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Mercedes-Benz E Class sedans debut with two dazzling models
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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CAMBRIA, Calif. -- Narrow California 1, the Pacific Coast Highway, clings to ramparts of the Santa Lucia Range along the Big Sur Coast high above the Pacific Ocean.
The breathtaking route, chiseled into steep slopes dotted by towering green redwoods with a white mist hovering above the expanse of Pacific blue currents, extends for a hundred miles from Carmel-By-The-Sea at the northern tip to Cambria at the southern tail.
Spectacular vistas of mountains and sea along the convoluted coast lure a multitude of tourists each summer and the route often clots with sightseeing vehicles that reduce the flow of traffic to a snail's pace.
On a glorious morning so early that most Big Sur travelers are still napping, we find a clear lane down the Big Sur PCH while steering the latest design for a luxurious E Class mid-size sedan by Mercedes-Benz of Germany.
This shapely E320, packing a six-cylinder engine and more sophisticated equipment for safety, navigation and comfort than you can quickly enumerate, takes over the winding road, dominating the asphalt with rock-solid stability expressed through precisely carved turns and spurts of speed down the infrequent straightaway.
Not only does the car propel its riders to speed in a confidence-inspiring manner, but it envelops them in an elegantly stylish package that contains world-class safety gear and luxurious comforts laced through the tony passenger compartment.
Consider it a dazzling display of slick automotive design as well as a moveable showcase for the Mercedes aggregate of high-tech mechanical controls and inventive safety systems.
E320 and a V8-powered E500, representing fresh generational designs for 2003 E Class mid-size luxury sedans, are built on a new platform with new sheetmetal encasing fine appointments and sophisticated controls.
The volume model E320 orients to value with price points undercutting the previous edition despite more gear aboard, while E500 is the performance version with superior handling trails and the engine's size and power increased over the previous E430 edition.
New E Class sedans measure slightly larger than predecessors -- with about an inch added to wheelbase, package length and height. That's enough to expand the cabin ever so slightly and force slightly more mass on the pavement to hone the handling traits.
Styling for E320 and E500 evokes an emotional response with the dramatic face framing a windswept streak of lines running from the low-cast prow to a high-hiked tail through an arching profile with coupe styling on the roof due to blacked-out center pillars.
A familiar horizontal grille in chrome marks the face unmistakably as a Mercedes, but it's raked and streamlined to match smooth lines sweeping rearward. So much streamlining works for this package, in fact, that it's one of the most aerodynamically efficient production cars in the world.
The pentagonal grille is flanked by pairs of articulated oval headlamps.
This is a fresh and clean interpretation of double-bubble headlamp clusters on preceding E Class cars as 1996 models and subsequently applied in variations to most models in the Mercedes fleet.
The canted hood and bulging fenders incorporate striking curves of the headlamps and extend them rearward in taut lines. Stylists from Mercedes say these lines were inspired by human anatomy and the smooth ripples compare to toned muscles on an athlete.
Images of an athlete in action come to mind when pushing the E320 through a demanding course, such as the endless wiggles of the PCH, and a similar trek in the E500 only magnifies the experience due to the significant boost in power.
Nomenclature for Mercedes vehicles consist of alphanumeric designations, with the class size defined by an alphabetical letter and the engine volume expressed in liters and translated into three digits.
Thus, the E320 takes its name from the E Class of mid-size sedans and its 3.2-liter V6 engine turns into the numbers 320.
Likewise with E500, it packs a 5.0-liter V8.
The V6 -- with single cam on top and an electronic throttle device dubbed "adaptive accelerator" -- produces 221 hp at 5700 rpm plus 232 lb-ft of torque peaking between 3000 and 4800 rpm.
The V8, also found in a number of other Mercedes products, runs up to 302 hp at 5600 rpm with 339 lb-ft of torque between 2700 and 4250 rpm.
Both engines earn the ULEV (ultra low emission vehicle) certification.
Transmission employed with either plant is the impressive Mercedes five-speed automatic, which brings one-tap clutch-less shifts through a TouchShift stick.
There are devices aboard to stabilize forward movement and tire traction, smart brakes and adjustable suspension settings, plus multiple air bags to cushion the human cargo.
Sensors in the suspension system determine vehicular payload, speed and road conditions, and they can adjust dampers on shock absorbers to smooth out or firm up the ride quality. Still other devices measure wheel speed and lateral acceleration and can brake an individual wheel to correct potential skidding or spinning of the car.
E Class models also have electronic brakes in a brake-by-wire system labeled Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC).
Besides electronic braking, both sedans stock a new four-link front suspension coupled to the adaptable device called Airmatic that brings selectable levels of comfort and ride height.
A new design for the five-seat cabin draws on fine leathers and rich polished hardwoods, and high-tech Mercedes options appear like Keyless Go, Distronic adaptive cruise control, a twin-window Panorama Sunroof and energy-generating solar panels, plus bi-xenon headlamps and a DVD-based navigation system.
The navigation system integrates a guidance system with Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) reckoning and hands-free telephone and audio controls. The driver can interact with this intelligent system and use it to control the audio, dial phone numbers or figure out where to go.
Pricing for new E Class models begins at $46,950 for E320, plus a $665 delivery fee. E500 starts at $54,850, plus the delivery charge.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E320 Specs |
| Description: |
Mid-size luxury sedan
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| Model Options: |
Mid-size luxury sedan
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| Wheelbase: |
112.4 inches
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| Overall Length: |
190.3 inches
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| Engine Size: |
SOHC 3.2-L V6
SOHC 5.0-L V8
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| Transmission: |
Auto/5 TouchShift
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| Drive: |
Rear
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| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/
SBC/ABS/BA/EBP/ASR/ESP
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| Airbags: |
2 (front) + 2 (side)
+ 4 (side curtain)
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| Gas Mileage: |
3.2-L V6: 19/27 mpg
5.0-L V8: 19/23 mpg
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| Price: |
E320: $ 46,950
E500: $ 54,850 |
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