The new E-Class will make its global debut at the upcoming 2016 Detroit Motor Show in January. The info came directly from Mercedes-Benz design chief Gorden Wagener, who spoke to Autocar on the sidelines of the LA Auto Show.
The fifth generation of the premium saloon will adopt the design language we’ve already seen on the C- and S-Class, but its interior will “move forward two generations”. Wagener said that going back inside the current E-Class after stepping in the new one will be “like going back to the stone age”. The mid-size saloon, code-named W213, will have two 12-inch screens, twin analog dials and will look a lot like the S-Class.
The new E-Class will be based on the MRA modular platform and, thanks to the use of high-strength steel and aluminum, it is expected to drop approximately 100 kg (220 lbs) from its total weight.
The engine lineup will include new four-cylinder diesels, codenamed OM654, in addition to the existing four-cylinder petrol units. A new 2.0-liter diesel, reportedly in two versions, that will be be adopted across the range from the A-Class to the S-Class, will be joined by a 3.0-liter diesel, new six-cylinder petrol burners and a 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol four paired to an electric motor in the E350e plug-in hybrid.
The range-topping variant, the E63 AMG, is expected to debut late next year. It will be powered by a 4.0-liter V8 twin-turbo engine in two states of tune, with the high-end model producing around 600 PS (592 HP).
The new 9-speed auto will be added to the lineup and all-wheel drive will, once again, be an option.
The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class will be offered as a sedan at first, followed by the estate, coupe and cabrio versions.
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