2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 Sedan

2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 SedanAn Aggressive Sedan!

By Charles Donaldson

What happens when you mix sexy aerodynamic sophistication with chiseled lines? Well, you get one of two things – Jessica Alba (OK, David Beckham for the ladies), or the all-new 2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 sedan. Luxury cars used to mean conservative exterior styling and plush interiors with lots of wood trim. The new demographics of luxury car owners have demanded a new set of rules. Square and boxy doesn’t play anymore. Exterior styling must reflect the image of wealth, good taste, and a youthful life in the form of sculptured lines, a powerful stance, and a sporty profile.

The all-new 2010 E-Class sedan is the premium mid-size sport sedan in the Mercedes lineup. The E-Class sedan is available in three trims: E350, E550 and E63 AMG. The 2010 E-Class is also available as a coupe and replaces the CLK-Class. The E350 sedan has a starting price of $49,475, the E550 begins at $57,175, and the E63AMG hits the showroom floor at $86,625. The E-Class sporty 2-door coupe is available in two trim levels – E350 starts at $48,436 and the E550 at $55,525.

The E350 comes with a 3.5-liter V6 motor that generates 268 horsepower, while the E550 carries a 5.5-liter V8 pumping out 382 HP. If you are looking for maximum performance the E63 AMG generates 518 horses out of a 6.3-liter V8 power station. All models include a 7-speed-overdrive automatic transmission with Touch Shift (steering wheel paddle shifters). The E350 and E550 are also available in 4Matic AWD versions.

The bodylines of the new E-Class sedan are more aggressive and deliberate than the 2009 E-Class model it replaced. The body creases on the sides and flows in an upward motion creating the impression of movement even when standing still. The E-Class sedan abandons the soft curves for a more masculine edge and cut image. From the pointed nose grille to the buffed rear shoulders, Mercedes integrated aggression into the DNA of

this sport-luxury sedan.

The front of the E-Class sports new wrap-around headlamps, a bold grille, and quad lower lamps. The roof, mostly sunroof, is designed to give the appearance of all glass. The long steeped roof-line leaves room for only a small trunk lid; however, the trunk itself is still quite adequate in capacity. The rear tail lamps wrap heavily into the rear quarter panels incorporating themselves into the shoulder lines. Big chrome-tipped exhaust completes the look.

The interior is dressed in leather and walnut. Just as the exterior is complex with angles; as is the interior. The dash is molded to come together creating a pointed center cluster. The hand polished burl walnut inlays were beautiful and extended across the front dash and into the doors. Another requirement of the new generation of luxury buyers is the need for technology and the E-Class is packed with the gadgets we want. A few include Bluetooth, telescoping steering wheel, audio system with Sirius Satellite Radio, input jacks for iPod/MP3 players, 40GB hard-drive, GPS voice activated Navigation system with Harman/Kardon LOGIC7 surround sound, HD Radio, power rear window sunshade and rear view camera. Note many of these are available via the Premium Package for a cost of $3,950.

For those folks who prefer a high driving position, they will enjoy the better forward visibility that the E550 delivers. Typical of Mercedes, the front seats are firm and supportive. They lack that plush feeling we have come to expect from a luxury sedan, but are still extremely comfortable. As expected, some of that comfort comes from the sport-suspension, which behaves well on both smooth and rough road surfaces. I experienced minimal lean in hard turns and appreciated the E550’s tight and precise handling.

The E550 ride is complimented by having a variable damping system that actually changes the rebound rate of the shock absorbers based on the driving conditions. The result is a softer more quieting ride that retains full shock damping when driving on curvy tight roads. As the intelligent suspension hugs the road, the driver seat side bolster rotates inward to keep you properly position. The Airmatic four-wheel independent suspension provides the driver with a choice between comfort and sport ride. I found driving in “sport mode” during my normal daily driving still delivered a very admirable ride.

Room for improvement:

· The price is high compared to its competitors

Cool Features:

· Voice Activated Navigation System

· Large Navigation Screen

· Integrated NECK-PRO active front head restraints

· Attention Assist Driver Drowsiness Monitor

Mercedes-Benz says the new E-Class is more in the way of safety technology than any competitor. Safety equipment not already mentioned includes electronic stability control, dual-stage front airbags, window curtain airbags, front side airbags, front pelvic airbags, driver knee airbag, anti-lock brakes, a tire pressure monitoring system, roll-over sensor, night security illumination and 24-hour roadside assistance program.

A new feature called Attention Assist will interpret driving patterns to judge when a driver may be falling asleep at the wheel. Optional safety items include a blind-spot alert system, Night View Assist PLUS with pedestrian detection technology and automatic high-beam headlamps with bi-xenon lamps. The Adaptive cruise control system can apply 100 percent braking power to stop or mitigate an accident. The E-Class can also be equipped with a lane-departure warning system which will vibrate the steering wheel to alert drifting drivers.

In Summary – The 2010 All-New Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan is a performance driven luxury sports sedan that expresses the new aggressive yet sleek look of Mercedes-Benz. It makes a statement in its styling and backs it up with tight handling and powerful engine options. Mercedes claims the new E-Class is the safest car E-Class it has ever built. If you are looking for a luxury vehicle with sport DNA then you need to check out the all-new 2010 E-Class sedan. If you want to get a little more sporty than that, check out the new coupe version.

Specifications

2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 Sedan

Base price: $56,300 as driven: $68,595 (including destination)

Engine: 5.5-Liter 8-cylinder

Horsepower: 382 @ 6000

Torque: 391 pound-feet @ 2800 rpm

Transmission: 7-speed automatic with Overdrive & Touch Shift

Drive: Rear Wheel-Drive

Seating: 5-passenger

Turning circle: 36.2 feet

Cargo space: 19.1 cubic feet

Curb weight: 4034 pounds