DCist

Last May? You mean May 2009 or May 2008?

As far as 4matics go: they will come in late 2009...possibly even 2010...so that might be the reason why this is happening.

zaxxon

I mean late May 2009. I'm 3rd in the waiting list of the dealer I ordered. the dealer told me production date may be in September or October.
I have time to ask dealer to try steal gray/natural beige color combo before my order locked.

Is there anyone knows which E550 sedan(with what options) can get three spoke steering wheel with flat bottom shape? Nobody knows in the dealer I ordered....

220S

Welcome to the world of pre-ordering first year models. Same issues with all Euro mfgs. Audi hasn't let them off the boat until they can figure out pricing (currency issues.) And dealers rarely know what's what as it is.

It'll all be ironed out eventually.

DCist

It comes with the Sport Package, which you would not have to pay for. It is standard, I believe, on both 550 and 350. You just have to specify it. Opposite to Sport Package there is Luxury one. That one comes with 1 tone interiors, and less aggressive look. I am surprised that the dealer did not know that. It could not have been Euromotorcars....could it?

You might want to reconsider 4matic. I see that you live in DC. I do too. We do not really get that much snow to warrant a 4matic. Cars with this option end up a bit heavier....and not necessarily better in handling. In fact, I even prefer driving a RWD...unless it is an Audi or a Porsche. 4matic will most definitely delay your order by several months.

zaxxon

I checked all E350/E550 sedan with sport package in the dealer and found nothing with three spoke wheel.
No one in the dealer knows what happened and is going on....


Actually the E550 4matic will be replacement of my current SUV and my other car is SLK55. So, I really need at least one AWD for winter even if we didn't get heavy snow in past few years. But, I remember there were few heavy snows in late 90's and at that time I stuck in the middle of 270...

robalo220

I will be glad to post when I pick up my new E350 P2, sport, black with tan interior on Wednesday or Thursday. The looks are beginning to grow on me but not crazy about the tail lights yet. I'll keep you posted.

blueC230K

Grandpa, father and son

K-A

Wow that's awesome! That seems to be a Coupe yes?

Any more pictures of all 3?

I don't know why, but I'm growing to re-kindle my love for the W210 more and more, you know a great design when after the initial "dated-ness" of it when a new car sometimes launches, after almost another decade, it starts to look more beautiful and classic than ever.... That's a true testament to great designers.

blueC230K

Yes that is a coupe. I wish they offer AMG bodykit for the 350, but I guess not at this moment. However, I do like the oval exhaust over the trapazoidal pipe in the 550.

I have to agree with you. There's something in the 210 that makes you love it forever. It is still my favorite even it is getting older

I will try to take some more pictures next week. I want to have all 3 cars detailed. I spent 5 hours Zainoed on the coupe this week. The surface is so slippery now haha

QQQ

C$62,900, or some $13K below W211 E350 4Matic

Boulder GT3

This one made me laugh. K-A, you deserve the whinemaster award.

I think it's a huge stretch to think the 211 will be a classic. It's a good car but nothing exceptional. A nice solid base hit down the middle and nothing more. In fact, some of the cheap interior pieces and awful first two years of issues will not help it's legacy over time. In the string of E's I've owned the 211 is the only one that feels kind of cheap.

I hope everyone that has a 212 in their garage or on order enjoys them.

K-A

We truly all do have our opinions. All M-B Sedans are essentially solid base hits down the middle, just take a look at the 124. That's their technique, and why the models age gracefully. I have to say, when many people I've talked to describe the look of the W211, one of the key words they use is "classic", as in the design. The W212 doesn't have that grace, and is fussier, for better or for worse, again, we all have our opinions.

If the interior materials on the W211 are bad to you, you mustn't be crazy about the W212's. I agree, the first two years indeed will put a huge damper in the cars legacy.

Good for DCist though, his on-the-rag rants against me indeed do have some fans.

wolfepack88

Turned in my W211 E350 4 matic and picked up my W212 E350 4matic two weeks ago. Love the handling of the car, it drives like glass. I ordered it in July with the following options:

Obsidian Black
Black leather
Walnut wood
Sport Package (with 4 matic you lose twin spoke for 5 spoke wheels)
4matic
P2 Package
Split Foldings seats
Heated Steering wheel (you lose 3 spoke wheel for this option)
Parktronic

Now the a couple of things that they went backwards on which is mind boggling. You no longer can get a cradle for your phone. I have a razor phone which I had the Bluetooth MIHI cradle in my 07 E350 which kept the phone charged and utilized the vehicles antennae. So you have to have a normal cigarette lighter charger which blows. The 2nd irritating thing is the navigation controls, other than voice, cannot be used when the car is moving. Those are the two things I will miss from my W211 plus the rear side window shades for the kids which they don't have on the W212. Other than that the car is sweet. Love the drive, whisper quiet and the 7 speed transmission is smooth as silk. I also like the paddle shifters, nice addition.

K-A

Well they had to make cost cuts somewhere to make up for the $5K less asking price.

The car does drive superb, and the handling is definitely a bit more crisp and dialed in over the W211's. I also noticed the 7 Speed seemed way more hiccup free over my cars annoyingly hiccup prone offering.... However I did only drive a few miles in a brand new W212, so the comparison isn't all that fair.

Would you say it's quieter than your 211? My car is super quiet, and of course so was the 212, too close to call for me, but wondering what someone who's spend more time in both would say.

wolfepack88

Possibly my perception is skewed because the car is brand new, tires, etc. Definitely more rigid than my 07. I drive 90 miles round trip at an average speed of 75-80 mph on I-78 in NJ on my way to NY and the wicked quick, even on comfort mode as they recommended for the first 1000 miles to use Comfort over sport mode. I use the paddle shifters to compensate. Even with that speed for 80 of those 90 miles I'm averaging 23.3mpg per the computer.

Seriously I was little conflicted when I turned my 07 in. I had that car loaded with everything and with the 09 I lost two very convenient items the mihi cradle and the navigation controls while moving. The new navigation is much better resolution and I like the display. Seriously not having the cradle option in the car is stupid considering the arm rest box is enormous, there is plenty of room there and I would have paid for that option. I never had my cell phone ever run out of juice and have had that happen 3 or 4 times already because I have to remember to plug it in behind the center arm rest box because I have my valentine one taking up the cigarette port in the console.

mikeinaustin

i just test drove a 350 coupe this weekend. regarding navigation, it did everything for me while driving without using voice (didn't even try voice). the only thing i did not try was entering a specific address. for example, while driving i selected a poi from the map and from a list (all using the current position).

Tjdehya

Hey does the buttons on the left of the steering wheel in the W212 also control the nav or is it only for the "information center" like the W211?

Also I like the fact that the voice control button is on the wheel and not on a stupid stalk behind the wheel. Does anyone think/know if the W212 wheel can fit on a W211? TIA

K-A

Yeah, being a new car definitely will skew it a bit, but the W212 is undoubtedly a bit more rigid than the W211. Is that MPG better than your 211? I think mine gets a bit better MPG's at that speed, but yours is brand new, and M-B advertises the 212 as getting better mileage than the 211.

petee1997

There is another outlet in the glove box.

petee1997

K-A the W212 is more than a bit more rigid. According to MB it is 30% more rigid than the W211.

K-A

True that, I meant it felt a bit more rigid. It's not easy from the SOTP to feel rigidity, unless the lesser rigid car is a flexing mess, which the 211 is not. My point is it definitely doesn't feel "night and day", feels very much like the same car, just stronger. But yeah, you'd have to be pretty unaware of your surroundings to not realize that the car feels a bit, yet noticeably, more confident and tight. Even some mags seemed to note the bulletproof feel, yet added that it's something the previous model/s have felt as well, so them simply evolving on that is a great testament to the solidity of the car.

Being 30% more rigid is just jaw-dropping though, when I hear numbers like that, simply imagining what added benefits that gives in areas that you can't really feel on a day to day basis during regular drives, etc., just makes me wish I liked the form of the car more and more.

Wig

K-A. I detect that you are gradually warming up to the W212. Can you resist buying the W212 while you wait for the new 5 Series, which is maybe a year away?

I saw a W212 in white today. It looked amazing, but strangely smaller looking than the W211. I just can't understand why you are so against the styling.

K-A

I always have praised the engineering and tech of the car, the reason I'm so bitter against it is because I don't like the styling enough to warrant buying it and enjoying that engineering.

I don't think it's god awful looking or anything, I just think it's un-M-B like to me, and doesn't ring of the traits that the brand used to instill in the design of their cars, plus I have a hard time living with square shaped cars, just not too easy on my eyes.

But I give respect where it's due, and the car is an engineering marvel. I wrote a review a while back after I Test drove one, praising it a ton.

I'm actually not really "waiting" for the 5'er, I'm loving the car I have now, but have a sickness to always want anything that I might like "better", so if the next 5'er catches my attraction more than what I have now, I'll consider it, either as a replacement, or better yet an addition, hehe

petee1997

K-A it's like a woman with a great body but you can't stand looking at her face. Sometimes we just close our eyes and enjoy the ride. After a while she grows on you.


PS
I took delivery of my new W212 Saturday. It is not the car I had on order but has the same equipment except for tech pack and is Iridium Siver with black interior instead of the colour I ordered. I had not driven a Sed prior to this car and I must say I was not disappointed.

wolfepack88

The MPG is slightly better than my 211. As far as the extra power outlet in the glove box that isn't a practical solution have wires protruding from the glovebox.

The controls on the left steering wheel dont control the navigation as far as I can tell, I think it is the same as the 211 you will see the street info in the screen and turn info but not real control of the nav. The control of the command system is pretty good from the wheel on the on arm rest. Some of the sub menus make things a bit more complicated then they need be but that is the computer oriented design of the command system.

One little annoying thing on the keyless go is the smooth activation button on the door handle. It seems to be a little bit of delay on the locking part as it doesn't pick up your touch right away like the 211 did with the more mechanical push of the button. It almost seems like the same control on my Pioneer Blu ray player which is more of touch sensitive without the sensation of actually pushing the button on the handle. Minor issue but I've already on occasion just used the key in my pocket.

Another minor issue is the it seems every time you use the window washer it activates the washer on the head lights to. Not necessary and there isn't a separate control like the 211 which I used about twice in 3 years now you will use extra fluid for no reason in most cases.