At first I was not entirely sold on the idea of it. It seemed a bit too garish and it was somewhat of a departure from what the brand had been putting out for the past two generations.
But what I did not realize was that it was a return to normalcy over anything else.
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class was back in its element and was over the soft lines of the previous generation car. Bearing a chiseled jaw and a roofline that speaks to me in the same tongues as the W124, it is one of those "grows on you," kind of designs. After extensive driving impressions, my hate at first sight has turned into a welcoming embrace.
For 2011, the E is channeling something more intriguing; a convertible. Of course anyone can plainly see that the CLK-Class, that made an appearance for give or take 10 years, was essentially an E cabriolet. Although you would not know it because Mercedes neglected to mention anything CLK related during our press briefing. It was good for a chuckle.
Nomenclature aside, the E convertible is taking the E coupe's solid foundation and impressive driving dynamics then lopping off its top. For those who enjoy getting a tan, blasting around town with a couple of friends and a three-pointed star adorning the grille, this is one monster vehicle.
And it happens to look miles better than the E coupe. Lacking that fixed rear window and adding a delicate looking top, it accentuates the rear fender that reminds me of a Bentley Continental GTC. The rear 3/4 is this vehicle's best angle.
If you have not been up to speed on the E coupe, let me summarize. The coupe drives like a scaled-down CL but deletes the boat-like quality and adds some liveliness. Sure its steering is numb and on the lighter side, but it remains direct and demands for you to play in the twisties.
It will not probably not sway a BMW driver from their 335i but it is not intended to do so. It is far more refined.
The E coupe makes for an excellent GT cruiser. Its suspension is stiff without punishing your derrière and its not so soft as to lull you to sleep. Body roll is kept in check for the most part during aggressive cornering and the coupe is a quiet highway roller.
Now, the convertible does all of the above but like a magician with a trick up its sleeve -- more like several.
For instance, Mercedes has continued to go forward using its AIRSCARF technology. My first encounter with it had me skeptical because when you synthesize what it is actually during, merely blowing warm air on your neck, the first reaction is that it is a gimmick. Low and behold, when you are driving top down in 35 or 40 degree weather, it makes convertible driving in winter months possible.
With that said, from that point forth I knew that it would be wise to hold judgement on Mercedes' innovations until I had been able to test it. This is the case with the latest convertible technology from Benz, AirCap.
Functioning much like a pop-up spoiler, except positioned on the top of the windshield, AirCap aids in the aerodynamics department. Most convertibles are plagued with two issues: buffeting or turbulence, and excessive winds that whip that annoyingly whip you in the face.
Driving up to approximately 80 miles per hour with AirCap engaged, the difference is clear. While it does not eliminate all of the winds within the cabin, it takes care of most of it. If I had to say how much wind it eliminated on a percentage basis -- at high speed -- I would estimate approximately 80 percent. At low speeds it seems to mop up all wind and noise. You would not even know you are in a convertible, it is that calm up to 35 MPH.
The best part of AirCap is that because it makes the cabin a calm environment, long gone are the days of screaming to your passenger in order to have a conversation. It gets kind of old on a longer drive.
Although these two new staples to the brand are impressive in their own respect, there is something far more important. The new three layer canvas roof. And while many enthusiasts and writers chastise the brand for not going to a folding metal hard top, I applaud Mercedes' move. Contrary to popular belief, hard tops are not all that and a bag of chips.
Likely if you are used to what many think are ragtops, cheap canvas with arguable execution and plenty of road noise, you have yet to experience what is coming out of Benz's shop lately. Boasting a three-layer top, the E-Class is eerily quiet. It was so hush hush that I quickly forgot that I was driving a drop top.
Towards the end of the media drive, I mentioned to my co-pilot from Motor Trend that we had forgotten to note if the interior was quiet with the top up. We simply had not noticed, which is a good thing because if you are not picking up on something, it is because it is that good. But to ensure we had not missed anything, we took it for a brief high speed burn. After that we both agreed that we were blown away with how well the top performed.
But with the good comes the bad.
Most notably is the E350's transmission. Where the seven-speed automatic has a fully manual "M" mode in the 550, the 350 gets dogged with the Comfort and Sport modes. No "M" for you!
While it is a toss up on how many 350 buyers would use an "M" mode, it should at least be available. It would definitely make driving up hills a ton easier and more engaging for the driver.
And although the 350 and 550 are both good cars, they do lack the zest an AMG model would bring to the E coupes and convertibles. Ah, the sound of a raw, AMG V8 humming over your shoulder.
Do not fear too much, however. Sources have mentioned that the possibility for another Black series exist. To be frank, if that were to occur then I can handle not having an E63 coupe and convertible.
What I want to know is just how much longer are they going to make us beg?
Lastly, there is some cowl shake and flex within the confines of the E. The only convertible I have ever experienced without noticeable cowl shake and flex was the piggy bank busting SL. The E is far from a jitterbug but when the top is down it is noticeable over rough terrain.
Pricing for the convertibles is set at $56,850 and $64,800 for the 350 and 550, respectively. Expect the new Benzes to hit showrooms next month.
Some of you may be asking "Why the E over any of the competition?" Here's why: if you want something more refined than an Audi A5 or BMW 3-Series convertible BUT want something more lively than a Lexus IS C, it makes perfect sense.
Plus, it looks absolutely bitchin' in silver with a blue soft top.
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