The new 2024 Mercedes Benz E-Class debuts a new look, selfie camera and Tiktok
The new car borrows a lot more than just EV technology from Mercedes’ EQ family
It’s always been a norm – revolutionary technology debuts at the highest, most expensive level and gradually trickle down for the masses. The auto industry further substantiates it with the advent of EV technology. EVs instantly rose to the top of the product ranks in every carmaker’s portfolio, with the technology seeping gradually to its lower peers in bits and pieces. With Mercedes Benz, though, even design language appears to have accompanied the technology spill into its mid-spec non-EV counterparts. Case in point, the all-new 2024 Mercedes Benz E Class.
Dubbed the W214 within Mercedes’ factory, the new Mercedes Benz E Class is now in its sixth generation. Mercedes claims it to be “A bridge between tradition and digitalisation”, and it couldn’t be more evident, right from its design. The gloss blank panel up front that connects the headlight is a typical influence from Mercedes’ EQ family of EV cars. The grille residing within the panel is now larger than before. Its outline elements can be in chrome or optional LED running lights. Also optional are digital lights with a projection function. The tail lights also feature an overhauled three-pointed star design in a typical EQ-esque manner. Wheel sizes range from 18 to 21 inches, and the all-new Mercedes Benz E Class in AMG guise looks more electric-ready than ever before. Traditional grille lovers can opt for the Exclusive line that offers the typical chrome slatted Mercedes grille.
Stepping inside the cabin, one sees the usual notion of flagship technology trickling down and getting materialised. Gone is the dual-screen layout for the instrument cluster and infotainment system, and the new MBUX Superscreen comes in. A stand-alone driver’s display now blends into the centre display, which features ambient lighting with light strips spanning the dashboard’s width and possessing the ability to dance to the beats of the music getting played. One can customise the layout of the screens between two styles – classic and sporty which alter the ambient lighting colour along with the screen graphics. The passenger screen is a part of the optional MBUX Premium Plus package.
While Mercedes Benz had already showcased the entire dashboard design a couple of months before the official unveil, now it puts some words against those pictures. For instance, the new E-Class cabin can be equipped with up to five cameras. A mono camera that monitors the driver’s eyes looking down the road is a standard fitment. Another camera gets added to the driver’s display that aids in driver assistance systems. The optional list of cameras includes gesture cameras located on the overhead control panel, a dashcam behind the rear-view mirror and the latest innovation – a selfie and video camera. The latter gets placed on the top centre of the instrument panel, allowing you to take meetings and video calls on-the-go….while the car is stationary.
While the selfie cameras may turn your car into a mobile office, the option to install third-party apps such as the Angry Birds game, the Vivaldi web browser and even the social media platform, Tiktok would ensure you don’t get too stressed between calls. But in the instance of a stressful day, the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence can turn the cabin into a relaxing space by tapping into the pre-programmed prompts or self-creating profiles best suited for yourself with the preferred ambient lighting and temperature control. Additionally, the future will enable AI to learn and evolve with the customer and his preferences to create a routine by itself.
The 2024 Mercedes Benz E Class introduces new styling and cabin features but doesn’t lag on the powertrain front. The W214 E-Class will continue to get powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder from its predecessor but now gains a mild hybrid system to put out 255hp with 20hp available as a boost. The higher trimmed turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine from the previous E-Class now generates a power hike to produce 375hp. Additionally, three fourth-generation plug-in hybrid models will be available since its market launch offering an electrical output of up to 129 hp and 100kms worth of electric-only range. A 9G-Tronic transmission gets embedded as standard across all E-Class models.
No word on the pricing yet, but expect the same to be unveiled with the launch of the 2024 Mercedes Benz E-Class in its respective markets. Production will commence later this year at the automaker’s Sindelfingen plant and Bejing.
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