If the 2009 E-class is anything like the new S-class we are in big trouble. I just came back from the dealership - The new S-class is very cheap looking. The interior looks tacky and flimsy with fake looking metal switches. The interior on the current E-class is much better. The S-class comes with crappy $90.00 ContiTouring tires. I just replaced mine with Michelin PS2 Pilots which have a far better ride on dry and wet surfaces and much less road noise. I guess I better take good care of my 2003 E-500 because the future for Mercedes looks bleak. If only we could have the reliability of Lexus, the performance of BMW and an Audi interior.

 

I'm sure this post will go unnoticed.

Oh well, let you $$$ do the talking and get what you like.

 

Why the recent assumption that the W212 will debut as a MY 2009, presumably in calendar year 2008? That would mean a six-year life for the W211, but the W210 ran for seven years. It would also mean that the anticipated MY '07 "facelift" would be good for only two years. Is there any hard evidence out there that the W212 will arrive for MY 2009 instead of MY 2010?

If you're right about the W212 (whenever it appears), it would be a pity, but it coudn't be worse than what BMW did to the 5-Series when they replaced the E39 with the E60. That broke my heart, especially since we didn't have the option of keeping our E39 - it had been totalled in an accident. I don't like the new Lexus styling theme, and don't get me started on the Audi "bass mouth" grilles. Seems to me that more and more cars are being designed for somebody else, and that my options are really shrinking.

 

If VW decides to build a "baby flying spur" in the Bentley lineup at the $100K price point, the new S Class is in for a world of hurt. VW has lots of manufacturing capacity in that segment because the Phaeton line bombed, and they are busy converting the factory for Bentley production.

 

The Phaeton line Bombed because VW dealerships are usually poorly run, with extremely poor service departments, and virtually no parts on hand to effect repairs.

...and NOBODY wants to spend that much money on a car and stand in line at a service department next to a mistreated, disgruntled VW owner being mishandled by an indifferent Service Guy.

Now, if VW wanted to save itself in this country (where it had a major part of the import car business many years ago), it should award VW franchises to Toyota & Nissan Franchise holders who would have their employees train VW employees in the art of running an auto store franchise. It would also do well to hire parts network people away from these same companies. If not, they are doomed here, no matter what VW Germany builds.

Cars are now commodities, its ALL ABOUT the aftersale experience.

 

A while back mbspy.com (no longer operating) posted a roadmap of model changes that listed the 212 as coming in 2009 no doubt late ’08. They were correct in calling the 221 (’07 s-class), I see no reason why they wouldn't be correct with the 212 also.

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...highlight=w212

 

Look at the W221 forum, and you'll see this exact same post.

 

It is not worse than what BMW did to the 5 series. I owned BMWs since the 1970s including an E39 which I loved. The E60 solidified my decision to buy the E-500. Maybe BMW is getting smart - they did de-bangleize the 7 series.

 

Well, OK. 3 1/2 years ago a web site that is no longer in operation predicted 2009 for the W212. Since the web site can't be checked, the reference in the old thread to "2009" could just as easily be a reference to calendar year as model year.

I wouldn't give mbspy.com too many posthumous props for predicting the appearance of the W221 for MY 07. It was an easy call, since the W220 S-Class had an (ahem) seven year run, from MY 2000 to MY 2006. In any event, nothing I say or do will have any bearing upon when the W212 arrives. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

Sorry for the bad "pano" mix on the cover, but it's the best I could do.

 

Sooo, we'll wait and see?

 

I posted this link last year and it seems credible. It is a matrix of Mercedes Models for the next 10 years.


http://www.ollihart.de/mercedes/zukunft/inhalt.php

 

Why all the griping? I think the new S Class looks fantastic. Just saw another one round the neighbourhood. Much more masculine and defined than the last S Class.

 

for the 2009 version they will 1) fix the electronic braking and steering system. 2) greatly improve the reliability ( unlike when the w211 when it came out) 3) upsize the car. If they do something like the w221 to the w212 as it would look sportier, have presence. 3) and I 'm hoping they will improve the steering to that of bmw 5-series.


I have the previous e-class version, but mine is just about dead ( 145K ) If it comes out in 2009, I think I can hold out 2 -3 yrs and just buy a redesigned version, for the same money.

 

... and the years along the top row obviously refer to calendar years, not model years. It has the initial W212 appearing in calendar year 2009, undoubtedly as a 2010 model, and that seems exactly right. The release of the facelifted W211 probably won't happen in the remaining two weeks of this month, as predicted by the chart, but then the chart is at least a year old and things get delayed.

 

Guess I'm locked into the new S-class at lease end '08.