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The new long-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz E-Class is headed to India somewhere around the 2024 festive season. Recently revealed in China, the only country where the long-wheelbase E-Class is produced, the right-hand-drive (or Indian version of the car) will come to our shores with significant changes. Configured and specified with the tastes and preferences of Indian luxury car buyers in mind, it will come with diesel engines, a focus on rear seat comfort, and features and options designed to keep owners – who generally sit in the rear – happy.
2024 Mercedes Benz E Class LWB: what is it?
The long wheelbase gives the new E-Class its V214 designation (as against W214 for the regular wheelbase E-Class), and this car is built on the same MRA2 platform (Modular Rear Architecture) as the new S-Class and C-Class. Featuring an all-new suspension system and updated chassis, the new car is marginally longer than the current E-Class LWB sold in India. Moreover, being 20mm wider and built on a longer 3,094mm wheelbase (as against 3,079mm of the current car), it should be more spacious on the inside.
2024 Mercedes Benz E Class LWB: a more upmarket design
The design of the new car is clearly evolutionary. The long ‘Maybach’ rear doors that are devoid of a rear quarter glass (it’s sited in the C-pillar) are carried over, as is the sweeping profile of the car. The V214, however, does have distinctive elements. The bonnet is taller and flatter with a distinctive clamshell shape, the grille is lower slung and gets a wider bezel, and also appealing is the manner in which the C-pillar has been blended into the boot. The considerably wider band of chrome running around the cabin adds some much-needed bling.
As earlier, there are likely to be two grille designs on offer – one sporty, the other traditional. Owners in China can opt for an illuminated surround (as against only an illuminated logo), and the Digital Light headlamps and side lights have a function that allows them to project a carpet of bright stars as you unlock the car at night.
Clean design of the rear with ‘blended in’ tail-lights looks similar to the S.
New Mercedes E Class LWB: all-new cabin has S Class vibe
On the inside, the new E-Class is a combination of the S-Class and EQS. The dash is dominated by a Hyperscreen-like flat surface, known here as the Superscreen. It comprises a 14.4-inch central screen and a 12.3-inch passenger screen integrated under a single glass cover, along with a separate 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. Mercedes India, however, is likely to go with a simpler and more cost-effective solution, as most E-Class owners in India are chauffeur-driven and sit in the back.
Screen apart, the insides of the new E have a fresh, uncluttered look similar to the S-Class. Clean surfaces abound, with metallic trim and LED backlighting lending a modern look. The new 2024 E-Class has 360-degree LED mood lighting that wraps around the rear seats, and the two-tone interior (on some trims) only serves to make the cabin look even more up-to-date and private jet-like.
Thanks to the new car’s expanded dimensions, you get 25mm more elbow room, nearly 20mm more legroom, and the new rear seats recline to 36 degrees. The seats themselves are new and more comfort-oriented, with extendable thigh supports that can move forward around half a foot. In-car audio comes courtesy of a Burmester 4D surround sound system with Dolby Atmos that delivers spatial sound via a 21-speaker, 730 watt system. Boot space without the space saver spare tyre is 540 litres.
New Mercedes E Class LWB: hybrid petrol and diesel engines
Under the hood, the engine line-up is likely to be similar to the outgoing car but thoroughly updated. There will be no strong hybrids for now, but both diesel and petrol engines will get 48-volt mild-hybrid tech. The power of the electric motor on the petrol has been increased from 15kW to 17kW and the new four-cylinder petrol (M 254) on the E 200 is likely to be available with around 204hp. The OM654 diesel in the E 220d is similar to the diesel you get on the C-Class and gets a single-stage turbo, (due to the extra electric boost). Power is likely to go up to 200hp and torque a strong 440Nm.
The E 350d replacement will continue to get air suspension, and as for the engine, Mercedes could go for the four-cylinder, 265hp, 300d from the C-Class or even the six-cylinder 450d from the GLE, with 367hp and 750Nm of torque!
New Mercedes E Class LWB: expected price range
Expected to go on sale at a premium of around Rs 5 lakh-6 lakh over the current car, prices for Mercedes’s long-time bestseller are likely to range from around Rs 82 lakh-95 lakh. This could mean that the on-road prices of top-end cars could cross Rs 1 crore. Despite this, insiders at Mercedes fully expect the E-Class to remain one of their bestsellers, making this predominantly chauffeur-driven sedan or limousine buck the trend that currently runs strongly in favour of SUVs.
Also see:
2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class image gallery
Mercedes-Benz India exported one batch of GLE SUVs to Europe
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 to be replaced by an EV in 2025
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