Mercedes-Benz Bringing New E-Class Cabriolet to Geneva
The Cabriolet Rounds Out the E-Class Family, Joining the Current Sedan and Coupe. And It Does So in Glorious Fashion
The new E-Class Cabriolet will make its public debut at the Geneva Auto Show later this month, combining Mercedes’ wonderful mid-sized body style with open-top motoring and comfort for four. For the first time ever, this E-Class will be available with optional 4MATIC all-wheel drive, providing four-season usability. Being a modern Mercedes, it will, of course, have a powerful engine, and a good mixture of comfort and sporting suspension to give the driver an excellent experience behind the wheel. With this new product launch, the E-Class family is now complete, and all-new.
The new car’s design mimics that of the E-Class Coupe, keeping a similar silhouette with the soft convertible top up. Of course, the front features Merc’s now familiar diamond-block grille and central oversized three-pointed-star. The muscular hood bulges only give a light insinuation of what lies beneath. The long hood stretches out the frontal proportions of the car to help promote that sense of power. The beltline stretches back in one long, upswept curve that looks great on the Cabriolet. The car’s haunches converge to form something of a smiling rear-end with simple, yet beautiful LED tail lamps. This is a car that looks particularly good in profile.
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The soft convertible top is available in dark brown, dark blue, red or black. It is a multi-layered affair with a high-tech insulation that helps to reduce wind and road noise. This new top improves interior noise, which makes it easier for occupants to hold a conversation, even at, ahem, high speeds. The softtop structure also keeps the harsh weather out of the cabin, helping the air conditioning in the summer, and the heater in the winter to be more effective. This top can still be opened or closed in 20 seconds when driving at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. Top operation is said to be quiet, and is stored safely in the trunk.
Compared with the outgoing E-Cab, the new E-Class Cabriolet has grown in every dimension. The new car is now 5″ longer, 2.9″ wider, 1.4″ taller, and makes use of a 4.4″ longer wheelbase. Even the track width has grown 2.5″ front and 2.9″ rear. That adds up to a pretty large car totaling 190″ in length, 73.2″ in width, 56.2″ high, and a 113.1″ wheelbase. The increased dimensions actually lend to the car’s improved cornering performance, which can mainly be attributed to the increased track width. The larger footprint also greatly benefits rear-seat passenger comfort, even for full-sized adults.
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The E400’s 3.0L twin-turbocharged V6 engine produces an impressive 329 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque, and will be mated to Merc’s 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission. In the E400 Coupe, the drivetrain returns up to 29 mpg on the highway, and the Cabriolet should be capable of similar numbers. Expect an E550 Cabriolet to be along shortly after, with the 4.7L twin-turbocharged V8 engine. Brand-new E400 Cabriolets are expected to be delivered to customers by the end of the current calendar year. Pricing has not yet been announced, but it is expected to be in line with current E400 pricing.
For more information on the new E-Class Cabriolet, view the full Mercedes-Benz press release here.
