K-A

I also would no way buy a 2012 MY at least until maybe 6 or so months passes on the build dates. Firstly, to observe any initial quality problems, and secondly, to let the DTB's and initial quality problems pass through, to await motors/trannies with refinements to hopefully eliminate them. Even the more basic current 3.5L V6's had some long-term potential issues with the early ones, that were corrected with the 2010 models.

I am also of the same suspicion. It was around the same time that M-B stated it could not get the initially thought MPG out of the V6 motors, due to America's crappy gas, that we started to find out the new MY's would be delayed.

RJC

The v8's have already been out in the '11 CL550's but the v6 will be all new territory for us. The good news is we don't get the start stop stuff so that may alleviate some extra bugs. MB has been fighting DFI tech for the US market for a couple of years now due to the high sulfur of our yes, crappy fuel.

alsyli

What problems were corrected in 2010? Isn't the current 3.5L engine the same one that was available during the mid-cycle update of the last-gen C- and E-classes (back in 2006 or so)?

As far as the technology goes, I'm not an engineer or a mechanic, so I have no strong feelings about the addition DI. The European last-gen CLS had a DI engine, no (I recall reading somewhere that the upcoming DI engines are the 3rd generation from MB)? And the diesel has had DI for a few years, too, correct?

dariusf

Agree

to me a spots car is a two door coupe, anything with four doors is a family car no matter what engine or suspension or names on sticker you give it


runs for the hills....

dariusf

yes there are some mini van commercials, forgot the brand, that try to taget man with lots of marketing BS describing the 'manly' features of the vans, kills me when I see it, its so funny

220S

The Porsche Cayenne SUV can out handle a Mercedes E350/550.

The skid pad figures:

Mercedes: 0.81g
Cayenne: 0.87g

The slalom figures:

Mercedes: 62.8
Cayenne: 64.2

Porsche is the one SUV that truly emphasizes the S part of SUV, and it delivers.

The E Class Mercedes is not "sporty" and never was...

"the new W212 E350 insisted on being bent into corners with care and deliberation to avoid inducing a big initial moment of body roll. And if you remained heavy-handed, the stability control would smack you with a heavier hand, flashing warnings about five times per “Hocking Ring” lap. Terminal understeer was preceded by ever-increasing tire yowl, another warning that the Benz intended to mow down honeysuckle bushes.

There were other errors, too, chief among them the steering, which offered all of the deep and contemplative feeling of Dick Cheney at a bris. It felt numb, vague, and a little heavy at all speeds, supplying slim information."

park423

I have to disagree, I think the Cayenne S/Turbo, BMW X6 50 and all Panamera's (to be fair, leaving out all AMG's, M's, V's etc) pretty much can keep up with or exceed most 2 door sports cars. Of course anything is possible if you spend enough money.

220S

Performance wise a lot of vehicles can keep up with a sports car. An Austin Healey Bug-Eye Sprite is a true sports car but I could probably outrun it on my bicycle

But I'm thinking maybe he's using the definition of "sports car" as a lightweight 2-seater coupe, which is correct. Any four door car is a sedan, although the "family" part is certainly subjective. But of course that doesn't mean you can't have high performance sports cars, sedans, GT cars, trucks, etc..

park423

I can buy that, of course I wouldn't call an X6 a sports car, just that it can produce sports car like numbers in acceleration, handling, slalom etc. Unless your 25 or it's an exotic like a Ferrari or Lambo, SUV's and sedans are so powerful these days that it almost makes a true sports car an after thought to us family guys.

K-A

These moron Editors and their steering babble.

You'd think they have the sense to separate an E-Class from a Ferrari. To them, there's only one goal: "Feel every pebble on the road, hard, harsh". Someone should send them the memo stating that an E-Class is benefited from the steering that it has. Not as numb and artificial as a Lexus, but enough so that it takes you away from the crappy rubble that is our roads (the very purpose of a Luxury Car).

dariusf

well yes, its my personal opinion and view. I don't care what performance the car has or what engine it has, if its a four door sedan, its not a sport car to me 2 seats is not a requirement a 6 series BMW is definitely a sport car to me and it has 4 seats, so does my CLK I guess a car with 4 doors just does not look very sporty to me. As for the family, well from time to time I do have two booster seats and two 8 year olds in the back of my CLK, does that turn it in to a family car?

MagicJack

My concept of 4 doors and the notion of being a sports car was shattered by driving the Mitsubishi evolution. That is a real sports sedan.

MB plays a different game, so to speak.

220S

That was my point, that you are absolutely correct in the pure definition of a sports car; it cannot have 4 doors. The 'problem' is that we mix the term "sporty" (which is totally relative) with sports car. That's why "sports sedan" is a tough one. How "sporty" is sporty? My Grandpa has a way different perspective on what constitutes a "sporty car" then what Sebastian Vettel's criteria is for "sporty car."

p.s., I sold a 964 Porsche years ago and the new owner stuffed in two baby seats in the rear. The whole family did their weekend outings that way. And it's still a sports car.

alsyli

+1. After a long day at work, sometimes you really don't want ultra-responsive steering (esp if you drive lots of freeway miles). Hate to say it, but it's true.... ::sigh::

ngerstman

Agree thoroughly. It all comes down to semantics and the fact that most of us don't want to think of ourselves as not driving a sports car so we delude ourselves into thinking that we are by driving glitzy sports sedans. There are clearly gradations however. In my mind, a Porsche 911 is a sports car. A Mazda Miata is a sports car. A BMW 335 sport is a sports car despite the fact that it has four doors. That would be my cutoff to be a sports car. An e550 sport is a luxury sports sedan not a sports car. It weighs 4000lbs and will never handle like a sports car, period. Even an e63 is not a sports car but a high end luxury sports sedan of the first order. Regards. Ned.

park423

Somehow this morphed into calling a 4-door sedan a sports car, the op had a problem with the term sports sedan for the E350, seems he didn't think it worthy to call it a sports anything. I don't think anyone was calling a sedan a sports car, just trying to justify or defend the "sports sedan" moniker.

FEGELEIN

I run my E550 4M w/ the suspension in sport and the transmission in sport 95% of the time. I feel it is a dam good performer and a "sports sedan" for sure. But it's apples and oranges compared to the 350. My old man just got out of his 08' CLS 550 and into an 11' E350 4matic, he had already complained about the motor to me. I drove a loaner E350 sport and was also disappointed. Once you are used to the brute force of the 550, you get jaded.

hyperion667

wow, this makes me glad I never even tried the V6...(350)..

park423

You get E350's as loaners from your dealer? damn, we get stripped C300's

lfranklin

I guess we're all agreed that it's not the sports car that we really yearn for, and that maybe we sometimes pretend just a little. We've had to grow up and grudgingly make compromises; but; it's not a dam**d soccer-mom van either!

ngerstman

I had the e350 4matic for 3 weeks in December before I had buyers remorse and traded it back for the e550. I too like v8 engines but to be honest, I liked the engine/tranny in the e350. It has a lot of torque and the car will move if you step on it and use the paddle shifters when appropriate. The reason I traded up to the e550 was a value equation of getting leather seats, the v8 and airmatic for not a whole lot more in Mercedes dollar terms. But don't sell the e350 v6 short. It is a very good engine. You just have to learn how to push it. Regards. Ned.

ngerstman

I got a Nissan Altima hybrid with 50,000 miles on it and odors of a cheap motel for a loaner car recently when I came in for a last minute appointment. Talk about a come down!! Give me a c300. Regards. Ned.

park423

The Nissan Altima Hybrid part sounds good, not so much on the rest. I actually prefer to get a nice non MB car as a one day loaner, a little variety but on my last service visit, my only non MB choice was a Smart car or a Lincoln Navigator XL, talk about the extremes.

ngerstman

Can I assume that you took the Navigator as opposed to the Smart death trap? Regards. Ned.

park423

Hah...at first they told me they were out of C300s and showed me those 2 choices, of course I didn't want the death trap for fear of being t-boned by a Navigator XL, but I also didn't want to spend half a tank of gas on the Nav so I *****ed about having made the service appointment a week ago and miraclously (how do you spell this word?) a C300 appeared, I hate Enterprise.