Photo: Mercedes-Benz
As you’re aware by now, Mercedes-Benz is betting big on EQ Power. The German automaker uses the same nomenclature for its Formula 1 car and Mercedes-AMG division, although with a “+” added as a suffix to emphasize the go-faster setup. And as part of the hybridization and electrification onslaught, Mercedes is proud to introduce the M 264 on the 2018 MY E-Class.
Not every E-Class, that is, but the Coupe (C238) and Cabriolet (A238). There’s no mistaking the sedan (W212) and station wagon (S212) will follow suit. So what exactly makes the M 264 so special? First of all, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is engineered with a twin-scroll turbocharger that features an electric wastegate actuator. This setup enables the E350 Coupe and E350 Cabriolet with fast changes of the charge-air pressure.
The name of the game is high torque in the low-rpm range together, the M 264 providing 400 Nm (295 pound-feet) of torque from 3,000 to 4,000 rpm. Then there’s the 48-volt electrical system and the integrated starter-alternator system labeled EQ Boost, the latter offering 10 kW (14 horsepower) and 150 Nm (110 pound-feet) at the tap of the loud pedal. Technically a mild-hybrid, the M 264 summons the EQ Boost function at engine speeds of up to 2,500 rpm.
The starter-alternator’s second role is that to recover energy under braking, which makes possible extended stop/start intervals, engine shutoff at low speed, and coasting with the engine off at high speed. And finally, the M 264 motor’s water pump is electric, and it’s juiced up by the 48V electrical system.
With 299 horsepower (220 kW) and the nine-speed 9G-Tronic transmission, the mild-hybrid powertrain drinks up 6.7 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers in the combined cycle, emitting 149 g/km of CO2 emissions. The E350 Cabriolet is heavier, thus thirstier: 6.8 l/100 km and 154 grams of CO2 per km.
Performance is remarkable considering the heft of the E350 and the displacement of the engine, with the E-Class Coupe needing 5.9 seconds to thrust to 100 km/h (62 mph). Now available to order in Germany, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E350 Coupe kicks off at 59,738 euros, while the E350 Cabriolet starts at 65,212 euros.
On a tangent, the M 264 is designed for longitudinal-RWD applications. In the near future, the M 260 will follow up for transverse-FWD vehicles, including the sub-A45 model that’s referred to as the A32. Or A36. Or even A40. Whatever it will be called, the not-exactly-A45 hot hatchback will take on the Audi S3 and BMW 140i.
The name of the game is high torque in the low-rpm range together, the M 264 providing 400 Nm (295 pound-feet) of torque from 3,000 to 4,000 rpm. Then there’s the 48-volt electrical system and the integrated starter-alternator system labeled EQ Boost, the latter offering 10 kW (14 horsepower) and 150 Nm (110 pound-feet) at the tap of the loud pedal. Technically a mild-hybrid, the M 264 summons the EQ Boost function at engine speeds of up to 2,500 rpm.
The starter-alternator’s second role is that to recover energy under braking, which makes possible extended stop/start intervals, engine shutoff at low speed, and coasting with the engine off at high speed. And finally, the M 264 motor’s water pump is electric, and it’s juiced up by the 48V electrical system.
With 299 horsepower (220 kW) and the nine-speed 9G-Tronic transmission, the mild-hybrid powertrain drinks up 6.7 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers in the combined cycle, emitting 149 g/km of CO2 emissions. The E350 Cabriolet is heavier, thus thirstier: 6.8 l/100 km and 154 grams of CO2 per km.
Performance is remarkable considering the heft of the E350 and the displacement of the engine, with the E-Class Coupe needing 5.9 seconds to thrust to 100 km/h (62 mph). Now available to order in Germany, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E350 Coupe kicks off at 59,738 euros, while the E350 Cabriolet starts at 65,212 euros.
On a tangent, the M 264 is designed for longitudinal-RWD applications. In the near future, the M 260 will follow up for transverse-FWD vehicles, including the sub-A45 model that’s referred to as the A32. Or A36. Or even A40. Whatever it will be called, the not-exactly-A45 hot hatchback will take on the Audi S3 and BMW 140i.
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