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2016 E-Class W213 Mule Based on Current C-Class Spied

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.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213 Mule 16 photos
Photo: SB-Medien
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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.
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About the author: Alex Oagana
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Alex handled his first real steering wheel at the age of five (on a field) and started practicing "Scandinavian Flicks" at 14 (on non-public gravel roads). Following his time at the University of Journalism, he landed his first real job at the local franchise of Top Gear magazine a few years before Mircea (Panait). Not long after, Alex entered the New Media realm with the autoevolution.com project.
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