If You Don't Like the Droopy Mercedes E-Class, How About a New McLaren 750S?

If you wanted something incredibly quirky, then Lexus' new LM minivan was one of the safest bets ever. If you wanted Maybach's first EV, the Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV was more ostentatious than a regular EQS SUV and Tesla Model X Plaid combined. Swedish-Chinese automaker Polestar also presented a new EV, the Polestar 4, which is not necessarily the most outrageous crossover coupe out there, but it sure attracts a lot of attention because it lacks a rear window. Instead, it has a rear camera and HD screen for the driver's rearview, plus an array of 12 cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and a radar system, among other stuff like single- and dual-motor powertrain versions – all set for a target price of around $60k in the United States.

Speaking of the US, the cool Hyundai Elantra N also got refreshed – but over in China! And we have to go on with the same Made in China ideas for North America because the all-new Lincoln Nautilus was presented with posh styling, a high-tech cabin, and manufacturing in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China! Alas, of course, everyone only had eyes for the 2024 Porsche Cayenne refresh – while I was more interested in what Honda had to say about the Civic Type R snatching once again the FWD lap record on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Oh, and speaking of the Japanese automaker, a little California-based aftermarket parts and racing supplier called Evasive Motorsports also showcased a demo restomod of the company's beloved roadster, called S2000R.

Meanwhile, if we narrow the automotive industry's commotion to just this passing week, the seas settled slightly to give us a trio of exciting ideas. For starters, we heard the sixth generation Ford Mustang – aka S550 by its internal code – has bit the dust, and we decided to pour one out for the iteration. At the same time, we wait to see if the Blue Oval company botches another launch just like they did with the ultra-hyped, reinvented sixth-generation Ford Bronco a mere couple of years ago. If all goes according to plan, 2024 Ford Mustang production will kick off May 1, followed by first customer deliveries across the nationwide dealership network later this summer, ahead of hitting over 100 international markets. I hope we didn't just jinx it!

Oh, well, moving on, there's an executive sedan that we need to discuss. The 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the sixth by its name (W214) since the rebranding of the mid-size series back in 1993, will be the subject of many jokes in the near future. To me, it looks like Droopy the Dog's car, just like the 2024 BMW XM Label Red felt like Porky Pig's ultimate ride into 738-horsepower plug-in hybrid V8 oblivion. But that's just me, so feel free to disagree. On the other hand, it looks like the upcoming G60 BMW 5 Series is in for a challenging ride because the new E-Class looks like a sensible upgrade over its predecessor. For example, the wheelbase is slightly bigger, the dashboard is in tune with the TikTok and Angry Birds times, an array of both ICE-only and plug-in hybrid powertrains already exists, and the technology is overbearing – there's even rear-axle steering alongside continuously adjustable damping or the optional Airmatic suspension.

And although it looks a little sad with this front fascia design, I appreciate the subtle callback to the W210 and W211 generations' egg-shaped front lights. Besides, whether we like it or not, it will probably sell extremely well because it also exudes enough S-Class vibes to make it a potential darling of the aftermarket realm for years. Naturally, we also need to talk about the supercar elephant in the room, aka the 'all-new' McLaren 750S. Yep, the main beef I have with it, which a large part of the fanbase will probably support, is that we are basically dealing with a facelift rather than an all-new generation. It is what it is, though, as McLaren wanted it as the "lightest and most powerful series-production McLaren" to date – without making the 765LT obsolete.

To achieve the balance, it dropped some 66 lbs (30 kg) compared to the 720S, packed an additional 30 ponies for a grand total of 740 hp (750 ps), and some 30% of the components are new or improved. The pricing is also impressive - $324k for the coupe version and $345k for the Spider. We might as well see it as the true Ferrari (F8) killer instead of the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, which has 'just' 670 horsepower from its naturally-aspirated FPC mill against the Brit's twin-turbo V8 engine. However, at a starting MSRP of $105,300, the C8 Z06 is a way nicer grab – for the rest of around $220k, you can ask any aftermarket outlet to make it ready to stand out in all McLaren 750S crowds, both visually and performance-wise.