted version: the CLS B7. Brabus is after all a respectable tuning house with a good 29 years of expertise re-working on numerous 3-pointed stars and counting...

This stunning Mercedes-Benz C219 shares the same 2854mm E-Class’ wheelbase, albeit with longer overhangs - especially at the front – making it longer by about 105mm. The CLS is also wider, for both tracks and body making it visually larger than the W211.
Looking sleek and menacing in black, the B7’s flared front wheel arches runs backwards into a distinctive band just below the beltline, culminating in a very shapely arc to the rear. Within the wheel arches lurks massive Brabus Monoblock VI dual-spoke design alloys: 8.5J x 19”. Chromed window surrounds – making a comeback in most new MB models – lends a highlight of classy elegance to the roof-window arch and beltline. Interiorly, the dashboard looks more British than Teutonic, with a big chunk of ‘wood’ splashed across it. Instruments panel looks like they come right off the E-Class production line save for the bulging pods layout with distinctive chrome rings. Similarly, parts like the Thermotronic A/C controls, power windows’ switches, column stalks, dash buttons, radio-CD, door handles and ashtrays are very familiar looking too. Conversely, the new-design four spoke steering wheel goes into the E-Class facelift.

Window sills are higher than the ‘normal’ Mercedes saloons, but it’s nowhere claustrophobic inside, even with the lower ceiling. Seating position is low, snug and comfortable. My burly frame also fitted in the rear rather well, despite being less spacious than the E-Class. Ingress and egress to the rear – which sits only two – may be hindered by the sloping door aperture. Boot is also less capacious than the W211 Brabus K4 (500 vs. 530litres); obviously style dictating form over function.

Popping up the shapely bonnet revealed a very neat engine cover, highlighted by a racing-red V-shape border with a central ‘B’ insignia and Brabus B7 inscriptions bilaterally. Nestled underneath is Mercedes’ M272 engine in V6 configuration with a displacement of 3498cc, churning out 287bhp and 360Nm (as opposed to the standard 272bhp/350Nm). The same motor can be found in the SLK350, S350, R350 as well as the new ML350. One notable ‘relic’ in this new generation Merc is the SBC brake module plus its paraphernalia. Surprisingly still standard equipment here, despite some patchy reliability issues associated with this electro-hydraulic brake system in the W211s.

Firing up the ignition button on the gear knob, the normally aspirated quad-cam 24-valves motor comes alive with a purr. Run this V6 along with the superbly smooth 7-G Tronic auto ‘box, the engine’s sporty note – almost guttural but somewhat muted – is simply lovely as it stretches past the 6000 rpm mark. The Brabus Sports exhaust sounded quite Porsche-like with its deep-bassy growls. But after a long drive, it’s decidedly better NOT to have this ‘show-off’ quad exhaust ports in place of the OE bi-ovals, as these mufflers can boomingly tired out your eardrums!

The engine is responsive and willing. It pushes meaningfully from 2000rpm onwards, not due any inherent lag from the powerplant but likely due to the inertia of this 1.75 tonne beast. Gun it past 2500rpm (and that’s no sweat) you get dollops of big V6 torque, resulting in a broad band of effortless acceleration. Power delivery is delightfully smooth with the ever affable RWD dynamics a plus point. I call this power-refinement-comfort combo. As such, speed just creeps up on you – before you know it, the speedometer is about the only thing that tells you’re doing high three digits speed.

Despite its misleading size, the car handles well in quick lane-changes, not as nimble as say a C-Class but still quite agile. It is well planted tackling sweeping bends and also very composed doing high speed highway exits. The ‘Comfort’ and ‘Sport’ settings of the Airmatic DC semi-active air suspension works beautifully. In ‘C’ mode there are more suspension travel, hence the ride is suppler and better damped. Switching over to ‘S’ mode, I could feel the steering weigh-up as well as a lowering of ride height plus the dampers becoming tauter.
In whichever drive mode, the CLS’ steering always feedback as noticeably more precise and sharper than the E-Class’ rack. Could this be the ‘Direct Control’ steering in the facelift W211? Braking performance is of course no issue here - as the SBC has always been – with this 4-door coupe always stable, even under hard braking.

The carpet-ride and quiet comfort is typically Benz – with maybe just a tad more firmness than the E-Class. Even running on sizeable 255/40 ZR19 Continentals at all corners, the ride is still unmistakably Mercedes – good for smooth and supple wafting over road surface irregularities, even over some nasty lumps and bumps.

To sum it up, the Brabus CLS B7 is a glamourised E350 in wolf’s clothing. It is pretty exclusive, looks dynamic and very sporty. For those who yearns for something different - mixing the sleek silhouette of the CL or a CLK coupe plus the practicality of four doors - look no further…only if you have closed to a million ringgit! Then again, any potential buyer may be looking at the new S-Class at this level. One definite thing that would likely tip the balance in CLS’ favour would be that often heard owner’s statement: “People always thought that I am the chauffeur whenever I drive my S-Class…”
Now, that wouldn’t happen if you were piloting the Brabus CLS B7, would it?


A sincere word of thanks is due to Mr.Danny Dato Nordin of Naza-Brabus Prai. He has since moved on to Porsche Centre Penang, Malaysia.