for a gle450!!!???

 

My thoughts exactly! The base price was almost exactly $10k higher than a BMW X6.
The newer model GLE 43 easily goes over $90k with Nappa leather ($4,900) and B&O sound ($4,550).

 

wow just wow ... The b&o and nappa are $10,000 most won't miss

$80,000 for a non v8 is still amazing; but that's the price you pay for a brand new model ordered a la carte. Once on a lot $70,000 seems more reasonable

 

They are telling me December delivery so we'll see. The e43 has lots standard not standard on the e300. I ordered mine pretty loaded, p3 and upgraded stereo, a $4,500 option. I'm estimating a MSRP of $85,000 plus or minus, with not much of a discount, the price of getting in early. On an other note, I test drove a GLE AMG Coupe. It had a sticker of $125,000! Quite an outrageous machine, stunning engine sounds. The interior unfortunately is a model behind the likes of the new e or even the c class. Cheap hard feel plastic on the center console a real put off as well as on the dash. The coupe is beautiful but not too practical inside with sloping back and snug cabin. But what fun. I do think the e43 is a special vehicle, very excited. Regards. Ned.

 

I was told First production slots are in October with mid December delivery.

I am a bit concerned Mercedes hasn't replied on my designo request because if they don't reply early next week I will lose the October production slot.

 

Any word on an E43 wagon?

 

Were you able to get confirmation from Mercedes on your Designo interior request? My request has been with Mercedes for over a week now with no response.

 

First of all I want to say hello to you and greetings from Hungary!

I have a few questions if you don't mind

I own an RS7 Performance now but with a faulty gearbox and the factory won't replace it referring to their computer's measurements but practically the gearbox is jerking as hell at downshifts. I ordered and waited 4 months to get but it is a huge disappointment. With 2500km in it and about 6-7 visits to the service in the last 2 months I decided to sell it and place an order to an E43. This one will be my first Mercedes.

I buy my cars with comfort seats + massage instead of the sport seats. What do you think about Nut brown Nappa leather Multicontour seats? Is it comfortable or better than Audi's? What about the massage?

Yes I know it is weird but the sport seats are always uncomfortable for me

Are these engines and gearboxes reliable? I don't know why but I magnetize these cars with gearbox problems.

Selenite Grey + Nut Brown Nappa + Carbon Trims? Is it a good combo?

Thank you for the reply!

Tamas

 

I think that will look great. Get the magno selenite grey.

 

I heard back that Mercedes isn't taking any designo or special order requests on the E43. It is strictly by the dealer ordering guide.

Given this I have decided to cancel my E43 order.

 

That sucks... Not sure what MB is thinking on that one (and it doesn't look like it is an MBUSA decision). The C43 sedan, both GLC43s (SUV and coupe), and both GLE43s (SUV and coupe) can be optioned with a designo interior, but the C43 coupe and caprio, and the E43 can't be.

There is also a few 63 models that can't be optioned with designo unless you get an Edition 1.

 

I don't get it. But to be honest I think it's the Americans who may be blocking it even though the dealer is saying Germany said no.

The reason being there is evidence of E Class being delivered with designo in Europe. Even special order Designo colors like classic red leather. This particular example though looks terrible. The upper dash should be black and the lower part should be red.

 

I think the issue is with the E43 (and Germany) as opposed to MBUSA. The designo restriction appears to be an E43 limitation in the U.S. and Europe. The red designo appears to be an E3xx/E400 (although the German configurator allows for an E43 config without Burmester surround sound system, and widescreen cockpit (aka. dual 12.3" high-resolution display)). Did your dealer check on the designo special order for an E43 only or both the E43 and E300?

 

Just E43.

 

Hey sorry, I must have missed this, but I am in the same boat as you. Dealer said that MB will not be taking requests for Designo interiors in the E43. Also they still don't want to give me an exact delivery date because apparently their November allocation for the E43 can't be configured with the P3 package. So there's that.

I'm really starting to get tired of all this waiting, both from my dealer's BS and Merc's inability to deliver. Now that I know the designo package will not be available, I'm thinking of cancelling my order and moving on to the 2017 Panamera.

 

New panamera is sweet ... Porsche got it right

 

As a loyal Porsche owner I got a chance to preview the new Panamera. Super nice car but even in the C4S trim it is about $130k with options. And they depreciate.

Here's my write up of the launch event I attended

OVERALL TAKEAWAYS

1) Absolutely Gorgeous Car. Best looking sedan on the market by a long margin. My guess is both the 2018 E63 and the 2019 M5/M6 will look totally pedestrian next to this thing. The proportions and stance are excellent. The lines and shape is really stunning. The styling seems to draw more from the Porsche E-mission than the old Panamera - which is high praise.

2) The interior is really fantastic. Screen placement, buttons, controls, and the way everything is illuminated is ultra-modern. It really feels like a step into the future of automotive interiors. The detailing is also superb. If you look at the doors you will see an inlaid silver pattern which continues the line of the door handle to make it look like one shape. The way the cup holder opens and closes is very nice. There are lots of nice small storage spaces. The leather is also exceptional.

3) The digital displays seem like they must be OLED. The blacks are jet black, which make the digital gauges look very real and super bright. It's not like the S-Class displays - these displays are exceptionally sharp, bright and high contrast.

4)Technology gap to BMW or Mercedes is almost closed. I don't see many tech gaps vs BMW - surround view, concierge button, telematics, Apps, Apple CarPlay, large nav screen, Google Earth. This car has it all - well everything except HUD. Also I received a hint that the Panamera may receive a HUD in the not too distant future (probably more than I should say).

5) They are considering a bench seat. Porsche understands that some people need 3 real seats, and they are experimenting with a bench seat. Sounds like early development stage and they need to get it right before releasing so I don't know when, or if this will only be for the shooting brake, but I got the impression bench seat is a matter of when not if.

6) The car will have a very short-run as a 2017 and then a 2018 will launch quicker than you might expect.

7) Porsche seems more customer centric than ever. I had a long chat with the product manager and was particularly impressed with how they seemed to act on product design feedback from customers. I go to a lot of these launch events, and the Porsche guys seemed much more attuned to customer needs/wants than BMW or Mercedes.

OVERALL: They knocked the ball out of the park with this one. Can't wait to see what they do with the next 911.

PICTURES











My Porsche outside the Porsche Experience Center

 

Back to the E43, now hearing that S213 E43 Wagon will not be available in Canada until MY2018. Until then one can satisfy their curiosity on Mercedes UK website. Also coming North for 2018 will be the C300d Wagon.

 

In Canada, we have the option for designo interior on the c43 coupe

 

The Canadian configuator doesn't allow designo on a C43 coupe, is there an order guide that shows it?

 

Wow, you're right.. I guess it got removed. I was literally able to select it one month ago. I can't find the order guide, but there was one that showed the option for the Designo leather. It was a ~$5500 option, if I recall correctly. The reason I am so sure of this is because I was actually on the fence about changing my order to include the Designo.

 

That does look stunning. I always thought there was something off in the exterior design of the Panamara. The front cockpit also was massively over done with buttons on the center console. The new interior looks gorgeous. I would imagine that a comparably equipped one might cost near 40-50% more than the new e43. I do think that the interior of the new e is stunning as well. I still have my order in for my loaded e43 with expected delivery of December, although I know I'm not holding my breath. I'm still generally very upset with MB for going with a 4turbo as the new base on the new e and requiring paying a base price of $72,000 just to get a 6. I would have been content if they had just reduced the displacement on the 6 down to 3 liters and turbo charged it up to 330-350hp area. It feels like a money grab what they are doing up and down their lineup forcing long time v6 and/or v8 customers to move out from the 4 cylinder engines, even in something like the glc that my wife is considering. I'm still pondering my options but the competition is long in the tooth at this time in the e competitors, the Audi A6 for example. I'm a somewhat unhappy, long time Mercedes customer. Regards. Ned.

 

The E43 engine is already a 3.0 Turbo V6.

The engine I think you preferred was the E400 engine which is also 3.0 but with smaller turbos and 330hp. That's not available in the US.

The whole engine selection may change when they launch the new inline 6 cylinder engines for 2018.

I agree Mercedes isn't offering the right engines.

BMW with the new 5 series is going to offer 4 options:
530i (4 cylinder 2.0 turbo)
540i (6 cylinder 3.0 turbo)
M550i (8 cylinder 4.0 turbo)
M5 (8 cylinder 4.4 turbo)

The E43 is priced against the M550i but has an engine that is in between the 540i and the M550i. So it may have sales issues further down the line.

 

The outgoing e had a v6 with a bit over 300hp and 3.5 liters. It seems to me they could have used the 3 liter 6 turboed to 340hp or so with better fuel economy than outgoing engine and better performance. That would have been a killer base engine for the e as opposed to ramming a turbo 4 into the market that many won't buy. I don't know what Mercedes was thinking. Regards. Ned.

 

The outgoing E350 had 3 liters even though it was labeled a 350. It has been a long time since the model numbers represented the engine displacement for both MB and BMW.