Agent 001 Catches Caravan Of Next Generation E-Class Convertible Testing In Spain

You mean, let's hope it will not be anything like the POS Lexus GS. This is a fantastic piece of engineering made by the mighty Mercedes, not your overrated old people carrier made by Toyota. Take a good look at this Mercedes because that's what Toyota is going to copy and rebadge as Lexus 10 years from now. Just the usual business.

Now David, I have told you before that we wont fall for that. Those silly remarks have no place here. Why don't go run off and join a Toyota Fan Blog. There you will read posting more to your liking without having to expose yourself to coming across any articles that aren't exclusively Pro-Toyota/Nissan/other Asian makes. The days of comparing any and everything with Lexus are over. Bye-bye now.

david is you have no sole you can't die

Don't get sucked-in by 969.

david969:
"The current V6 in the E class is a joke. A V6 Camry is faster and more reliable"


Well, it's at least partially right. E350 really offered nothing to impress.

USD 31.000 270HP Toyota Camry V6 XLE:
6-speed automatic
0-60: 6.6 sec
EPA: 19 city, 28 hwy

USD 53.000 270HP Mercedes E 350:
7-speed automatic
0-60: 6.5 sec
EPA: 17 city, 24 hwy


http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=123842/pageId=133351

http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/#/vehiclesMenu/exploreSpecs/?vmf=E350W&yr=2009&vc=E

Specs look similar...the driving experience is at the opposite polls. The Mercedes is three times more car than the Camry... yet it doesn't cost not even twice as much. This is why test driving a car is a lot more important than just reading specs.

Its amazing that I'm so indifferent on the sedan design, but I really like what I've seen so far regarding the coupe's lines.

I’m praying that it gets one of those pieces of black cloth with visible ribs as a roof. Please make sure that the cloth top has that super-thick “C” Pillar (Just like every other soft top from the last 50 years). Also, the soft-top has to look like it came out of the sixties (just like the A5/S5’s soft-top). And make sure that the soft-top doesn’t do anything for the look of the car with the top up (just like the A5/S5). There are folks here who prefer their convertibles as such. Please cater to them.

And give the V6 more performance than a Honda Accord for Christ-Sakes.

"And give the V6 more performance than a Honda Accord for Christ-Sakes"

What's wrong with some of you here? Did you ever drive a Mercedes car in your life? Everybody knows that a Mercedes engine that has 200 hp feels a lot stronger than a Toyota engine with 300 hp, around town. Is called USABLE power. IS WHAT COUNTS.

Drive a Camry V6 around town and all you will ask yourself is where is the power? Look at the 330hp Infiniti G37. It feels weaker than a 200 hp GTI. It does not have any passing power unless you downshift to 6000 RPM? This is not a race car. You REALLY don't want to hear how a G37 sounds at full throttle, guaranteed. It sounds like making a smoothie with iron bolts. Japanese cars absolutely suck at driveability. You need to beat the c**p out of them to make them move. Badly engineered cars that only people with no ability to judge choose to buy.

Take a test drive folks and THEN come and share your opinion. If Mercedes would use something as unrefined and weak as the Toyota V6 engine for their cars they would lose every single customer. Nobody wants a 270 hp car that feels like it has 150 hp, though some apparently still buy V6 Toyotas.

Star,

Points well taken but the "E350" is still weak-sauce. And yes, German Horses appear to be stronger than Japanese horses. I used to beat 265hp G35s all the time with my 225hp 330i. My new car is a Japanese car (EVO X MR) and it feels all of the 291hp that they claim. I've driven 335's extensively and the car feels about as fast as that. Not all Japanese cars require for you to rev its brains out. My new car feels faster at all RPMs than my 330i. But then again its supposed to.

Star,

Yes, I have driven MB's before but I prefer BMW. I agree that the E350 will feel faster than the numbers suggest. But It will still get its tail handed to it by several other (run of the mill) cars.

"I agree that the E350 will feel faster than the numbers suggest. But It will still get its tail handed to it by several other (run of the mill) cars."


Who cares?

Nobody buys an E350 for raw performance. The E350 is a fast car. Fast enough. When you buy an E350 you buy it because you don't need the performance of the E550 and because you want to enjoy the features and comforts (and the badge) that the E-Class offers.

LexSucks,

I can assure you that the E350 has more usable power than a V6 Accord or V6 Camry around town but again...who races any of this three cars anyway? Is not like people who drive these E class Mercedeses are going to care if somebody will "beat" them in a "race". By the way, have you ever seen somebody racing an E350 Mercedes? I thought so.

How is getting DCT "kind of a poser move"? Please explian.

DCT takes away from the whole driving experience? Not for me.

Star,

Why is it when someone complains about a Mercedes not having enough performance folks have to equate that complaint with drag-racing? If a person desires more power that doesn’t mean that the person wants to join the NHRA. To me the E350 is an underperforming car that lacks any type of excitement. Unless you call luxury exciting? Maybe in 18 years when I turn 60 I’ll be willing to spend a premium just for luxury.

The problem with the E350 is that you spend a premium while not getting premium performance. In fact you end up with average performance. To me that's wasteful spending. Might as well get an Acura RL or something and save $15,0000+.

No matter who you are, sooner or later Star will insult you here on this site.

LexSucks,

an E350 Mercedes is not supposed to be a performance car. If there are other cars offering more performance in class be sure that they did cut corners somewhere else in order to make that happen. I can understand why you would not want an E350 Mercedes at your age but that doesn't change the fact that this car is still a great car.

I'm still not sure what your overall complain about this car is, since it does everything is supposed to do. You wanted to be faster? Buy a E550. You want something faster for the same money? Buy from another brand but... be aware of the fact that you are not getting all that the E350 offers and more power for the same money. You just get more power.

You spend a premium for an E350 because the car is unmatched when it comes to overall refinement. If you want performance get a C63 AMG(like I did)for almost the same money and call it a day. Why be stuck in criticizing the E350 for not having the performance you desire when Mercedes gives you the C63 AMG.

Your comment about getting an Acura and saving 15K saddens me. Not because the Japanese offering is any good, but because you take an incredible piece of engineering made by the most prestigious car brand in the world and compare it with a rebadged European Honda. There is no shame in admitting that you cannot afford a Mercedes but to claim that a Honda would do just what a Mercedes does for less is insulting to the Mercedes engineers who busted their a** to give you a real car. Remember what I tell you: You don't save anything when buying the Honda RL(Legend), you just settle for a way...way inferior car.

Its funny with some of you idiots talking about performance, Seriously why buy an E-class rather than a Toyota? Well firstly is because you have the money, you have the class, you want the luxury, oh yes and the badge. Sorry haters. The Benz badge has a briliant reputation. From where im from, driving a benz makes you near royalty. Im not against car makers as i do own a Toyota, i use it to get around town since here people show jelousy by scratching cars...unfortunately. Its practical and reliable, but, classless.

Are the pictures with the Mercedes E-class convertible taken from the new BMW Z4 ? So that is the new BMW that Agent 001 is testing in Spain! When are we going to read the review ?

"Lexsucks, you are grasping at straws here."

- So are you. You still haven’t convinced anyone here that DCT transmissions are for posers? The only thing you’ve proven is that you like things the way they are.

"Well, MB testers, you didn't have any luck of the Irish this St. Patricks Day, as the '00's triumph AGAIN!"

I think this was more of a case of 001 being in the right place at the right time.

001, how did you like the new Z4 you were driving? I'm anxiously waiting to try out the turbo, if it drives like it looks I'll be getting one when my 535xi is up, a dual clutch in either blue or dark graphite, with the upgraded white interior. Beautiful...

Dual clutch? Man up and stick with the 6MT and clutch pedal.

Why? The 7-speed dual clutch will be quicker and get better gas mileage than the 6-speed stick. If it's good enough for a GT-R, 911, and M3, it's good enough for me. Besides, the wife also needs to be able to drive it in an emergency, and that's not happening with a stick (which if this was a third car would be a great reason to get a stick, but in this case it would be primary transportation).

Lame JRob. The performance and gas mileage difference are pretty neglible. It is a two seat roadster -- it should have a clutch pedal in my opinion. Just because the 911 and M3 come with the DCT doesn't mean it is validated (many poser customers want an automatic style transmission). Are you one of those guys who would buy a Corvette with an automatic and all of the real car guys just shake their heads at? Is your 535xi auto?

I could somewhat justify getting a Ferrari with the F1 tranny since you would kind of feel like Michael Schumacher. But I still would prefer the gated Ferrari 6MT.

Dual Clutch is the Future. Pressing in a Clutch with my left leg to shift a gear every time becomes boring after 20+ years of doing so. Manually operated Clutch pedals are an archaic device. The Regular Automatics are still not responsive enough but the Dual-Clutch Transmissions are responsive enough :-) As long as dual-clutch transmissions are available, I'll never go back to the clutch pedal.

Clutch pedals are so old-school. What next? Bring back the “chokes” that cars use to have. We really need to be more involved with the vehicles start-up process.

"Pressing in a Clutch with my left leg to shift a gear every time becomes boring after 20+ years of doing so." --Lexsucks

Yes, depressing that small pedal is so terribly taxing. If you have really been doing it for 20+ years as you claim, you wouldn't even think twice about it. Maybe you should be driving a boring Lexus after all.

HScenterconsole,

After using a clutch for 20 years it is second nature. That doesn’t make driving in stop-and-go traffic any more fun (does it?). A car doesn’t need to have a clutch pedal in order to be fun imo. I’ll use my left leg for braking if it gets bored.

You do realize that the cars that are on the top of the heap performance wise (Veyron, GT-R) do not have a clutch pedal? Should Veyron and GT-R owners really be driving a Lexus instead? Those cars do not have a clutch pedal so therefore they are not true enthusiast’s cars? Right? Get a clue.

Lexsucks, if it was second nature to you, you wouldn't think about it in stop-or-go traffic either. You are hurting your own argument by using flawed logic. I've been driving stick for ten years (I'm 26) and I sit in horrendous traffic every morning and evening. I have yet to whine or complain once about it like you are after twenty boring and taxing years of using your left leg.

I never once said the GT-R or Veyron are not true enthusiast cars since they don't have true manual transmissions. Again, you are using flawed logic. Can you get a GT-R or Veyron (I'm using two cars you singled out in your response to me) with a manual transmission with clutch pedal? No. The original post referred to the new Z4 which will be available with BOTH the 6MT and DCT. In my opinion, getting the DCT is kind of a poser move. Have you ever seen an awesome sports/performance car (911, Corvette, 456 Ferrari, R8, etc.) and walked up to take a look inside and found the owner opted for the automatic? It is really disappointing. Granted the DCT's are drastically improved over a traditional slushbox, but I still think they take away from the whole driving experience.

How is getting DCT "kind of a poser move"? Please explian.

It is kind of a poser move because it takes some of the skill out of driving a sports car. It takes practice and skill to drive a 6MT. Driving a DCT or automatic is more point and steer. Said simply, anyone can do it. I would wager too that the paddle shifters on a DCT are left unused and the tranny is kept in auto mode 90% of the time once the novelty wears off. A car with a true manual is more involving to drive

HSC, fortunately for me the reason I want a Z4 has nothing to do with proving to you how skilled a driver I am. Instead I want one so I can enjoy it MY way. You are of course free to purchase your own vehicles equipped as you see fit, just as long as you recognize the same applies to everyone else.

To each his own jrob, but in my book it is a pretty lame move (and I think many enthusiasts would agree with me). You also never answered my question if your 535xi is auto as well? At the end of the day, it's a sports car. Ditch the DCT, save some cash, and man up and get the stick.

HSc,

More involved driving? That doesn’t sound like “better”. And I wouldn’t equate DCT with a regular automatic BTW. And yes, anyone can drive a DCT. You still have to have skill to go fast (racetrack). On a racetrack the DCT has its advantages because you don’t have to worry about gear selection. All you have to worry about are the racing lines and traction. Go to you-tube and look at some of the EVO MR racing videos. The DCT is a thing to behold.

As for your paddles never being used comment? It’s obvious that you haven’t spent any time with a powerful DCT equipped vehicle. I’ve had my EVO X MR now for almost 2 months and I use the paddles everyday. The throttle matched downshifts sound so sweet. And then when you put it in full auto in S-Sport, it’s like having Sebastian Loeb doing the shifting for you. Not to mention the lightning fast shifts (quicker than any human) there’s no “novelty” just fun.

I’ve been driving Clutch-Pedal Manuals since 1998. Having to press in a clutch every time just to change a gear is what I would call unnecessary involvement. I do not miss the clutch pedal at all. I can shift when I want and hold any gear as long as I want. The shifts are fast and seamless. Having a clutch pedal at this point would ruin the fun.

Having a clutch pedal is nice for things like loading it up to create over steer. But I just do not need to unnecessary involvement to feel involved. I guess I'm different.

Crrection.

I’ve been driving Clutch-Pedal Manuals since 1988. Not 1998. And I've been using a clutch (dirtbikes) since 1984.

Lexsucks,
Call me a purist then, but I'll stick with my 6MT. I understand the DCT or F1 "flappy paddle" is better on a racetrack. Obviously, that is what Lewis and Kimi are using in their F1 cars. However, I think we can reasonably say that 99% of all autospies readers spend their time on public roads -- not racetracks. And it is great if you feel like your car is being shifted by Sebastian Loeb, but I want to feel ME shifting my own car. Not fancy devices.

What I was talking about was full-auto mode. In manual-mode YOU are doing the shifting. The point of shifting is to grab another gear. Does it really matter if a clutch pedal is involved or not? Not for me. I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree.

Not to drag this on but try down-shifting in the middle of a turn with your 6-speed. DCT handles the down-shifts mid-turn with aplomb. Can’t say that about a 6-speed. I know, if you are in turn with a 6-speed you will always be in the correct gear, right? But what if you are not?

"Not to drag this on but try down-shifting in the middle of a turn with your 6-speed. DCT handles the down-shifts mid-turn with aplomb. Can’t say that about a 6-speed. I know, if you are in turn with a 6-speed you will always be in the correct gear, right? But what if you are not"

Lexsucks, you are grasping at straws here.

"Lexsucks, you are grasping at straws here."

- So are you. You still haven’t convinced anyone here that DCT transmissions are for posers? The only thing you’ve proven is that you like things the way they are.

I keep posting in the wrong area!

"I keep posting in the wrong area!"
No wonder you have to go for the DCT. If Autospies confuses you, you certainly aren't able to operate a clutch with your leg and shift with your right hand.

Is that the best you can do? I never knew that posting on autospies could be used as a gauge, to determine an individual’s driving ability? LOL!! Only a fool would relate the ability to post on a web-site with the ability to drive. I guess people didn't drive before there were PCs?

It is called sarcasm Lexsucks. Now your "LOL" usage makes me think you are a 14 year old girl. (More sarcasm, get it?)

Nice pics 001, Mercedes is on a roll! Too bad BMW is in such financial trouble.

I like football.

Oh, sorry, I thought we were just randomly saying things that had nothing to do with this thread. That's not what we were doing? Ohhhh, it's what YOU were doing. Gotcha.

You know JRobUSC, if you weren't so emotionally invested in BMW, your feelings wouldn't be hurt by what I have to say. It is quite interesting that berating an inanimate chunk of metal gives you so much emotional grief and pain. You are better than that one would hope

funny Doc/Sector/Teknik, but I didn't say anything about BMW, YOU did. If I am "emotionally invested", that would make you "obsessed". You sure do give BMW a lot of your attention.

Do we really need seven similar pictures of the E-Class Convertible in the mirror of the car it was being photographed from? How about just that last mirror-photo where you can actually see the car somewhat. Many of the other shots are too repetitive and unneeded. Select something like the best 10 shots. Enough said.

im more interested in what car oo1 was driving and whos freakin hand that was...seems deformed btw

I can't tell for sure, will the E-Class be a hard or soft top convertible?

It looks to be a hard-top. I doubt Mercedes-Benz would put a soft top on such an expensive car.

Should be pretty cool, but I do wish Benz would go back to their old ways and wait to release the AMG versions of their cars.

It seemed to make them more special and different from the standard versions due to that wait time.

I'm not gonna lie when I read the short title before clicking it read "Agent 001 Catches Caravan of Next Generation." I thought he had some spy shots of redesigned or different caravans, you know like mini-vans. Then I open and see MBs. Look to the title and oooooo, Convertible E-Class. LOL. Funny Moment.