golfster

I like the new style, but for those who don't, they may be able to take comfort that this is just a more extensive than usual mid-cycle facelift. If MB keeps with what was the previous cycle, this facelifted model will only be out for ~3 years before a complete new model is out. Although it seems the long standing tradition of 7ish years of an almost static design are over, there are positives to that as well. Time moves on and styles change.

And since these are not collector cars in limited supply (in fact, quite the opposite), they take a pretty hefty hit on depreciation each year, regardless of design change.

BenzE350

Good point. I'd like to see the sedan with the sport package.

I think it will be a nice improvement over the current W212, but would need to see it in person.

alsyli

You can see it here (scroll down):
http://www.carspyshots.net/showthrea...t=21436&page=2

There are quite a few of the older MB sedans running around LA w/ a modified grille (replacing the lamella w/ the "sports" grille). They look horrible. The lamella grille generally is taller and narrower than the sports grille, I think, so keeping the same proportions as the lamella grille but simply transplanting the sports grille onto it looks very, VERY wrong, IMHO. And very cheap. I find it kind of horrifying that they won't offer the traditional grille at all in certain markets.

As far as offering both is concerned, the LA market will probably mainly receive the sport grille, if the distribution of C-classes here is any indication (there were very difficult to find on the lot). ::sigh::

It's just so odd that the E-class (both the original design and the re-design) are so... ODD. The newer interiors of MBs have been fantastic, and the spy shots of the C-class and S-class look very promising. Apparently someone was asleep when they designed the GLK, the E-class, and the SL.... ::shrug::

Of course, the most important thing will be how they drive. Is somewhat at MB finally going to get rid of the lightweight steering w/ no self-centering tendency, now that BMW has dropped the ball on steering feel? One can only hope so....

xolinlevh

Not a huge fan, the grille for example i think is much too big, its more O shaped which makes it look miss-proportioned to the rest of the car and makes it look kinda....dopey?

K-A

Actually it's quite the opposite these days. I believe that M-B has recently lost its leadership-crown when it comes to setting trends. Look at how many cars are copying BMW and Audi these days (all of them), while almost nobody has copied an M-B after the 2005 CLS (which set a whole new huge trend).

"Evolutionary/Careful changes" are actually the new "in thing", as Audi and BMW and Porsche are making cars so evolutionary you can barely even tell the difference between an old or new body style. M-B's facelifts are almost more visually differing than a new VS old Audi.

The market has shown to appreciate this as BMW and Audi are CRUSHING M-B in worldwide sales. M-B's "decision" to do hardcore facelifts isn't a choice, it's a frantic measure because they're falling behind in market share so fast, they don't know what else to do. And IMO, "frantic" is how these extensive facelifts look. Once upon a time people expected foresight and vision from M-B design to make something that ages timelessly and classily, now you have to go to BMW, Audi or porsche for that.

Idk, paint me as one of the owners of the pre-facelift who even though my car goes back shortly after the facelift comes out, finds it an injustice to us who entrusted M-B designers with our tastes and dollars, only to get a design that will be seen as practically an "old body style" due to such an extensive facelift, after such a short period of time.

Remember, in the U.S, it'll all be sports models, hence that new (IMO terrible) interpretation of the Star grille). Therefore it won't bear the slightest resemblance to our cars. They even changed the HOOD! The contours are all different. Did we all really buy cars who's designer parents deemed so weak they had to literally change the rear door skins? Not long ago you could replace the lights and bumpers and bring your car "up to date" to the facelift, now you have to get a new hood, new rear doors, entirely new headlights (shapes and styling couldn't be any different there), etc. The BMW 7 and probably 5 Series' have such minimal facelifts, it looks confidence inspiring by the design team, and won't **** off early buyers.

//RANT.

K-A

Insanely agreed. They not changing the proportions of the grille but simply doing what the aftermarket grilles do, makes it literally look like a cheap aftermarket attempt. Really bad sign from M-B's design team. Literally angered by M-B management these days.

At least the facelifted "Luxury" grille looks good, but we probably won't even see it here? The UK won't even get it! Terrible.

K-A

Put it this way, M-B's designers actions on how they've treated the car have me feeling pretty stupid for defending and liking it so much. Yes, I make my own decisions, however this isn't someone's opinion we're talking about, it's the actual people who DESIGNED the car originally.

Pretty hard to be confident in a design team when you buy a car and don't even know if the team will treat it appropriately come facelift time, or if they'll even stand by the design. A sign of the times from M-B.

Look at BMW and Audi, killing M-B in market share, when M-B was ahead of them just 2 years ago, and they're doing SUBTLE refinements to even all new designs. The Luxury market likes timeless, they like iconicized designs, and M-B going into "worry mod" has them doing the opposite, to where there's really no design language anymore.

K-A

And here we have it official. Pics and Press release and video inside.

Link is to German Car Forum, where I got the original leaked pics as well.

http://www.germancarforum.com/commun...acelift.47815/

np888

That is hideous. Looks like a C class. The F10 5 series was better looking before, now it's MUCH better looking.

I'm also annoyed that I just buy a brand new E550 Coupe and they release this, which is not only uglier, but also makes mine an old model.

Oh well, that new 4 series looks tasty as hell....M4 it is

hyperion667

at least the clock isn't IWCr is it?

YYZ-E55

AMG Sport Front End (950) with full LED lights


Avantgarde Front End (954) with full LED lights


Elegance Front End (955) with partial LED lights

YYZ-E55

AMG Sport Rear


Avantgarde Rear


Elegance Rear

YYZ-E55

Full LED Headlights


Partial LED Headlights

YYZ-E55

COMAND with 360 Camera


Revised console buttons


B&O Sound


New seat controls

BenzE350

They should offer the Elegance front with the Avantgarde rear and the current AMG wheels.

K-A

I just hope we get an Elegance front at all in the States. The facelift Elegance grille looks great, like a proper evolution of the current one, but damn does the played out Star grille just look so off on the E, IMO.

petee1997

I think this new E looks great. K-A, I heard all these complaints when you were driving your 211.

I would like to know where you got the sales numbers where BMW and Audi are crushing MB. At least in Canada, they are still number one with BMW a close second(900 cars behind at the end of Nov.) Audi is running the same numbers as Acura and Lexus at about 60% of MB and BMW.

Of course I realize markets vary from country to country. What are the US numbers and the ROW (rest of world numbers)?

220 we need you.

K-A

I'll look to find the actual sources/numbers, but worldwide, M-B is lagging not only BMW, but Audi quite heavily. Also, the E-Class is being outsold heavily by the 5-Series in worldwide sales. This is why M-B's design language and changes appear to be so frantic and discordant these days.

The facelift isn't all bad, some things are better than the pre-facelift, some things IMO not as much, but I'm mostly upset about M-B's strategy as a whole. From the front it'll look like a whole different car, especially in the States where every model will presumably have the Star grille.

Really, I can do with the changes. I can even live with the Ponton vertical crease gone and now this oddity of a "we tried to draw one straight line but randomly it broke toward the rear" look they got going on, it's just the misplaced look of the Star grille and quad headlamps gone. IMO these new more generic "90's W220 shapes" aren't as cunning or individual or interesting as the 4 eyes. Other than that, I have little to no problems with the facelift (though the AMG bumper looks like a childish joke so far, but I'm sure I can get over that)

YYZ-E55

In Canada and US, MB is slightly ahead of BMW and well ahead of Audi.

Globally, BMW and Audi are battling for #1 and MB is behind.

JDBKLYN89

I for one feel a little more confident in the design after seeing the more detailed pics yyz-e55 posted, thanks man! I wonder what kind of low beams will be in the "partial LED lights" wouldnt be surprised if they put those horrible cheap halogen reflector lights like they did in the c/glk facelift. Only dissapointment is that it looks like the Sport bodystyle/ luxury grill mod I was hoping for can't happen as it looks like the grill will be integrated with the front bumper now on the sport models. The one thing I cant get passed is how the rear lights look identical to the pre update lights on the current 3 series coupe/convertible!

jvc300

K-A, I'm not sure why you have such a hatred towards the the Star Grill. It's been around in MB history for many years. It's not an 80's styling cue. I've read your posts about the W212 and you tore it up.

See the attached picture of 1950's SL's with the star grill.

Also, the pontoon fender is not been entirely removed. They just took the line that curved down in front of the rear wheel and made it straight.

Just my two pennies worth.

JDBKLYN89

oh yeah, and that oversized bezel around the same 7" command screen isnt fooling anybody. Looks like benz is using the old smoke and mirrors to make their um..screen.. appear larger than it is..

K-A

You're not understanding me right or I've failed to explain my reasoning. My issue with the Star grille is the implementation of it on the E-Class. It looks like a mature sophisticated gent with gold teeth.

It needs to be proportioned right, on a sporty architecture to look good, IMO. The Star grille looks GREAT on the proper cars when proportioned right. The fact that it has to be the same width as the Luxury grille here proves that it isn't proportioned as a proper Star grille, hence why it doesn't look as wide, sharp and commanding as the CLS or SL Star grilles.

Also, I wish the Star grille was still "special". Now it's on every M-B, from the SUV lineup to the A and B Classes, just a whored out/corporate look now, while the Luxury grille is much more exclusive to higher up, more focused models, like the E and S.... though now looking like soon to be only the S.

Again, my main criticism here isn't mostly toward the E's new aesthetic, sure it's fine, it's toward the discordant M-B design team and the constant "about faces" which make it hard to entrust them. IMO M-B's market share decline has more to do with the design language mess than it does anything else, as M-B's are at their most reliable and high quality in technical quality, than in a long time.

I guarantee, W212 pre-facelifts are gonna take it on the nose in resale faster than usual, due to M-B's design team showing such a lack of confidence in that design. Joe and Jane Everyperson might see the front as so different and see the side profile so altered due to changing such a core part of the car, that they may very well see it as an ALL NEW model, after just 4 years, which would obviously fast-track the W212's resale drop. Time will tell.

YYZ-E55

The star-in-grille was the most requested change to the E-Class. You can argue about whether or not it was implemented successfully, but it is definitely what buyers wanted. There's been a huge downward shift in the age of C-Class buyers with the 204 generation, and I think the same will happen with the E Facelift (although clearly to a lesser extent due to pricepoint).

K-A

That I can't argue. I always cringed when I saw yet another "Star grille replacement" Thread here because it was a matter of time before M-B let go of their better (or "strongly laid out") tastes and strict formula of E-Class stateliness and gave the market what they clearly want.

It just doesn't work on an E. And on a holistic level, it would benefit the Star grille to NOT be on the E, which is largely a "Mom Sedan" as any Midsize Luxury Sedan really is, and be left for the sportier offerings.... however they let this go long ago when the SUV's got it, the C, along with the A/B Classes and whatever else they put out.