E-Class to Be Unveiled Next Week

Even though it was officially prepared for the Geneva Auto Show, the new E class will be unveiled a bit sooner than we expected, with the German automaker Mercedes planning to show the latest model next week. According to Autonews, the next generation E class is regarded as a model that has the ability to boost Mercedes' sales, despite the fact that it arrives in a sluggish market seriously hit by the global economic crisis. But even so, the car is equipped with various next-gen technologies that could help it attract an important number of customers.

The best example is given by the lane-departure warning and sign recognition which brings even more safety to a vehicle already praised for the safety features it incorporates. For example, the new E comes with a so-called impact absorbing bonnet that protects pedestrians in case of front crashes.

What's interesting is that Mercedes has quite enthusiastic plans for the upcoming E class, despite the fact that the current model recorded declining sales ever since the beginning of the economic crisis. E class sales were down 23 percent in January-November 2008 when compared to the same period of the previous year while in Western Europe, deliveries were decreased by 30 percent in the whole year.

The new generation E class is due to arrive in Europe in March 2009, with all the other markets to receive the model during the next few years. However, more details are expected next week when Mercedes will officially debut the new model.

A few leaked photos showing the new generation E class reached the web in December last year so, for more information, check out this article.