Since the Mercedes-Benz E-Class W212 received its mid-cycle facelift in 2013 – arguably the most expensive one in history if the circulated EUR 1 billion total refresh costs are to be trusted – everyone is expecting the following generation of the model to arrive on the market at the beginning of 2016.
This would put the start of the first pre-production testing prototypes to be spotted on the road right about... now.
Well, we now don't have to wait anymore, because the first ever mule for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213 has been spied by one of the spy photographers whom we collaborated with around the Nurburgring Nordschleife, where a Mercedes-Benz testing center is located.
No, we haven't gone haywire, that is indeed most of the body of the current C-Class (W205), but if you look closely you can see the much wider front and rear tracks, while the wheelbase is also significantly longer compared even with the China-only C-Class L (V205).
In other words, this is just a clever mule based on the C-Class, but that is certainly not out of the ordinary considering that the upcoming E-Class W213 will also be based on the Mercedes-Benz MRA (Modular Rear-wheel drive Architecture) platform.
As some of you know remember, the all-new E-Class is making Mercedes-Benz finally revert to their famous inline sixes when it comes to engine architecture, with a highly-modular family of inline fours and sixes to be found under the hood of the model.
From recent reports/speculations, it seems that a three-liter gasoline straight six will be twin-turbocharged and offer at least two different power outputs (367 hp and 435 hp) while a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged diesel will output from 315 hp to 405 hp.
Expect more details about the E-Class W213 in the upcoming months, as this mule is most likely to be replaced by actual pre-production prototypes with heavy camouflage, showing us the proportions of the model for the first time.
Well, we now don't have to wait anymore, because the first ever mule for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213 has been spied by one of the spy photographers whom we collaborated with around the Nurburgring Nordschleife, where a Mercedes-Benz testing center is located.
No, we haven't gone haywire, that is indeed most of the body of the current C-Class (W205), but if you look closely you can see the much wider front and rear tracks, while the wheelbase is also significantly longer compared even with the China-only C-Class L (V205).
In other words, this is just a clever mule based on the C-Class, but that is certainly not out of the ordinary considering that the upcoming E-Class W213 will also be based on the Mercedes-Benz MRA (Modular Rear-wheel drive Architecture) platform.
As some of you know remember, the all-new E-Class is making Mercedes-Benz finally revert to their famous inline sixes when it comes to engine architecture, with a highly-modular family of inline fours and sixes to be found under the hood of the model.
From recent reports/speculations, it seems that a three-liter gasoline straight six will be twin-turbocharged and offer at least two different power outputs (367 hp and 435 hp) while a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged diesel will output from 315 hp to 405 hp.
Expect more details about the E-Class W213 in the upcoming months, as this mule is most likely to be replaced by actual pre-production prototypes with heavy camouflage, showing us the proportions of the model for the first time.