Test mules of the next gen Mercedes-Benz E-Class have been spotted for the first time in since it was revealed that the company is working on a new generation of it’s premium sedan. Codenamed ‘W213′, this next gen Mercedes-Benz E-Class will be unveiled by the end of 2015 or early 2016 and is likely to go on sale shortly after that.
The heavily camouflaged test mules of the next gen Mercedes-Benz E-Class don’t really give much away in terms of design but we can still get a slight idea of the general shape and the increased wheelbase as this is the first time the next generation E-Class has been spotted with it’s own body shell rather than a modified C-Class body shell. The styling will follow Mercedes’ current design language as seen on the latest generations of the C-Class and S-Class sedans and we expect much sportier and aggressive exterior than the current generation of the E-Class.
The upcoming E-Class will be constructed on Mercedes’ modular MRA platform which made it’s debut on the latest C-Class, which means the car will be stiffer and lighter since it makes extensive use of lightweight materials and will also be able to accept alternative powertrains. Reports suggest that a new family of straight six petrol engines will be offered on the next gen Mercedes-Benz E-Class with capacities ranging form 2.2- to 3.5-litres along with a a line up of diesel engines. Power will be transmitted via the 9G-TRONIC nine speed automatic transmission which does duty on the 2015 CLS-Class. Mercedes is also likely to offer a flagship E63 AMG with the 4.0 litre twin turbo V8 engine borrowed from the recently unveiled Mercedes-Benz AMG GT.
As we’ve seen with the current generation of the car, the next gen Mercedes-Benz E-Class will be offered in five body styles- sedan, extended wheelbase sedan, estate, coupe and convertible – in international markets. The double headlamp set up is likely to feature in the design in some form or the other but it is difficult to talk about the design or the technical specifications at this stage of the car’s development.
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Pictures Courtesy- emercedesbenz.com and motorauthority.com
