Back To Tradition
Every time a new E-Class comes to town; the birds stop chirping and the car jungle notices. Few cars can match its influence and reputation. The last time that happened was more than half a decade ago, when the W211 generation car came along. Between its quad oval headlamps and the flowing silhouette, Mercedes created a beauty.
Seven years on, Mercedes comes out with this. Known internally as the W212, it’s a sedan that looks like it was drawn with an Etch A Sketch. Instead of subtly evolving the Wall’s design, Mercedes went off tangent. The old car’s smooth lines have been hacked into hard angles, the pretty oval headlamps have been chiselled into a rhombus shape. The E-Class is Mercedes-Benz’s biggest seller, sold to the most conservative of buyers. It is its golden goose. The risks of breaking from the mould are enormous, arguably greater than the time BMW roiled out its Bangled 7 Series.
Obviously, signing off the W212 this way was by no means a casual decision. To get an idea of where it is going, we must consider the car alongside its predecessor. Cue the W211. The irony is that it’s the delicate and pretty W211 that’s the oddball in the brand’s tradition. Merc 4-doors were always known for their image of vault-like solidity and chunky design. +Continue Reading
