wblynch

I saw the new E-class in black driving on the 405 freeway through Long Beach yesterday.

It had very minimal camouflage, basically flat black paint and some small vinyl appliques.

It reminds me much of the C-class and surprisingly it's barely larger than my W204.

The butt end definitely looks like a generic Japanese car. Very disappointing.

For this car I can truly say, BUTT ugly !!

220S

^^^ yeah, it's really unfortunate.

revstriker

I've been on this forum for a number of years, and every time a picture of the new model comes out, people always blast its design. Then when it actually comes out, people start to like it. I suspect this new model will be the same.

220S

I think it's more like people will get used to it and eventually accept it. Or will simply have to accept it as there will be no choice. But in comparison to the current model, the design is certainly going a different direction.

A case in point, is the 'Bangle-debacle' of BMW design. Some people never got over it. Many owners fled and replaced their existing models with another marque altogether.

wusty

IMO, Glorified Toyota Avalon. Now it's officially a Grandpa car. Tchau E Class.

MB Fanatic

To me this is Mercedes' attempts to go retro and bring back that boxy/classy look of the W214, W210. Then the W210 came out people hated it, but now its a classic.

rkao

Agreed that MB's design department seems to be reaching back into its archives for future styling. As I've just posted in the W211 AMG forum on a similar subject, I rather like the retro styling of the W124 E-class, especially the E500 and the CE coupe, so am looking forward to seeing what the W212 E-class in person, probably at the NYIAS in April - assuming it doesn't get canceled with the doom and gloom in Manhattan these days...

I guess I am in the minority that IMHO, the earlier executions of this middle class Teutonic executive saloons were my favourite in terms of exterior styling - cars like the W124 E-class and the E28/E34 generations of the BMW 5-series still strike a chord with me whenever I see a well preserved example on the road, especially in the AMG/M flavours.

Even the W126 S-class, both the SEL and SEC versions, still look great whenever I see them on the road. I had built a 1/24 scale Tamiya model kit of the Lorinser version of the 560SEC as a teenager and it's still an understated elegant design that is timeless.

pmb600

I think the sport version of this car with AMG package will look great as the current one does. I hated the current generation W211 until they did the facelift in 2007 and now I liked it enough to buy one. I think this car is gonna look great in person and the coupe looks even hotter.

I agree rear end though is a slight let down.

Meeyatch1

Don't you have two Japanese cars?

Boulder GT3

I drove along side one for about and hour this morning in Colorado. I assume they were doing high altitude or cold weather testing. A w211 was with him for a wing man. Nothing I could ding on the new car. It looked good.

220S

You mean w/no camo? A whole hour?! And you didn't take pics!!??

I saw a mule several days ago on the 405 near Long Beach but still had camo......

Boulder GT3

I'm friggin' brain dead. I had a good SLR in the back seat.

No camo on it at all just lots of road salt. Looked to be a shade darker than Barolo with ash leather.

The car will look really good with the AMG kit on it.

The more I think about it I'm pretty meh on the car. I definately did not have the reaction to it I did the first time I saw a W210.

It has more sculpting than the S class and looks closer to a C.

locomercedes

I do, my wifes and my son's cars. And actually I like the japanese design in some japanese cars. But when I buy german, I don't want japanese styling. When people look at my E500 from any angle, there's no mistaking it for a japanese car.

ml3500

lol what a complete disaster

the 2010 is hideous, its a Lexus GS haha

those of you with the W211, feel grateful

K-A

How did the overall shape/stance of the car look to you? Any better than the Pics?

Sorry, this is an idiotic question, but by more sculpting do you mean like more defined shapes/styling than the S-Class? That would make sense, it seems M-B always adds some extra flare to the E-Class over the S-Class when it comes out (think 140-210, 220-211).

Same here, I like alot of Japanese cars, but if I want Japanese I'll get the real thing, when I buy German I want something very non-Japanese looking and certainly not something striving to look Japanese.

alashram

I cannot judge based on those pictures but I can say that Mercedes will have a very hard time to make something better than the current E-Class (w211). They shouldn’t lose the rounded head lights, this is the E-Class signature!

Dema

W212 speedometer can look like below:

Polar Bear

I do wonder if it will be an LCD panel or if that will remain exclusive to the S/CL.

K-A

Am I the only one who thinks the LCD panel looks a bit cheap-y? I've never driven one so I can't say I have much experience with it, but whenever I look into one or see pictures it doesn't strike me as all too fancy per-se.

Dema

Lumeniscent display has even low end Toyota, so from this point view it can be considered cheap. Actually Toyota first introduced this type of display and then Mercedes copied it for S class.
I can't be certain if it is real picture (not photoshop), however I like it more than current E class has.

pmb600

This is not a "luminecent" display, it is an actual LCD screen.

The W212 will not have an LCD display for speedometer, it will have a conventional display.

rkao

At the time I leased my E63, I had actually ordered an S550 4matic so had a few test drives in the W221 S-class. IMHO, the displays worked really well and were flawlessly executed.

I especially like the new gen COMAND display with the LCD display of the radio and audio functions, but on an old style analog scale - that was pretty cool in my books.

So, I wouldn't have minded if the W212 instrument panel followed the W221 S-class.

michakaveli

Amazing how much estrogen they were able to inject into that design... That thing looks AWEFUL! I still love the w210 the best, but after so many years I'm also warming up to the w211 The current E63 is perfection for the w211 as far as looks are concerned.

pmb600

I agree with you, I think the screens in the S-Class are great. They look great in all lighting conditions too. Based on everything I have read and spy shots I've seen, they won't be putting the LCD screen for the spedometer in the new E-Class at this time. Most likely due to cost. There is a reason those S-Class cost so much!

hdtv22

Car looks 100% like a Toyota Camry, definitely losing the E350 feel of the current generation and replacing it with a futuristic but cheap and japanese feel