Photo: CarPix
It may not feel outdated yet, but the W213 generation of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is an aging product in today’s fast-moving car industry, which is why it is about to be replaced.
The next-gen executive model from the Stuttgart brand has been caught testing in the open again, in Germany, this time in the five-door flavor, proving that the wagon still has a future at Mercedes. Not only that, but the heavily camouflaged prototype has a plug-in hybrid powertrain, highlighted by the rear charging port.
A brand new front bumper, with bigger central air intake, is one novelty. The grille has a single horizontal bar instead of two, and the sweptback LED headlights have a different signature. The windscreen is a bit more arched, but the roofline isn’t, though that was expected, because this is the E-Class Estate and not something that Mercedes would call a Shooting Brake. There are no visible tailpipes on the scooped tester, hence the cleaner styling of the rear bumper.
It will be a while until we will get to see the interior in all its glory, but previous spy shots have partially revealed it. It won’t feature the dual-screen setup anymore, as the infotainment system, with its portrait-oriented screen, will be similar to those used in the C-Class and S-Class. Sitting next to the digital dials, it should be the icing on the cake for the tech crowd. What interests us, however, is if they managed to sort out the cheap build quality, but that is obviously yet unknown.
The official unveiling is said to take place sometime next year, with the all-new E-Class likely arriving in North America as a 2024 model. It is expected to be built around MRA II architecture and to feature 2.0- and 3.0-liter engines, with 48-volt technology. Hybrids and plug-in hybrids, as well as the punchy AMG models, will complete the powertrain family stateside and could be joined by diesels in Europe.
A brand new front bumper, with bigger central air intake, is one novelty. The grille has a single horizontal bar instead of two, and the sweptback LED headlights have a different signature. The windscreen is a bit more arched, but the roofline isn’t, though that was expected, because this is the E-Class Estate and not something that Mercedes would call a Shooting Brake. There are no visible tailpipes on the scooped tester, hence the cleaner styling of the rear bumper.
It will be a while until we will get to see the interior in all its glory, but previous spy shots have partially revealed it. It won’t feature the dual-screen setup anymore, as the infotainment system, with its portrait-oriented screen, will be similar to those used in the C-Class and S-Class. Sitting next to the digital dials, it should be the icing on the cake for the tech crowd. What interests us, however, is if they managed to sort out the cheap build quality, but that is obviously yet unknown.
The official unveiling is said to take place sometime next year, with the all-new E-Class likely arriving in North America as a 2024 model. It is expected to be built around MRA II architecture and to feature 2.0- and 3.0-liter engines, with 48-volt technology. Hybrids and plug-in hybrids, as well as the punchy AMG models, will complete the powertrain family stateside and could be joined by diesels in Europe.
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