► First look inside 2016 Merc E-class
► S-class screens and switchgear
► Upcoming estate version revealed
CAR’s spies have once again captured the all-new Mercedes E-class on test, this time in estate form. What’s more, their lenses have found their way into the cabin, giving us our first look at the new exec’s tech-crammed interior.
Read more about the 2016 Mercedes C-class in CAR’s scoop dossier here.
A hint of S-class going on here, isn’t there?
Certainly is. The flagship Merc’s widescreen dash displays have been handed down to the smaller E-class, albeit with two big analogue dials in place of the S’s fully digital instrument panel, and plonked under a similarly massive overhanging sun shroud to keep them legible.
There are a few other bits shared with the S-class, too; the mid-dash air vents, for example (just missing the analogue clock in the centre), and the wavy treatment of the dash itself. It’s no surprise; much of the new E-class is built upon the same scalable MRA platform as the S-class family.
A great deal of the remaining switchgear is shared with the current C-class, including the clickwheel infotainment controller and accompanying touchpad. Looks like there’s plenty of storage space in the gloss-black centre console, judging by the quantity of oddments stuffed into it in the photo.
The estate version – what’s the story?
The E-class estate, or T model in Mercedes nomenclature, will be the second body style launched in the new E-class family following the saloon. It’ll be joined later by a coupe, convertible and long-wheelbase saloon for the Chinese market – as well as CLS variants further down the line. Expect the estate to reach the market in mid-2016.
2016 Mercedes E-class: a recap
Big news on the engine front is a new family of modular straight-six engines, replacing the older, more expensive to manufacture V6s found in current E-class models. A 1.6-litre four-pot will kick off the range, however. Expect plenty of hybrid variants, too, with plug-in charging capability.
It’ll be packed with tech, including an increasing emphasis on self-driving software. It’ll be able to park itself via smartphone, steer itself on the motorway and respond to gesture control. Read more about the new futurist-friendly Mercedes E-class here.