Styled and equipped along lines similar to the new Saloon, this sixth generation E-Class Estate is the most intelligent estate the brand has ever built.
Up to about 70 of the 500 E-Classes which Mercedes-Benz Ireland expects to sell in a full year will be this new estate which had its international launch in Hamburg last week when we got to drive the car northwards to the shores of the Baltic Sea.
In looks, it has a longer, sleeker look with longer wheelbase, large wheels and low, stretched side windows. But the frontal appearance depends on the chosen design and equipment line.
Stand out interior features for me include the luxurious seats, the fully digital multifunction double-colour display and the head-up display of the E220d version with its multi information features.
The estate will also be available with a third, folding bench seat for children.
The E220d Avantgarde Automatic will be the big seller here priced at €55,700 ex-works. It will be available to order in a few weeks as a 2017 model. Also available to order will be an Exclusive version at €58,100 and the AMG line at €61,415. Following in time will be a E350d, E350e Hybrid and a powerful 43 AMG. All models at launch have a 9-speed automatic transmission.
We got to drive the 220d, the 350 and the powerful AMG Line at launch. The performance of each impressed hugely.
With peak torque of 520 Nm, the 3.0 V6 biturbo engine takes just 4.6 seconds to go from 0-100km/h.
The Drive Pilot system enables the car to drive partially automated on motorways, country roads or even in the city. The car is also capable of mitigating hazardous situations by means of autonomous braking. You can use a smartphone to lock and unlock your vehicle and to manoeuvre it into and out of tight parking spaces.
Driver Assistance Systems as standard include Active Brake Assist, to support drivers during emergency braking; Attention Assist, to alert the driver to inattentiveness or drowsiness; and Crosswind Assist, which lessens the effects of strong crosswinds.
Recognising that demand for estate models is not as strong in Ireland as in other European markets, Mercedes-Benz sales manager in Ireland, Ciaran Allen, believes this E-Class Estate will 'turn convention on its head and be a compelling model offering for urban and rural owners alike’.
