FrankW

looks much better in person than in pictures.

was heading back to friend's apt after driving his parents to LAX (our family friends). didn't pay attention to whether it was a 350 or the 550, but overall it looked good in person.

chokaay

Thanks for posting the pic! I have yet to see one actually on the road (that is not being test-driven around the dealership).

Maybe it's just me, but if the car was any further, I would think that was the back of a Lexus (an older style one). In fact, that's what I first thought when I saw the pic (until I looked for the 2010 E-Class details... lucky I knew what to look for!).

My second thought was that although the MB and the white car in the pic are two completely different cars in completely different classes from completely different manufacturers, both of their rears have some subtle implied design similarities... too much IMO.

MBTAZ

Too funny & right next to Toyota Corperate Building too..

FrankW

and i was driving a toyota camry as well.

QuadBenz

At first I thought it was the one on the right. :p
From what I can see in that picture, I like it.

FrankW

saw another one today. this time it was the E550 with the AMG sport package and the quad fog light.

the quad fog lights look stupid as hell. I prefer the LED one.

pic with cell phone again. lol

chokaay

Wow... I still haven't seen one yet! And you've seen 2 already!

IMHO, your first pic looks like the back-half of a C300 at first glance... until you notice the subtle difference in taillight angles and the silver side trim. Not sure that's a good thing...

FrankW

well, the 212 and the 204 shares like 40% of the chassi design or something...so it's not surprising. in person tho the 212 looks pretty wide and low.

220S

I've seen a few on the road. I think they look better in pictures than in real life. Now the E Class blends in with all the other cars on the road. It has no presence.

The first time I saw one on the road, I had to look closer as I honestly thought it was just a Lexus.

I'm super disappointed.

btw, I went to a MB sponsored unveiling a few months ago. The most common response was that it looks like a Japanese car now. One of the staff said, "well, maybe a facelift will come early to this car." What it needs most is a butt lift.....

chokaay

I FINALLY saw one up-close in person (although it was at the dealership's collision center... poor owner ).

I have to say that I agree with you. From the back the new E-Class looks underwhelming compared to it's predecessor... or any other Mercedes at the dealership for that matter. It was probably the most "bland" car rear there... even less exciting that old CLK rears (and that's saying A LOT IMO). But to give it credit, it DOES look better than the 1998 SL500 rear that I saw at the collision center (but only SLIGHTLY).

From the front, it looks just OK (slightly more aggressive because of the sharp lines, but as mentioned above... more "Japanese" than elegant).

Eventually the look will probably "grow" on the public to some degree... but IMHO I'm glad I got a 2009 E-Class.


EDIT: Just got back from the dealership again, and saw someone taking delivery of a new decked out E-Class. It was parked beside my car in the service drive. Comparing the cars back and forth, I have got to say that I am so much happier with the 2009 model instead of the 2010 model. IMO, from all angles, the 2009 exterior looks SO MUCH BETTER than the 2010 model (except for the front, in which the 2009 model just looks "BETTER" than the 2010 model). Honestly, I can't say that I'm impressed at all with the exterior of the car. The pictures on MBUSA makes the car look significantly better than it is in real life (a little photoshop magic maybe). But I can say with confidence that the 2009 E-Class + AMG Sport Package just blows all those photos away...

SoCalC55

I think ive seen ~5 on the road so far, along with seeing them at the dealership. Rear and side profiles look good, but that front looks like complete *****. Oh and the coupe completely looks like *****

/end

FrankW

went to penske to drop of the w204 for service. checked out the new E350. sport package is no charge option = nice, base price $48k = nice, premium packg included Comand and loads of goodies = nice, but the quad fog light looks horrific. overall it's a nice car for only $53k msrp. I'd totally buy this vs a no option 535i for $53k.

220S

Yeah, what's with those ridiculous fog lights? And I personally don't like the sideways L-shaped LED lamps either. It's got this kind of baller bling look to it.

It'll be interesting to see how the new BMW 5 series will look in 2011. I think it's going to out style the E Class.

gaazmon

I even seen two now in person driving: a coupe and sedan, bought black. Bought had the quad fog lights which I do not care for. The LED ones are way better.

I'm not to impressed yet, and interior wise, prefer the sedan.

chokaay

What is interesting is that from what I saw today, for the new 2010 E-Classes with the quad fog lights, the outer 2 are actually DRL's, and the inner 2 are actually fog lights (at least in the car being demonstrated today, that's what it looked like). With the new 2010 E-Classes with LED lights, those are DRL's (don't know why or where the fog lights are on those models though).

K-A

I've seen about 3 W212's parked next to '09 W211's (meaning 3 different occasions). I must say parking them side by side is a bad idea, I don't think I've ever seen a "new" model look so "un-improved" from the old. It just looks like a different car, they didn't really do anything to enhance the W211, instead, started from scratch and made this sharp edged, familiar to Japanese & BMW thing.

FrankW

umm...that would be the actual goal of making a new generation of cars. lol

would you want MB to keep the 210 and modify it just enough and then calls it a 211?

the 212 tail light design recalls a lot from the w124 and w126 days. and then modified edgier headlights to suit the theme of the car better.

K-A

No no, I mean like an evolving, which is what truly makes an ex model look "outdated". I.e: The W211 made the W210 look ancient when it came out, the W220 did that to the W140, Japanese cars always do it to each other, etc.

The W212 doesn't give the W211 an outdated look, it just looks like a more squared, tough and aggressive car, instead of the classier, sleeker, sporty and elegant look of the W211. Fact is, many cars look squared and tough and aggressive, and have for some time now (I personally see the W212 as blending in with some of them somewhat).

220S

Hmm, what you're implying is interesting. The W211 doesn't look like an older E Class, it now looks completely different. The W212 is such a jump that the link has been broken. So, now we have the W211 and the W212 but with no really obvious connection between them. They look like two different automobiles.

But one thing that is happening is that all the models are now fitting together. Before the W212, the W211 was kind of the odd one out. Now they all have the sharp edged look. I'm not condoning it, as I prefer curves and more sensual lines, but it seems like that's the established direction now. And so there's the 'continuity.'

If you go back to that E Class evolution pic, you can see a couple of the "jumps" that have occurred. https://mbworld.org/forums/3601419-post20.html

K-A

Exactly. And they are doing the continuity thing as sharp edged and relatively square/boxy/aggressive is their new language. I LOVE the prior, classier, coherent, sporty, and sensually curvaceous models, which is why I think the next decade or so might be BMW years for me (new 5-Series proportions are looking hot, and I love the new 7). Thankfully there's a whole archive of M-B history that will keep me busy in keeping with my love of M-B.

But yeah, the W212 just looks like a totally different car. I think the W211 is so gimmick free, and so non-time-specific, it doesn't look like an "old" E-Class. That's where I think the W212 went really wrong. The W211 of course was/is a huge success for M-B, even despite those HORRID first two years (Reliability wise) and if they had truly improved and enhanced what it was, like what the W211 did with the W210, I would be at my M-B Dealer RIGHT now.

FrankW

IMO...none of the E-class looked like their previous generation. It only feels like the 211 was the evolution of the w210 because of the continuity of the bug eyes. The theme is carried on into the 212 except now they made it edgier.

it's like the 204 and 203. the 203 guys don't like the 204 much, but in reality the 204 is a dramatic improvement over the 203 in handling and built quality and most importantly a solid feel to the car. look is very subjective.

I sat in the new E today also and actually went to test drive a 2005 E55 with a friend who was interested. interior quailty I give the 212 hands down. at least to me if feels that MB is trying to do what they used to do before the whole cost cutting began. to me the 204 felt like the 202 and 212 felt like the 210 in terms of how everything is put together. i love my 203 and always like the 211, but they always felt more loose.

K-A

I agree they do feel more loose, the newer M-B's are more rock solid.

Looks of course are subjective, but I think the refinement, interior, and materials in the W204 are huge steps back from the W203, as well I think sound dampening and little tid-bits here and there are regressions too. The improvements are noted however, mainly solidity, durability, etc.

I actually happen to think the W212's interior is a bit harder and less refined than the W211's, as well some materials here and there seem to be cheaper and of a more cost-cutting fare. It is a stronger and more durable feel in there though, and the difference in quality isn't as dramatic as the W203/W204 IMO, but I think they have taken away the fanciness and elegant/refinement of the W211, for a more strong/"beat the crap out of me and I'll take it" fare. Either way, I think the two are close enough that it can be subjective towards ones taste. I do think the interior of the W211 is a marvel, so it's not like it'll be a walk in the park to improve on it material-wise. However, it definitely doesn't feel as screwed-together-as-tightly as the W212.

Also, if you look at a 210 and 211 next to each other, you can see a very natural, progressive, and IMO masterfully designed evolution.

FrankW

they're all hits and misses anyway.

K-A

True that. Gonna be interesting to see how the E-Class VS 5-Series "battle" ends up this generation. Seems to be a reversal of roles in a sense (if my predictions of the F10 5'er are correct), where the M-B goes all boxed up and sharp lined and the BMW goes sleek and understated/smooth.

gaazmon

Yes, your right. The outer ones are DRLs. I wonder if the LEDs are Xenon like on the new A6 and new 911's. That would be sweet.

Lol so if you have the quad fog lights, it looks like a brabus bumper. What's brabus gonna do now for the W212 front bumper?