Baloo588

For those of you living in the snow-belt region of the United States. I have recieved information from autospies.com that the 4Matic version of the E-Class will more likely be available this november/december time than next March. Do any of you know when exactly this option will come out? Should I go ahead and put my name down for a E500 4matic and wait till its available to customize? Let me know,
Dave

northbenz

Do you have a link to the autospies report? Are they suggesting the 4-Matic will be delayed until November of 2003 or did you understand that it is being moved up to November 2002 availability? Also - any indication if this is only for European models and that U.S. Spec 4-Matic E Classes will only be available at some later date?

For what it is worth,the MBUSA build your own new E-Class site does reference in the footnotes that the sport package option is not available with 4-Matic. It seems odd they would even reference the 4-Matic if it was not going to show up at least some time during the current model year.

Marcus Benz or others with dealerships , or who have asked your dealer- can you answer the question of whether the netstar ordering system even allows an order to be placed for a 4-Matic 2003 E Class?

Baloo588

The website is simply www.autospies.com. They have talked about the E-Class a lot and I send them a email regarding the 4MAtic and they replied to me saying that Nov/Dec 2002 is more likely for it to come. They are accurate and show alot more information than any other spy reports. They are mentioning the U.S. E-Class 4matic because their businesses are in California and only talk about foreign cars coming to the U.S.
I also asked my Mercedes dealership in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and they said that it will come some time in mid-march.
I need a new car by this winter, and was wondering if maybe the E-Class 4Matic could possible come earlier than March. Let me know.

northbenz

For what it is worth, Automobile magazine reports in its September issue that the 4-matic may be available on the E Class as early as March 2003. Those of you at dealerships or who have attempted to order 4-Matic, is there any substance to this?

mrgolf25

i live in canada so i know snow there really isn't a big deal between rwd and 4-matic as long as you have now tires you'll be fine.

northbenz

Anyone at a dealership who has heard anything definitive as to when 4-matic will be available for the new E Class? I can understand MBUSA desiring to clear their inventory of the presently available 2003 E's without 4-Matic before announcing the availability of the 4-Matic, but there are many in snow country who are going to tire of delaying their purchases (or heaven forbid go for a 4 wheel drive Audi or BMW) if the delay is too long. Unless MBUSA considers the only market they care about to be California and Florida I can't imagine the rest of their dealers being too happy about not being able to cash in on the sale of a new model while it is still hot simply because an important option is not yet available.

Technologically it make no sense either. 4-Matic is going to be available on the C and S Classes before the end of the year and yet the E Class is the Mercedes that had it first and customers have now learned to expect it to be available on the E. The only thing I can surmise is that Mercedes might be intending to create a whole new body variation to go along with 4-Matic such as Volvo has done with their Cross Country and Subaru pioneered with their Outback. This could explain holding off until the new body work was available.

BenzE

I am a 4matic fanatic. I was at the MB Dealership in Buffalo, NY this weekend, where we put a deposit down on an E500 4matic, with a big fat note stating that if a wagon is coming, we want that. The sales rep said that they had heard whispers that the W211 4matic might be out sooner rather than later. Didn't have real stats on colors or sport package, but man, I really want those sport wheels!

Barney

I have to disagree with the post about RWD with snow tires being as good as 4 matic. It depends where you live. If it is mainly flat, perhaps you can get by with RWD. If it is hilly, you will go nowhere with RWD and only a little futher with front wheel drive. AWD is what you need. Once the snow gets over a few inches, the small tires on the E's are also a problem. My ML gets around much better than a 4-matic E in those conditions just because of the beefier tires.