Chevrolet Spark car review

In 2007 Chevrolet put a trio of city car concepts on display at the New York Motor Show and invited the public to pick the design they liked best. Over a million votes later the 'Beat' concept was chosen. Now the production version is here and Chevrolet have stayed faithful to the bold lines of the original design but changed its name to 'Spark'.

Specifications

• Model tested: Spark 1.2 LS
• Price as tested: £8,795
• Range Price: £6,945 - £9,845
• Insurance group as tested: N/A
• Insurance group range: N/A
• CO2 emissions as tested:N/A
• CO2 emissions range: N/A
• EuroNCAP result: ****
• Date and place tested:November 2009, Athens, Greece
• Road tester: Keith Collantine

The Spark takes the place of the Matiz in Chevrolet's range. But the company is aiming the new car squarely at a much younger market than those who bought that model.

Chevrolet Spark montage

Sub-£7,000 price tag

Accordingly, the car already made a cameo in summer blockbuster Transformers 2 as the robot 'Skids'. Happily, driving the car is a more satisfying experience than Michael Bay's smash-a-thon.

And it's a better use of your money too. The entry-level Spark comes in just short of £7,000 (assuming VAT goes back up to 17.5% in January).

For basic mod cons like electric windows, central locking and air-conditioning you'll need the Spark + which starts from £8,145.

That makes it a very competitive proposition against the likes of the Kia Picanto and Hyundai i10. But can the Spark show us anything to rival the likes of the Toyota Aygo, Citroen C1 and Fiat Panda?

Fresh look

The Spark's chunky design looks great on the road. It shrugs off the 'I'm-just-a-rebadged-Daewoo' look of the Matiz and the bold gold badge on the front screams 'I'm a Chevrolet!'

Its large headlight clusters have a touch of the Fiesta about them but that large, split grille sets it apart from anything else on the road in its class. The rear light clusters and the crease in its flanks above the wheel arches add to the modern look.

Only in profile does the car lose some of its lustre, with the tall sides making even the optional 15-inch alloy wheels look too small.

Inside the designers have made an effort to carry on the funky styling but the constraints of their budget have had a noticeable effect. There are a lot of plain switches and a dull gear lever with a distinctly rubbery feel. But all the controls are clearly laid out and easy to use.

In an attempt to give the driver something more interesting to look at the major instruments are housed in a large plastic assembly which nestles just behind the steering wheel.

This has some advantages over a traditional arrangement - it's much easier to see the speedometer and other dials. But some will find the LCD screen and plastic surround a bit tacky - have a look at our close-up pictures to judge for yourself.

Excels in the city

With its diminutive size and rapid steering the Spark is most at home in the city. Visibility around the car is very good and the ride, though slightly firm, is generally comfortable.

It has quite a high driving position and limited scope for adjustment. The tall roof means rear passenger headroom is better than you'd expect for such a small car. But with limited legroom full-grown adults will find long distances uncomfortable.

Take it out onto the motorway and even the larger of the two engines - the 1.2-litre petrol - labours at higher speeds and you need a decent stretch of road to overtake safely.

The steering, which is light and nimble at low speeds, also feels a little uncertain when you're going quickly.

There's no question the Spark is a big improvement on Chevrolet's previous city car offering. Unfortunately it won't arrive here before spring, which will likely be just after the scrappage scheme comes to an end.

But even without that leg-up Chevrolet have a car which potential Picanto and i10 buyers should take a serious look at. Those on the market for a Panda or a C1 may also be tempted by its neat looks and low price tag.

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Honda's CR-Z sports hybrid

It’s silly, we know, but there’s a tangible sense of relief in the air as we’re handed the key to the pert little CR-Z, Honda’s new 2+2 sports hybrid hatchback coupé thing. Relief rather than anticipation because we’re pathetically delighted to see a key that folds in on itself, in the modern style. By contrast the old-fashioned keys to Honda’s other hybrids – the Insight hatch and Civic saloon – are unyielding metal spears like something from the sharp end of the kitchen drawer, best not carried loose in a trouser pocket. These little things can matter a lot, unless you already have all the children you’ll ever want.

Grab that blissful folding key, plip open the doors, and slide over the prominent bolster into a snug, punched-leather cocoon. Ratchet down the seat – headroom is tight in our top-spec GT model with its glass roof and sliding sunblind. Adjust the seatback by tugging at the horrible, imprecise lever, then strain for the seatbelt hanging from that pillar way back behind you. Check the mirrors – large and square power-folding jobs on each door, plus a view through the centre of the car that’s awkwardly bisected, to remind you that you’re sitting in a hybrid.

Adjust the wheel and you’re ready to go. Slot the key home and twist to bring the dash alive, then depress the clutch before prodding the pointless red start button hidden behind the wheel rim. Then survey the Starfleet-style instruments, resplendent in red, white, blue and – of course – green, to remind you to drive with an eye on the mpg gauge. But then a blip of the throttle produces a fulsome rasp from the rear of the car. Is this little hybrid Honda a green car or a sporty car? Or neither?

Honda would like to think that it’s all three. To the right of the wheel sits a set of three square buttons, marked Econ, Normal and Sport. Prod them and you’ll change the car’s characteristics, from slow and thrifty through to eager and darty. The buttons change steering weight and the availability of torque from the hybrid electric motor (as well as the backlighting of the instruments and the insistence of the upshift reminder). They really do make a difference too – drive at a constant throttle and riffle the buttons and you’ll actually speed up and slow down. Leave the car in Econ on the open road and you’ll think you’re towing a boat. Put it in Sport and you’ll think that – well, you’ll think you’re in a respectably nippy little coupé, not fast, but lively. In normal it’s in the middle and unremarkable, as it says on the tin.

Whichever mode you choose, the car is reasonably frugal. Driving at a normal pace for 50 miles on A-roads and twisty B-roads, switching among the three modes and indulging in the odd spot of Sport-button overtaking, yielded 45.6mpg (according to the car’s own estimates). No doubt a more careful or patient driver could achieve a figure in the 50s. The official combined cycle comes in at 56.5mpg and 117g/km.

Along with that fuel economy you get a very pleasant little car. The seats (once adjusted) are great, the handling tidy, the ride reasonable. Forward visibility is good, without the mammoth blindspots that are the hybrid norm. Over the shoulder and rear visibility are as awful as you’d expect from just looking at the car from the kerb, but then they are part of the parcel if you want a rakishly shaped coupé. Pedal weights and steering feel are good. It’s very easy to plant the CR-Z exactly where you want it on the road, and to feel like you’re making good progress on a twisty B-route. Instant torque from the hybrid electric motor makes the car feel quick to respond, and we never felt weighed down by the batteries at the rear.

Niggles turn out to be few. The rear seats are pointless, some plastics felt nasty, we’d prefer a space-saver wheel to a bottle of goo, the 6-speed gearbox is easily mis-slotted, and the engine stop-start system can be relied upon to stop but not to start.

Like many current cars, the CR-Z will halt its engine when stationary, to spare the earth a few puffs of CO2. But unlike others we’ve tested, the car’s brain will occasionally manage to get its bits in a twist, leaving you motionless, in gear, pressing a lifeless accelerator and going nowhere. Dipping the clutch for half a second will spin the engine back into life, but it really oughtn’t to be possible to outfox the car so readily. Even Kia can get this stuff right, so for Honda to get it wrong is a big, bad surprise.

Honda expects to sell 3,500 CR-Zs in the UK over the next 12 months, mostly in the mid-range Sport spec at about £18,000. The cheaper S costs just under £17,000, while £20,000 is required to drive off in a CR-Z GT with its glass roof, heated leather chairs, xenon lamps and Bluetooth kit. Built-in satnav is extra. All three models offer the same performance – 124mph flat out, 9.9 seconds to 62mph, and a 122bhp peak from petrol and electric combined.

Honda thinks the most likely buyers will be professional urbanites, aged 25 to 35, alongside older empty nesters looking for an economical and fun second car, plus the odd business buyer after a low-CO2 drive with a bit of pep.

We think that all of the above will find a lot to like in the Honda CR-Z. All of a sudden the default-choice Mini looks frumpy, old fashioned and as common as a cold.

New Cars Brock Racing Celebrates 40th Anniversary with New BRE 370Z

A little while back - forty years ago - Peter Brock's Brock Racing Enterprises won the SCCA National Championship at Road Atlanta with a 240Z driven by John Morton.

Now, on the 40th anniversary of the original win, BRE is celebrating the first official ass-kicking Japanese racer on American soil with a special new 370Z.

Based on the Nismo 370Z Coupe, it will be "built to current SCCA T2 racecar regulations and will see track duty later this year." It will also feature a distinct red, white, and blue BRE paint scheme.

The BRE 370Z is set to debut April 29 at the Classic Motorsports Mitty at Road Atlanta. If you can't get down there, the car will also be making appearances a Z Club events nationwide.

By Phil Alex

Chrysler and NASA partner

Now here's a partnership we didn't see coming: Chrysler and NASA have jumped into bed to share research on things like radar, materials and robotics. While we can't imagine Chrysler has too much to add to that discussion, the partnership could have a wide-ranging impact on the company's future products. Neither NASA nor Chrysler is exactly willing to say how the government agency will benefit from joining up with the smallest of the Big Three, but the mind reels...

It's also worth noting that NASA will be sharing some of its battery tech with the Penastar people, including "other energy storage mediums." That's good news for a company that just put its ENVI electric-vehicle program out to pasture. While hybrids still make up a small portion of the total vehicle sales here in the US of A, any manufacturer without a decent hybrid showing would seem to be at a serious disadvantage going forward.

If nothing else, we may see more Velcro, memory foam and freeze-dried ice cream in our Chrysler products of the future, although there's no word on sending a Sebring into space.

Mercedes-Benz E350 CGI Coupe First Drive

Looking back now, the only question is why the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 CGI didn't arrive sooner.

It is hard to figure why the current second-generation Mercedes-Benz CLK managed to sell quite as well as it has. Sure, it has a shiny three-pointed star sitting up front on the grille, but it is based on the humble underpinnings of the C-Class and draws its styling influences for the most part from the previous-generation E-Class, itself no classic in the looks department.

Worldwide sales topped 250,000 in seven years, an outstanding performance. But now that the Audi A5 and BMW 3 Series have begun to encroach on the CLK's turf, Mercedes-Benz has finally responded.

And the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 CGI isn't at all like the CLK.

The New Deal
Unwilling to take the CLK into a third generation, Mercedes has replaced its hugely successful two-door with this car, the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe. And because it's based upon the recently introduced launched E-Class sedan, it moves this model into a rather more exclusive part of the coupe market where it will line up against a production version of the Audi A7 concept shown earlier this year as well as next year's all-new BMW 6 Series.

It is the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 CGI's distinctive styling that clearly represents the most obvious change, as the car adopts cues from the E-Class sedan. But where its four-door stablemate has adopted a stately look in its latest incarnation, the E-Class coupe instantly looks lithe thanks to its edgy, pillarless roof. (There's also a convertible version of this car in the works, but don't expect to see it until this time next year. Like the outgoing CLK cabriolet, the new car features a traditional fabric top.)

Given its upmarket positioning, the E-Class coupe is larger than the old CLK in almost every dimension. Overall length goes up 1.9 inches to 185 inches, while overall width has increased 1.9 inches to 70.3 inches. Despite going up in size, improved production techniques have seen a 27 percent increase in overall structural rigidity of the body. The wheelbase has increased by 1.8 inches to 106.9 inches, while the front track has increased 1.7 inches to 60.6 inches and the rear track has increased a considerable 2.7 inches to 60.8 inches.

More Living Space
The stretched dimensions are put to good use inside the cabin, where accommodations have been enlarged in every dimension. You wouldn't call it palatial, but by the standards of a two-door, there's adequate space for four full-size adults along with a decent amount of luggage space (the trunk's capacity of 15.9 cubic feet puts many dedicated sedans to shame).

The design of the interior draws heavily on that found in the new E-Class sedan, which itself is redolent of that seen in a number of Mercedes-Benz models of late. The excellent seats have been developed specially for the E-Class coupe, and they can be adjusted to a quite low driving position, fittingly sporting for a coupe. Meanwhile, the stretch in wheelbase and width dimensions has also created added space for front-seat occupants. With no B-pillars to block your view, there are no blind spots over your shoulder, although the headrests of the rear seats severely restrict the view out of the rear window.

In the current fashion, there are just two seats in the back, and they're separated by a prominent center console. While benefiting from the added legroom in this new package, rear-seat occupants will find headroom is restricted by the curvature of the roof, which plunges quite dramatically.

Motoring
The rear-wheel-drive E-Class coupe will launch in Europe with seven different engine options — three of them gasoline and two diesel. North American buyers will get to choose between just two of these engines, a 292-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 for the E350 CGI and a 388-hp 5.5-liter V8 for the E550 CGI. Each comes with Mercedes-Benz's excellent seven-speed automatic transmission. A number of mpg-boosting innovations have been introduced under the German carmaker's BlueEfficiency banner, including brake energy regeneration, an on-demand water pump and low-rolling-resistance tires.

For our first drive we choose the E350 CGI, which will form the majority of sales here in North America. Twist the key and the first impression is of exceptional refinement. At idle, the engine is so quiet that it's barely perceptible from behind the wheel.

Once under way, this direct-injection V6 offers crisp response and impressive levels of performance. Left in Sport mode, the automatic gearbox works well, as upshifts are almost seamless even under full throttle and downshifts come swiftly. The V6 doesn't produce its maximum torque of 269 pound-feet until 3,000 rpm is wound on the dial, so it needs to be worked a bit before it can be coaxed into delivering its full potential. But with such a hushed nature and an inherent willingness to rev to the 6,800-rpm redline, this is no real hardship.

Acceleration reveals just how effective the new high-compression engine really is, as the sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) from a standstill takes just 6.5 seconds. The E350 CGI achieves a top speed of 155 mph, making it a good deal faster than the old CLK320 and more than a match for its keenest rivals, the Audi A5 3.2 FSI and BMW 330i coupe.

Serenity
The E350 CGI is further distinguished by its deeply impressive on-road character. Your first impression is of real serenity, but as we went faster, this car's optional Advanced Agility Control package came into play. It combines variable-rate steering and electronically controlled shock absorbers that can be set in three distinct modes (Normal, Comfort and Sport).

The most satisfying feature is its ability to cruise down the highway with quiet confidence, tremendously well insulated from road and wind noise. Part of the performance comes from extensive wind-tunnel testing, because the E-Class coupe's 0.24 Cd is the sleekest of any production car, Mercedes tells us. You're nicely insulated from the road, but not anaesthetized, a telling distinction that Mercedes seems to understand very well.

You could add composure to this list, too. Body movement is well checked as long as you don't do anything too extreme over challenging sections of bitumen. While the steering effort initially feels a touch too light for any real engagement with the act of driving, it becomes more accurate and informative as your speed increases.

There's plenty of cornering grip and the handling is safe and neutral, with a bias toward understeer near the limits of adhesion. With serious provocation, you can coax the E350 CGI to drift into oversteer, though the stability control quickly responds to any wayward action even when disengaged. Dynamically, this is an impressive package, a real improvement on the old CLK, even if the overall impression is not exactly sporting in nature. The most impressive thing is the way this new coupe eats up the miles with such nonchalant ease.

New Priorities
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 CGI represents a shift in priorities for Mercedes-Benz. Conventional new model logic would have seen the Stuttgart automaker freshening up the CLK for another generation, an affordable, incremental improvement to fend off the competition. Yet what has been delivered is nothing less than an all-new model that is positioned a whole class higher than the car it replaces.

Objectively, the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe is a better car in every aspect. However, success for cars like this is rarely if ever based upon simple objective advantage. Instead a coupe's chances in the marketplace are all about pure desirability, and it is here where this car makes its case.

Mercedes-Benz E350 and E550 Coupe Test Drive: Posh Performer Delivers Cool Safety Tech

Mercedes-Benz E350 and E550 Coupe Test Drive: Posh Performer Delivers Cool Safety Tech

Las Vegas—The old CLK was too pedestrian to be a Mercedes-Benz coupe. There, we said it. As much as we lusted for the insanely fun 500-hp CLK63 AMG Black Series, the more conventional models in the CLK lineup looked too much like other two-doors on the market. Some have said the CLK even resembled an Accord Coupe.

Well, Mercedes Benz has fixed all that with the new E-Class Coupe—a car that not only now clearly belongs to the more upscale E-Class lineup, but also looks distinctly different than any other coupe on the market. We hit the road in Vegas recently for a test drive.—Ben Stewart

The Specs

The CLK, as the name suggested, shared much of its mechanical makeup with the previous generation C-Class sedan. Mercedes says the new E-Class Coupe shares 60 percent of its components with the E-Class Sedan we recently reviewed as well as 40 percent of its components with "other Mercedes-Benz products." A look at some key dimensions reveals that the E-Class Coupe shares a nearly identical wheelbase, width and track with the C-Class sedan. The E-Class sedan rides on a 4.4-inch longer wheelbase, 2-inch wider track and is 6.7 inches longer overall than the E-Class Coupe. It's also around 400 pounds heavier. The independent suspension of the E Coupe uses a similar Macpherson strut front and five-arm multilink arrangements as the C-Class.

Under the hood of the E350 Coupe is Mercedes-Benz's 268-hp 3.5-liter V6 that sends 258 lb-ft of torque to a seven-speed automatic. The E550 packs a 382-hp 5.5-liter V8 with 391 lb-ft of torque and uses the same transmission. Mercedes says the V6 cars will hit 60 mph in 6.2 seconds and the E550 will make that run in 5.0 seconds flat. Aside from the larger 18-inch wheels and sportier rocker panels, you can distinguish V8-powered E Coupes by their square tailpipes. The V6 cars have oval ones.

The E-Class Coupes are equipped with much of the same technology as their four door cousins. Standard on all E Coupes is Attention Assist. The system monitors 70 different parameters to determine if a driver is drifting off to sleep—and will provide a warning to wake him up. Even more impressive tech is bundled with the Distronic Plus package. This option group includes adaptive cruise control, which automatically maintains a preset distance away from other cars and can bring the E Coupe to a complete stop if needed. Similarly, Brake Assist Plus can determine if a crash is imminent and will use partial or fully autonomous braking to avoid or lessen the severity of a collision. More safety tech includes a whopping nine airbags and increased body strength over the previous-generation CLK coupe. Roughly 72 percent of the E Coupe's chassis and bodywork is constructed from high-strength steel or aluminum.

The cabin is more intimate than that of the E-Class sedan; there's slightly less shoulder room and legroom for rear passengers. But, surprisingly, the Coupe has a couple of inches more headroom up front than the sedan. Coupes aren't usually very practical. But this new E Coupe can carry almost 16 cubic feet of gear in the trunk—and even more when the rear seat is folded flat.

The Drive

Mercedes-Benz says the majority of its customers will opt for the less expensive and more fuel-frugal V6-powered E350. It returns an estimated 18-mpg city and 26 mpg on the highway while the E550 delivers 16 mpg city and 23 mpg on the highway. Many times, we too are satisfied with only six cylinders. But that's not the case here. After spending half the day running the E350 across the lonely Nevada dessert and then hitting the curves on a twisty mountain road, we say—get the V8.

The E350s V6 may be plenty quick against the stopwatch, but it doesn't have the same soul as the V8. Toe into the throttle, and the mellow V8 burble combines with a smooth wave of power and torque—passing lesser machines is so easy. The E550 never has to work hard and never sounds stressed. In other words, it's a proper luxury car.

The E550 also comes standard with 18-inch wheels and the sportier Agility Control suspension that automatically adapts to road conditions. The E550 feels more at home on challenging roads than the E-Class sedan. It has quicker ratio steering, a shorter wheelbase and less weight to haul around. The cabin is sportier than the sedan too. The gearshift lever is moved from the column on the sedan to the console—where it belongs. But this Benz still leans more toward refinement and pampering than its more engaging rivals—the sporty BMW 3 Series Coupe and Audi S5.

Styling is subjective, but the more time we spent with the new E Coupe, the more interesting angles and details we saw in the design. The rear three-quarter-angle view—with all the windows down—is the one that best shows off the coupe's wide hips and aggressive tumblehome. And overall this car seems to ape many of the lines of Mercedes' own sleek and successful CLS sedan.

The Bottom Line

The new E-Class Coupe is what a Mercedes coupe should be. It's smooth, luxurious, safe and—in the E550 form—very entertaining. The $48,925 E350 and $55,525 E550 Coupe will arrive in Mercedes-Benz stores this summer. When we pressed officials about the possibility of an AMG E-Class Coupe they hinted that for now, it didn't appear likely. But a year from now we will get an E-Class cabriolet. We say, bring back that AMG Black Series coupe too.

Mercedes-Benz E350 Car of the Month

The auto industry is full of great taglines. Whether it’s BMW’s The Ultimate Driving Machine, Mazda’s Zoom-Zoom or Chevrolet’s Like a Rock, a company’s tagline is the one catch phrase that is designed to resonate with consumers. In some cases, companies like Ford Motor Company have more than one tagline, from Built Ford Tough to Ford. Drive One. There are two that really stick out the most and they come from my childhood: Have you Driven a Ford Lately and Toyota’s Oh What a Feeling…(you can finish the rest).

As our team took receipt of the 2010 Mercedes Benz E350, the timeless exterior design and smooth lines of the car enamored us. With all vehicle reviews, we usually spend our first 30 minutes simply talking about the car. As we walked around this beautiful vehicle, we couldn’t remember what Mercedes-Benz’s tagline was. We all agreed that luxury or unsurpassed craftsmanship had to be tied in to this car in some capacity, but we simply couldn’t come up with the tagline.

After getting back to the office and doing some quick research, we learned that Mercedes-Benz’s tagline was Like No Other, but the usage was discontinued in 2006. There might be a new tagline for Mercedes, but it simply doesn’t roll off the tongue like The Ultimate Driving Machine. However, and this is a big however, we all quickly agreed that Mercedes is one of only a few brands that simply doesn’t need a tagline. Their product line-up speaks volumes about the quality and sophistication of their company. Who needs a catchy tagline when the entire product line-up truly defines the brand and speaks for itself?

So, in selecting our 2009 Car of the Month for October, it was an easy choice. With no tagline, no catchy phrases, the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 needs no overwhelming introduction other than, this car is really Like No Other.



Overall Experience
The Mercedes-Benz E350 embodies everything that is representative of luxury and is simply one of the most refined vehicles on the road. The performance attributes are surprisingly underestimated as the interior creature comforts engage the passengers with the integration of the world’s best technological features. On the open road the E350 is the preeminent luxury sedan. With the right mix of sportiness and horsepower, matched perfectly with the most luxurious interior package available today, the E350 is a class leader.

Interior
As stated above, Mercedes-Benz is known for being the auto industry’s most luxurious brand. Other automakers strive to achieve this unsurpassed recognition, but it’s the years of continued engineering and refinement that make a Mercedes a Mercedes. The interior of the E350 is highlighted by leather attributes from the leather-wrapped dashboard and steering wheel, to the soft and supple leather seats. And, the seats aren’t just normal leather seats. The Premium package E350 integrates heating and cooling on the front seats, as well as a full back massage system for the driver. The hand polished wood trim and aluminum instrument cluster truly make the entire feel of the E350 timeless and sophisticated.



The navigation system uses a 7-inch high-mounted display giving the driver exceptional visibility. The nav system also comes with a new real-time traffic feature that is updated via GPS along the driving route. The harman/kardon LOGIC7 Surround Sound System with Dolby Digital 5.1 pumps out great audio to seven perfectly positioned speakers. Sirius Satellite Radio and an iPod/MP3 Media Interface round out the entertainment system. Bluetooth is becoming more commonplace with each state adopting new hands-free laws and the Mercedes is no different. The Bluetooth provides clear and hands-free use and more importantly it’s extremely easy to pair and use.

The one minor feature that Mercedes might want to consider adjusting in the future is the cruise control switch. It sits at approximately 10 o’clock on the left side of the steering column and you find yourself clicking the cruise control switch instead of the turn signal, which is also located on the left side of the steering column at 7 o’clock.

Performance
The Mercedes-Benz E350 has a 3.5-liter, 24-Valve Aluminum V6 engine that produces 268 horsepower at 6,000 RPM. The 258 lb-ft of torque is quite docile in the normal automatic transmission mode, but when switched over to sport the E350 comes alive. With a 0-60 of 6.5 seconds, the 7-speed manual transmission is perfectly mated to the engine package for smooth driving. Although 0-60 performance isn’t likely the first thing that comes to mind when purchasing a Mercedes, the development of the 3.5-liter motor, combined with the 7-speed transmission, packs enough horsepower punch to compete with any of its luxury competitors, including BMW, Audi, Lexus and Jaguar.



Keeping the E350 firmly planted to the pavement are 245/40 R18 front and 265/35 R18 rear Continental all-season tires. The sport suspension also gives the E350 an aggressive stance and allows for greater performance while cornering. Mercedes uses a 3-link independent strut-type with stabilizer bar for the front and a 5-link independent with stabilizer bar for the rear.
The exterior styling rounds out the E350 with sport body styling, aggressive and pronounced front grille, lower front bumper-mounted headlights and dual exhaust on the rear. But it’s back inside the cockpit where the sportiness continues with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Safety
Volvo has positioned itself as one of the auto industry’s premier safety leaders and for good reason; however, Mercedes has been a global leader in bringing the newest safety innovations to market since its inception. In addition to a steel reinforced cabin with front and rear crumple zones, the E350 has more airbags than we could count on both hands. There were front and rear side window airbags, front side airbags, front dual stage airbags, driver and front passenger pelvic airbags, a driver-knee airbag and Mercedes’ NECK-PRO active head restraints.
Tire pressure monitoring is also a great safety feature to have on any car. Knowing your tires’ pressure levels can prevent a potential blowout situation before it happens by ensuring your wheels are at normal pressure levels. 4-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock and brake assist, combined with roll-over sensor give the driver and passengers piece of mind they are driving in a vehicle that is safer than most.

Reverse back-up camera and sensors, along with Mercedes’ ATTENTION ASSIST Drowsiness Monitor are also special safety features of this E350.



The starting price of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 is $48,600 and to our surprise we thought that was very reasonable. When you think of Mercedes, you think of much higher price points, so this really sweetened the review. The vehicle we tested did have both the Premium and Sport Packages, which really loaded the car up with a host of great bonus features. The price with destination and delivery, along with the must-have massage seat for the driver was priced at $56,385. The 4-year/50,000 mile warranty is the industry standard, but Mercedes also includes 24-hour roadside assistance and Mercedes-Benz’s unparalleled maintenance program.

Mercedes-Benz E350, E550, and E320 BlueTec - Spied

Running preproduction prototypes of your new car at the Nürburgring has become as de rigeur for auto manufacturers as putting an engine under the hood and a patch of rubber at each corner. This practice is certainly making it easy for our spy photographers, who can pretty much set up camp and wait for the cars to come to them.

Most recently, our shooters captured a pair of Mercedes-Benz prototypes working out at the famous Eifel Mountain racetrack, the SL65 AMG Black Series and this 2010 E-class.

Though the matte-black shrink wrap hides the details of the head and taillights, it does little to mask the crisp new body lines. Certainly not the katana-hewn angles of a Cadillac design, the C-class–inspired cuts on the 2010 E-class’s sheetmetal are nonetheless razor sharp compared to the stately and curvaceous shaping of the model it replaces.

Taut creases in the side metal may be a relatively dramatic change, but the overall character of Mercedes’s mid-size sedan will remain unchanged. Expansive glass still fills an upright greenhouse, and even the car’s size will change very little. The platform underpinning the car seen here is an evolution of the previous-generation car’s, so expect dimensions to ebb and grow by mere fractions in any direction.

Our sources tell us there will also be little change in the engine room, where the V-6 diesel in the E320 BlueTec and the V-8 in the E550 will receive only minor updates. E350 models will see an additional 32 horsepower arrive courtesy of the direct-injection V-6 from the 2009 SLK350. We can only hope the bawdy E63 AMG sees even more than its current 507 horsepower, but if it doesn’t, we’ll still love it.

Expect the rest of the wrapping to stay on the E-class until the Geneva auto show in March of 2009. The car will start to appear in American showrooms the following fall, with the AMG to drop sometime in 2010.

2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic weathers the storm with aplomb

2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 Sedan - Click above for high-res image gallery

A November Nor'Easter had chewed its way up to New England, delivering a cataclysmic combination of rain and wind as we headed out on a late-night errand. Normally, such a prospect requires a potent blend of Italian roast and Krank20 to stay hyper alert. Instead, behind the helm of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic, the going was serene and confident. In a word: Wow.

These moments of vehicular astonishment have thinned out in the last two decades. Just look around at the automotive landscape. Even more modest conveyances are kitted out like luxury cars of yore, packing tons of tech and safety features that were once the exclusive purview of the world's well-to-do. Can anything be impressive anymore? As a matter of fact, yes. The E350, as it strafed along the pavement, solid as granite and ready for anything, made us feel like true kaisers of the strasse. Horsepower-addicted auto reviewers have complained that the 3.5-liter V6 needs more spinach. Fine. You want speed, spring for the AMG E63 and shut up. But for the above-average family man, the E350 manages to transcend its asthmatic lungs, soft-spoken tiller and supple feet to foment serious respect, if not outright desire.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 Sedan

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Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.

The new E-Class styling is crisp and classic, making the outgoing sedan look as dated as a cassette Walkman. Clapping eyes on the first pictures of the 2010 models showed a rear quarter panel distinctly reminiscent of a Chevrolet Impala – an obvious cause for alarm. Thankfully, the design translates more handsomely in person. No, that isn't the same milksop capitulation surrounding the Honda Crosstour. Scout's honor, the E350 is a great looking car. With its larger dimensions, the sedan resolves the styling in a classier way than the C-Class sedan and its two-door platform sibling, the E coupe.

Conservatively styled for traditional tastes, there's more surface work in the new body. Ovoid headlamps are now squared-up (one could almost use Ford's non-word "squircles") and the rear lamps swash across the tail more expressively than before. Mercedes-Benz hasn't gone off the Bangled deep-end with its latest E. No, this new idiom is sharper and more modern, with finely-tailored looks that have a certain amount of speed drawn in. There's motion in them thar lines and the details exude an air of automotive finery. Simply put, the E-Class will age well.




And classic styling is what's going on inside, too. The quintessential Mercedes cabin is a swell place to spend time, with the shape of the dashboard reminiscent of the panel in old W124s. But the interior design isn't as dated as that comparison might suggest, as the new E features a large LCD and spiffy gauges in the panel. Drawing a clear line back to its predecessors and packing the kind of high-tech firepower buyers in this class demand, the new E masterfully balances old and new. Although our tester's black ash trim brought the gloom and ash leather upholstery was already showing signs of being doomed to a life of clean-ishness, the pleating on the seats says "1987 300E" and what's wrong with invoking such a modern legend?

The materials, along with fit and finish, seem appropriately rich. There are touches of S-Class here and a dash of C-Class there, but the Mercedes parts bin is populated with good stock, so it feels familial instead of frugal. Lexus may be most recently identified with such fastidiousness, but the E350 displays an obsession with perfection. Even the headlight switch toggles with precision-machined feel, lending an air of importance to even the simplest task. There's virtually no slop in any of the ancillary controls, reiterating that the E-Class is one impeccably crafted automobile.



Around the interior, the expected high points are realized in good form. The optional Drive Dynamic seats act counter to cornering forces and offer a massage feature for those seeking a more intimate relationship with their chariot. The seats are all-day comfortable, but one of the first things we did was disable the groping functionality (we're fine with keeping this liaison platonic). Going with the standard power seats will keep $650 in your pocket, though the massagers are a boon to alertness on long slogs. If bladder-busting drives are your thing, perhaps the only thing better than groping seats and mechanical rollers would be integrated restrooms.

The rest of the technology in the E350 is surprisingly benign. COMAND isn't the epic agita-fest we expected, though the system needs fewer sub-menu steps and can be an outright distraction when delving deep into the structure. It's a good thing the Distronic Plus radar-based speed control is so amazingly good. Intervention is finely modulated, and the car even slowed itself to a momentary stop and accelerated again through a traffic circle with more aplomb than your average driver. The $3,950 Premium 1 package adds features many buyers will want, including hard-drive navigation, voice control, satellite radio, a rear view camera, heated seats and a dandy-good Harman Kardon Logic 7 audio system, while the $2,900 Driver Aid package installs the Distronic system, along with blind spot and lane monitoring. The sheer distraction of trying to use an iPod with the audio system means your eyes will be off the road for long stretches, so it's almost a necessity that the E can mostly drive itself. And while COMAND has lots of functionality built in, it's more clunky than iDrive or MMI, and stands a chance at flummoxing drivers just looking for directions to Bar Americain.



Thankfully, most of the functions have dedicated controls on the center stack. Switches for the ventilation system seem particularly well-considered and Mercedes employs little flippers that make setting temperature, fan speed and mode easy, with a clear bar graph displaying your settings. A column shifter for the seven-speed automatic transmission isn't exactly a sporting touch, but there are steering-wheel mounted shift buttons if you want to pose. Visibility out of the cabin was reminiscent of the low-cowl days of yesteryear, coupled with an airy atmosphere thanks to the glass roof. The biggest ergonomic gaffe is just Mercedes being Mercedes. To wit, the position of the cruise control stalk is exactly where the uninitiated driver expects to find the turn signals. You'll eventually adapt, but there's a period of unintentionally changing lanes without signaling, and not for lack of trying.

Though the E you see in the photos is a rear-drive example, our tester was equipped with Mercedes' all-wheel drive 4Matic system. Without trying the car in ultra-low traction situations (it was a downpour, not a blizzard), the AWD hardware didn't come into serious play as we formed our impressions of the driving experience. The ride proved just short of amazing, with a massively rigid bodyshell allowing the suspension to be topped up with whipped cream without shuddering and flopping about. Despite the plush ride, the E350 isn't all marshmallow – it's just more cushioned than a BMW 5 Series. And while there's a good amount of bodyroll, the E still feels reassuring as it heels over and takes a set. As you'd expect, this is not the sedan for hooliganism, though it won't make a total fool of itself if you force it to play along.




The helm is much sharper than Benzes of yore and even offers some feedback. Watching the tri-star hood ornament rotate through a turn like a gunsight makes up for having to correct mid-corner – something we experienced on more than one occasion. And for a 90-degree V6, the 268-horsepower 3.5-liter is impressively serene. Silent at idle, the engine is smooth and makes the most of its modest pride of horses when wound hard. It even snarls when caned, but it's nothing to set your heart aflutter. The buttery-smooth seven-speed automatic is best left to its own devices, so just ignore the silly, useless paddles and let the trans slides through its ratios without so much as a head bob. Despite having a cogtacular ratio spread, there's only so much power deficit the gearing can counter for, and the E350 is comparatively down on snort. Fuel economy also suffers a bit from the whipping you'll do to keep up.

The E350's stock in trade is being the seriously solid benchmark that we've come to expect. The extra-strong structure feels unbreakable, and there's a seemingly endless well of tricks to keep vibrations and harshness from entering the cabin. The brakes, too, proved unflappable – no surprise considering the myriad of electronics employed to keep the rotors dry and primed for action. Yet despite all the active and passive safety features (nine airbags, active headlamps and the Pre-Safe system which rolls up the windows, closes the sunroof, adjusts the seats and pre-tensions the belts if it senses an impending crash), the E350 doesn't drive like an autonomous space capsule – even when it suggests you stop for coffee when it detects drowsiness.



In the new E's most recent TV spots, Mercedes touts the decades of experience and innovation it brought to bear on the all-new E-Class. Strangely, this is one of those rare instances when marketing speaks truth. While the excellence does cost (the E350 starts at $49,000 and our tester rang in at around $60k), you won't feel ripped off, even if you opt for the V6. If past E-Class Benzes have lost the marque's storied status, the E350 is finally the vehicle to win it back, come hell, highwater or Nor'Easter.

2010 Mercedes Benz E350, 2009 Audi A6, 2009 BMW 528i

In the past, the traditional German rivals in the mid-size sedan segment - the Audi A6, the BMW 5-series, and the Mercedes-Benz E-class - played specific roles and carved out their own places in the market. BMW positioned the 5-series as the dedicated driver's car, Audi was first to offer four-wheel drive and direct-injection engines, and Mercedes emphasized comfort and prestige.

This scenario is about to change with the arrival of the new E-class, which is destined to shake up the hierarchy with new values, new qualities, and a new look. The ninth-generation Mercedes mid-size sedan has carefully conserved core brand values such as better-than-average packaging, a cosseting ride, and an emphasis on passive and active safety, but Mercedes engineers were determined to break new ground, and the result is the sportiest and best-handling E-class ever. It also is available with a host of new driver-assistance and creature-comfort options, and it has an interior that sets new standards in terms of fit, finish, and surface materials. On top of that, the design - whether you like it or not - is a big departure from its play-it-safe predecessor.

The Benz's competitors, on the other hand, are dangerously long in the tooth - the 5-series will be replaced early next year, and the A6 is up for renewal in late 2010. All three cars are offered with both six- and eight-cylinder engines, and the high-performance BMW M5 and Audi S6 even have V-10s. But the most popular choice is still a six-cylinder engine.

In Europe, the E350 gets a new, 288-hp direct-injection V-6, but the E350 edition earmarked for the United States retains the familiar V-6 that produces 268 hp at 6000 rpm and 258 lb-ft of torque between 2400 and 5000 rpm. As for the A6, its 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 is a new addition for '09, offered as a step up from the base 255-hp, 3.2-liter. The model designation of the A6 3.0 TFSI (3.0T in the United States) is misleading. Normally, TFSI means turbocharged direct injection, but in this instance, the turbo has been replaced by a supercharger, because it was easier to package in the V between the cylinder banks, costs less than two turbos and their associated plumbing, and is more fuel efficient. Of course, Audi would point to its instant-on torque, swift throttle response, and superior power output. The supercharged V-6 produces 300 hp at a sedate 5100 rpm and 310 lb-ft at a leisurely 2500 rpm. The European BMW 530i is roughly the equivalent of the U.S.-market 528i, as both are powered by normally aspirated 3.0-liter straight-six engines. However, the version in our Euro-spec test car has direct injection and thus is good for 268 hp at 6700 rpm with 236 lb-ft of torque available between 2750 and 3000 rpm. The U.S.-spec 528i makes do with 230 hp and 200 lb-ft. BMW also offers the 300-hp, twin-turbocharged 535i as a step up before you get into V-8 territory with the 550i.

Mercedes-Benz E350

The E-Class sedans are redesigned for 2010. They are solid, safe, comfortable, luxurious, and fast. A 2010 wagon is not currently available. New for 2010, the E- Class Coupe is a sporty, dynamic, and distinctive coupe with a classic Mercedes design.

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