Ahead of its Detroit Auto Show debut, the 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class leaks online. First images show a midsize sedan being a smaller replica of the S-Class or a larger one of the C-Class – depends which way you’ll look at. What we get actually is a new E-Class that looks like a cross between the C-Class and S-Class, with smoother lines and Mercedes’ new design language. A nice detail is the dual LED running light strip in the headlight clusters.
The new E-Class is 43 mm longer than its predecessor and has had its wheelbase increased by 65 mm.
The cabin of of the new E-Class is also a smaller replica of the S-Class with premium materials and trims, and two large 12.3 inch displays. The driver can switch between the three available styles for the design of the digital gauges.
The 2017 E-Class will be available with a range of four- and six-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines, as well as a E350e plug-in hybrid variant. It’s unclear exactly which models will come to the U.S., but our best guess is a four-cylinder E300, six-cylinder E400, the aforementioned E350e, and probably an E250d diesel. The only transmission available at launch will be the 9G-Tronic automatic.
Mercedes’ new E-Class also brings a semi-autonomous driving mode capable of switching lanes and handling more complex driving tasks than the previous Distronic could.
