LaicepsYdobon

Johnny from Fifth Gear does a quick 4 minute review of the W212 E Class sedan. Enjoy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRouNluJJDI&fmt=18

clanosiris

thanks for the vid

u know what ruined it? e class = airport taxi

AsianML

I see it as a testament to the reliability and quality of the E-Class. No way in hell would they spend a good amount of money on a car that they make their living with in order for it to break down all the time.

LaicepsYdobon

Actually the video was cut off. Tom Ford responded with that saying "True, but I take that as a compliment because it just shows the reliability of the thing". I'll see if I can find a version that has all the comments at the end.

Octane

Lai**

Thanks for all the links you are posting. Test drove one the other day and it is absolutely an amazing car.

LaicepsYdobon

Your very welcome for the posts. I'm just a MB fan like everyone else on the board here and I always like sharing knowledge/links about the cars we are all gaga about

My dealer has a couple of Coupes and Sedans I just need to find the time to be able to head on over and drive them. I'm still not liking the interior of the cars but the exterior is growing on me more and more.

K-A

Interesting how he gave it the "win" over the 5-Series in about every category except for the looks department I guess (called it awkward to look at), and still only gave it a 7/10.

Also, as expected, the girls seemed to like the BMW more ("sexier" as one put it), and most of the guys liked the Benz.

The car isn't a looker to me necessarily either, but anyone who drives it won't be able to deny how impeccable it drives, and how masterfully it is engineered.

sunny_j

thats a unfair comparison. wait till the F10 comes out and i guarantee it will look 10000x times better then the w212

K-A

By the looks of it, thus far, I agree

sunny_j

and the grill looks proportional unlike the F01

K-A

Agreed. Funny thing is I think many people who appreciate the design approach and lines of the W211 would probably find themselves digging this F10 more-so than the W212 perhaps.

Wig

I think this new 5-Series' exterior looks bland, in the same way the new 7-Series is slab-sided and generic.

Obviously opinions are polarised on the W212, but I don't think the design could be called uninteresting or bland.

rieger

I am not a fan of the w212 but I saw one today and in person it looks a lot better than the pictures. I still think the w211 looks much better in the sense that 7 years later the design still looks classy but I don't think I can say that of the w212 as it is too edgy. Edgy designs always do not last long compared to smooth curvy designs.
Looked at the new Jaguar XfR today and I think that car is great inside and out and in many reports outdrives the 5 and the E. Just have to get over that it is now owned by Tata.
The new 5 should be much better than the current 5 because I can't imagine it being much worse, and hopefully then can engineer the new 5 so it is better in the side impact crash test than a Kia. That is one of the good things about a MB is that you always can guarantee that it is safe.

K-A

I agree about smooth designs aging far better than edgy ones, and I also agree that the XFR is amazing, and that the only thing (aside from the uncharacteristically bulbous headlights) keeping me away from really considering one at some point is the fact that it's owned by Tata.... Just don't think I could ever do it.

The new 5 I'm optimistic will be great, and the design leader in its class.... Maybe aside from the XF.

Also Wig, I don't see the 7 as being slab-sided at all, it actually has a very toned, and lean look from the side, which is something many current (fatty) BMW can't say. The ex 7'er was indeed slab-sided. The F01 I see has a traditional, and timeless look to it, yet has enough details and sculpting to make it interesting. But obviously different people will have different reactions.

I think the W212 is a very interesting design in that is looks both boring and generic/bland, and artful, aggressive, and busy/fussy at the same time, or at least depending on who's looking. That's one of the reasons I don't like it, seems like it's trying to be too many things and doesn't have a quintessential character to it, kind of a mix of a few different cars/ones.

clanosiris

found this - 2010 BMW 5 series (F10)

i don't like the back and the front doesn't look that aggressive. the new e-class has a better front

K-A

That's way way off, it won't look like that at all.

Below is a very close rendition. IMO that front is an amazingly proportioned, no non-sense design. IMO it makes the W212's face look awkward and over-designed. Also, the rear is a tad bland (I think the real version will have a more dynamic rear), but it almost looks like a classier, and better version of the W212's in a weird way IMO.

E3LAL

For what I'm looking for in a car, the W212 beats the new 5. It seems like this new 5 is the same as previous generations. Don't like that in cars.

K-A

Well the last 5'er was a complete revolution over the old one, and as such, it was a bit rough around the edges and un-refined in its execution (normal thing that happens during the first revolutionary design), this one will be an evolution of that. I usually prefer evolutions as they are further "perfected" versions of an existing idea. The W212 has gone for the "revolution" route in what M-B is trying to do with the E-Class, and as such, it will probably also be further refined and enhanced when the next generation comes out (which will be an evolution).

But, of course, different strokes for different folks. It's funny because the last several years I've been on the E's "side" as I hate the E60, now it looks like I'm on the other side of the table, as each car has kind of flipped sides to me, lol.