Smile. Your next new Mercedes-Benz is blessed with a cornucopia of cameras, including a selfie function so you can beam your exploits on to social media post-haste.
The new E-Class’s central display’s entertainment system has the option of a smart, wide, digital dashboard super-screen, with pre-loaded apps such as Angry Birds, Zoom, and, more controversially, China’s TikTok, widely banned over security fears.
What’s more, attention assist uses a camera in the driver display to check on whether the driver is becoming drowsy or failing to keep their eyes on the road, and alert them.
Vigilant: Cameras on the new E-Class will check alertness in the driver
Half of the six powertrains on offer are green petrol electric plug-in hybrids.
The executive car is the latest iteration of an upper mid-class model whose name goes back to 1993, but the origins of which go back many decades more.
Of the six 2-litre turbocharged engine combinations offered at launch, one (E200) is a 204 hp petrol mild hybrid (0 to 62 mph in 7.5 seconds up to a top speed of 149 mph), and two are diesel mild hybrids (E220d and E220d 4Matic all-wheel drive), supported by an integrated starter-generator. The latter sprints from rest to 62 mph in 7.8 seconds.
The three plug-in hybrids comprise more powerful petrol-electric combinations: an E300e (rest to 62mph in 6.4 seconds up to 146 mph); a slightly slower E300e4Matic all-wheel drive; and the most powerful E400e (rest to 62 mph in 5.3 seconds up to 155 mph) with CO2 emissions of up to 20g/km and an electric-only range of up to 68 miles (109 km).
The executive car is the latest iteration of an upper mid-class model whose name goes back to 1993, but the origins of which go back many decades more
The new E-Class’s central display’s entertainment system has the option of a smart, wide, digital dashboard super-screen
At a fraction under 5m long, with a near-3m wheelbase, it promises plenty of space for driver and passengers
All are linked to a 9-speed automatic gearbox.
Mercedes-Benz said: ‘With a purely electric range of up to over 62 miles, the models will in many cases be on the roads under purely electric power, without using the petrol engine.’
At a fraction under 5m long, with a near-3m wheelbase, it promises plenty of space for driver and passengers, with 540 litres of luggage space.
UK sales begin this summer with first deliveries in the autumn. Prices expected from £50,000.
Kia named car manufacturer of the year
Korean car maker Kia has been named car manufacturer of the year in the UK’s automotive ‘Oscars’.
The annual Autocar Awards judges were won over by models such as the EV6 and electric Niro, while UK president and CEO Paul Philpott was honoured for his role in leading the transformation of the firm’s UK arm which, for the first time, exceeded 100,000 sales last year.
Award: Korean car maker Kia has been named car manufacturer of the year in the UK’s automotive ‘Oscars’
Ferrari’s 296 GTB and the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS both achieved top ‘five-star’ performance ratings; the Porsche 911 GT3 was named ‘best driver’s car’, and Toyota’s GR86 a ‘future classic’.
Other best cars included: Hyundai Ioniq 6 (company car); Honda Civic Type R (fun car); Range Rover Sport (SUV); BMW M3 Touring (dream car); MG 4 (electric); Dacia Sandero (budget) and Jeep Avenger (small car).
McLaren unleashes latest model
Supercar firm McLaren has unleashed its latest model — the 206 mph 750S.
Powered by a twin-turbocharged 750 hp V8 engine with a 7-speed automatic gearbox, it accelerates from rest to 62 mph in 2.8 seconds and up to 124mph in 7.2.
Hot stuff: Supercar firm McLaren has unleashed its latest model — the 206 mph 750S
Expected from £250,000 for the coupe and £275,000 for the spider version.
Festooned with lightweight carbon fibre in the cabin and beyond, the 750S is the lightest and most powerful production McLaren, and 30kg lighter than the existing 720S, its bechmark.
Festooned with lightweight carbon fibre in the cabin and beyond, the 750S is the lightest and most powerful production McLaren
Powered by a twin-turbocharged 750 hp V8 engine with a 7-speed automatic gearbox, it accelerates from rest to 62 mph in 2.8 seconds
The Spider (open-top) version’s lightweight carbon fibre upper structure and composite retractable hard top (RHT) mean it’s only 49kg heavier than the coupe.
McLaren said the rear-wheel drive 750S is ‘unashamedly a supercar for the purist’, noting: ‘Around 30 per cent of components are either new or changed.’
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