A new Mercedes E-Class is on the way, with a hi-tech interior and efficient hybrid powertrains
- Mild and plug-in hybrid powertrains
- MBUX ‘Superscreen’ infotainment
- Due to arrive in Summer 2023
An all-new Mercedes E-Class is due to arrive this Summer with a revolutionary new interior. The executive saloon received a mid-life update in 2020 to keep it feeling fresh against the BMW 5 Series; however, following the debut of the latest Mercedes S-Class as well as the smaller C-Class – not to mention the raft of fully-electric EQ-badged Mercedes models – the current E-Class is already starting to appear slightly dated compared to the rest of the Mercedes lineup.
Before unveiling the full car in its entirety, Mercedes has revealed what the next-generation of E-Class interior will look like. This centres around a new optional ‘Superscreen’ infotainment system; an evolution of the Hyperscreen that debuted in the all-electric Mercedes EQS, this setup incorporates three separate displays: a digital instrument cluster, a large centre touchscreen and a separate screen for the front passenger.
Mercedes claims its new cabin is designed to be “more software-driven and less hardware-driven” and provide greater scope for user personalisation. At launch, buyers will be able to download a multitude of apps such as the social media platform TikTok, the video game ‘Angry Birds’ and the web-conferencing application ‘Zoom’, which will utilise a camera that’s mounted on the dashboard.
This theme of personalisation continues with ambient lighting, as the new E-Class will take this to the next level with even more elements of illumination. While, as before, owners can select from one of 64 different colours, the ‘Active Ambient Lighting’ has been designed to sync up with and react to whatever media you have playing, pairing with the Burmester sound system to create what Mercedes describes as a “visual” sound experience.
Other interior enhancements include an advancement of the German brand’s voice control system; dubbed ‘Just Talk’, this will no longer require the “Hey Mercedes” command and will be able to carry out more complex tasks, such as changing multiple settings at once. An ‘Energising Comfort’ feature is designed to alleviate travel sickness by adjusting interior features such as the climate control and seat position.
Our spy photographers have spotted test mules of the upcoming car out and about on the streets of Germany, giving us our first glimpse of what the new car will look like from the outside, too. Mercedes has attempted to cover up this revised look for the time being with heavy camouflage, however looking closely we can see the new E-Class will adopt a slimmer set of LED headlights than before; these will flank a redesigned front grille which, like the smaller C-Class, will be embellished with miniature three-pointed Mercedes stars.
The overall silhouette of the new E-Class looks to be more teardrop-like – likely in an attempt to improve aerodynamic efficiency – with a set of flush, pop-out door handles also adding to the car’s slippery shape.
With encroaching emissions regulations and the Mercedes brand set to go all-electric by 2030, the next-generation E-Class will likely be the last to utilise combustion engines. Therefore, the entire range will almost certainly benefit from varying forms of hybrid assistance; we expect entry-level cars to get 48-volt mild-hybrid technology, while plug-in hybrid models could feature the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder setup found in the new Mercedes GLC SUV, with a 31.2kWh battery that could potentially provide an electric-only range of 80 miles. There won’t be a fully electric model for now, though – that spot in the lineup is currently filled by the Mercedes EQE saloon.
Other mechanical changes could include Mercedes’ latest iteration of its AIRMATIC air suspension as well as four-wheel-steering tech that could vastly reduce the rather long E-Class’ turning circle.
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Mercedes has stated first deliveries for the new E-Class will commence in Summer 2023, meaning a full reveal can be expected in the coming weeks and months. The Mercedes range as a whole has moved up in price significantly over the past few years, with the facelifted Mercedes A-Class hatchback now starting from over £30,000 and the C-Class saloon costing around £40,000. With this in mind, expect the new E-Class to demand a significant premium over its predecessor, potentially starting from around £50,000 when it finally goes on sale, with the aforementioned Superscreen likely to demand a hefty premium on top of that.
Keyword: New Mercedes E-Class ‘Superscreen’ to feature TikTok and video games