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New 2017 Mercedes E-Class Spied: These Are the Big Changes

Remember the days when the E-Class used to be The pillar for Mercedes-Benz? With all the revolutions going on around it, both inside and outside the company, the E-Class has lost a bit of its shine, but the Germans are prepared to give the car an explosive boost for the next generation.
New 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class spyshots 23 photos
Photo: SB-Medien
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Even the V-Class looks seriously stylish these days, so expect the next E-Class to ditch the all-serious look. For the upcoming generation, the vehicle will receive a sportier appearance. Our spy photographers have recently come across a test vehicle and, despite the heavy camouflage, you can notice some of the changes.

Sleek design cues wrapped around a new platform

It will all start with the proportions, but, of course, since the new platform underneath will also have to serve the third-generation CLS, you can’t expect the E-Class to go all that wild in this area. However, the details will bring an important visual transformation. As all the models launched after the S-Class, the E will be insipired by the flagship sedan’s styling.

Speaking of the platform, the architure that will underpin the new E-Class has already debuted in the 2015 C-Class. We’re talking about the MRA (Modula Rear Architecture) here. This will allow the car to grow in size a bit and while the overall length may not jump by all that much, the wheelbase will definitely be extended - people may want their cars fancy nowadays, but an E-Class must have its rear legroom.

While the CLS will follow the current model’s scheme, also being offered in a shooting brake version, the E-Class will arrive in the now traditional forms: sedan, station wagon, coupe and convertible. While the current two-door E-Class models are actually built on stretched versions of the C-Class platform, the new ones will have the right chassis, so you can expect ever more cabin space.

On the inside

Let’s be honest here - the cabin of the current E-Class is below the overall level of the car. Once again, the mid-size sedan will turn to the S-Class for inspiration. Aside from the flowing design, you can expect about a ton of ultra-modern features. We’re talking stuff like two massive displays for the dashboard or a climate control system that will deliver surprising accuracy in following your commands.

We’ll remind you Mercedes-Benz Already has a prototype that can drive fully autonomously, so the new E-Class will probably see even more of the first’s features put into production. Self-parking is on the house.

The power revolution

We’ll get a revolution under the hood of the next E-Class and we are referring to the mainstream engines here. Thus, Merc will drop its V6s in favor of in-line sixes, so all the BMW metaphors won’t work anymore. Just like BMW does, Mercedes will use modular architectures to build three-, four- and six-cylinder units. In the gearbox department, smaller engines will get a six-speed auto as standard, while a nine-speed automatic will be offered as an option.

AMG has big plans for the next E-Class. The current 5.5-liter V8 will make room for the just-as-twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 that currently powers the C63 AMG and the Mercedes-AMG GT. The output will be boosted to around 600 horses, while the torque will climb past the 550 lb-ft (750 Nm) value. As a sweet reminder, the current E63 AMG S Model can beat a Porsche Panamera Turbo S to 60 mph, so we have great expectations for the next one. As with the current model, AWD will be on the list.

By the way, due to canibalization reasons, the automaker never built an E63 AMG Coupe and that decision may be here to stay.

At the other end of the efficiency scale, the Germans will offer at least two hybrid versions of their E-Class. One will be a mild approach incorporating a small electric motor, while the other will assist the internal combustion power by over 100 electric horses, offering a serious all-electric range.

Calendar

The current E-Class bowed back in 2010 and we mustn’t forget that the carmaker gave it a monstrous revamp for the 2014 model year - at 1 billion euros, this was the most expensive facelift in the history of the automobile, once again raising our expectation for the new E-Class. The car is expected to land in late 2015 or early 2016 as a 2017 model.
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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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