ngerstman

The base models may all come with 4's but I wonder what percentage sell with those base engines. I know that I was appalled that the base engine in the new e was a 4, long time Mercedes owner, no interest, can't believe no 6 except in AMG light car for $80,000+ loaded. I've talked to a few salesman at a few dealerships and they really can't hide their displeasure no matter how hard they try to tell you how well the 4 performs. I want a 6 but without the potentially hard ride of the e43 with 19's and run flats for too much money. I'm not happy! Regards. Ned.

Quackledork

I tested the E300 as well, and decided to order another CLS550. The turbo 4 is "adequate" for average driving, but simply lacks the kind of performance I'd want in a 60-70K car. There is nothing wrong with having it as a base engine for people who don't care about performance. They really should have launched with both the E300 and E400. The E43 looks good on paper, but the torque numbers are just not there. And with an 80K sticker, that's very high, for a car that is only marginally more powerful than the outgoing E400.

The CLS500 may very well be the last of the mid-sized V8s outside of the AMG models for quite some time.

ilovemaui1

I love the new E series but can't imagine going to a four cylinder from the M273.

hyperion667

60-70 for 4 cylinders is nuts, the reason I came to MB in the first place was because of the V8

ngerstman

I might have gone for the Cls but don't like the lack of 3 passenger back seat. Buying a new car should be an exiting, fun experience. Mercedes is putting long time e class customers in terrible, awkward, uncomfortable position. Some will buy the new e300, only to be unhappy with power performance while others forced into expensive e43 with unwanted options. Regards. Ned.

PaulE550

Which is why I would expect a lot of people to hang onto their 550's as long as they can.

ua549

I wouldn't buy an E350 either. The E400 is adequate in 60-80 passing performance, not the E350.

I had a 944 turbo back in the '80s as well. It did not weight in at almost 2 tons as the Benz's do.

Streamliner

Now might be the time to mention that Offenhauser, 4 cylinder engines WON the Indianapolis 500 HOW many tines??? It's not the number of cylinders, it's what you do with them that counts.

ngerstman

In a racer that weighs what? I had a motorcycle with a 2 cylinder engine that did 0-60 in 4 seconds, what does that prove. Regards. Ned.

Streamliner

You have just proved my point. And, there were 12 and 16 cylinder auto engines that did not produce anywhere near the horsepower of a modern 4. As I said, it's not the number of cylinders, it's what they do with them. The new six cylinder SL450 I have on order will run circles around my eight cylinder 2004 SL500.

ilovemaui1

The old saying will always hold true, "There's no replacement for displacement".

Streamliner

Tell that to the FEDS.

ngerstman

I don't totally disagree with you but a 4 cylinder engine just can't lift up and move 4,000 pounds to my satisfaction in all power bands. I'm coming from loving 8 cylinder engines to accepting living with turbo 6's as it is. Going to 4 is just unacceptable for me, maybe not others. Regards. Ned.

ua549

It isn't so much that it is a 4 cylinder engine. It is that it doesn't have enough power. If the E300 had the 4 banger that is in the CLA45, I'd be very happy with it.

terp97

So felt and thought all the same issues being discussed here. Took delivery last month. Like another member said take a drive you will be pleasantly surprised what MB has been able to do to this engine. In E or C mode you will be ******* to get by anything quickly in the low end. But slam the paddle shifters and the gas pedal and away you go. For more fun put in sport + and wants to keep going and literally is so aggressive. At times I have had to take it out of sport + if the road is not clear for fun.

I will say gas mileage statement so far is not holding true. I know its early but getting the same in city as my w212 and I have seen 5 mpg improvement at hwy.

Lastly, cost is an issue. The pricing strategy is an issue with option packages and many will have sticker shock. So wait it out if you can.

ngerstman

No matter how strong the ant is, he may have trouble lifting the elephant, Confucius say! Regards. Ned.

Germancar1

Those base versions are the best selling versions of 5-series and the A6.

I'd drive an E43 before drawing any conclusions. It does have airmatic which should help.

M

Streamliner

Yes, but......
Many of us insist on our 3-pointed star residing on TOP of the hood, where it belongs. We don't want an AMG Light, Heavy or Medium Rare. We want our sedans to arrive in Luxury trim, without oversized wheels and ridiculously low profile tires. We want our exhaust note muffled and our suspension compliant.
We grew up decades ago and put our "boy racer" inclinations out to pasture.

ngerstman

Amen! Regards. Ned.

ngerstman

But I still want fast and torque-y! Regards. Ned again.

Cao Black

LOL, that may or may not be the case. Some of the E550 devotees might disagree. For most of us the E350 provides more than enough pep and performance to satisfy our "former boy racers" inclinations.

I have not driven the E300 yet, but reviews all seem quite positive, except for the engine. Less powerful than 3.5. Noisier than 3.5. No big gas mileage improvement.

Perception is reality? Once used in Mercedes ads. Are we "supposed" to think that 4-bangers aren't as good a 6 or 8 cylinders? Did Mercedes take this into consideration when deciding to introduce only the E300 model? The American market is critical to them, and looking at sales figures from goodcarbadcar.net, the E isn't doing that badly despite the article about 120 day turnover times.

Mercedes is the overall luxury brand leader. C class is segment leader. E sales look to have tailed off as E350 was phased out, and rebounded once E300 was available. Who knows what might happen if or when the E400 becomes available.

Streamliner

I was referring to the AMG models. I would just LOVE to be able to order a W213 with the fabulous E550 V8, but I'm sure those days are over.

Germancar1

Well looks like you're going to have to buy an S-Class or a E300 Luxury.

M

Germancar1

I think they will re-shuffle the E-Class engine lineup when the new I6s come online for what looks like the 2019 model year. I would suspect there will be a E300, I6 E400, E55 (I6 also, 490hp) and of course the E63. This was from a supposed leaked document. The E400 is supposed to be a 367hp I6, the car most of you want here.

M

Bocahoo

That seems a little silly. The 0-60 time of the E300 is in the low to mid-6 sec range. We've gotten spoiled by power over the last 20 years... in the 80's, a low 6 sec 0-60 was Porsche / Ferrari territory. I've not driven the E300, but having driven a C300 as a loaner vehicle, my issue is not the power, it's the sound / lack of smoothness. While the 4 cylinder turbo is not going to set any performance records, it does pull reasonably well at all RPMs... but the sound and smoothness reminds me of a 4 banger nissan sentra from when I was in college. It seemed out of place in a $40k-$50K C-class let alone a $60-$70K E class. But like others have pointed out, that's the way things are going with BMW, Audi, and Lexus also offering 4 cyl turbos for their entry level sedans.