The long-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a proper back-seat luxury car, and the bestseller is the diesel, offered in a sole four-cylinder variant. Here we’ll tell you why.
Different people equate “luxury” with different meanings. It could be style, space, gadgets, or simply compressing time to make more happen in a short period. It mostly is the opposite, though, when time is taken as a luxury. If one has the luxury of time to spend as they wish, it is possibly one of life’s greatest treasures.
Mercedes-Benz offers luxury cars that walk the talk, like this made-in-India-for-India E-Class long-wheelbase in right-hand drive. It is the proverbial tailored suit of cars, almost. It has a distinct aura, with dynamic-looking lights, flowing lines, a long wheelbase, a striking wheel design, and a clear-cut tail-lamp cluster that showcases its origins. That’s apart from the advanced safety, comfort, and tech features, as well as equally commendable engines. We’ve already tested the E 200 four-cylinder petrol and the E 450 six-cylinder petrol versions, so I’ll stick to the essentials here.
The size of this sole diesel variant, earlier sold in Expression or Exclusive variants, seems a bit more enlightened. It has a lot of kit on offer, from a hyper set-up of three screens, a dual-pane sliding sunroof, mono or gradient ambient lighting across a vast selectable spectrum reminiscent of Windows display options, premium Burmester sound, and perforated leather seats without ventilation—the chauffeur doesn’t need it, after all. This is a back-seat car, and it shows. There are powered rear window blinds and even quarter-glass shades, a detail Mercedes is quick to highlight.
The space is, of course, plentiful, the near 3.1-metre wheelbase ensures that, while the over five-metre length helps with the “mine is bigger than yours” prestige factor. There are 18-inch alloy wheels with 225/55 rubber, making for a good ride, but more on that later. The boot is also a voluminous 540 litres, thanks to the spare wheel being mounted below the load area, a welcome change. The door handles are like those on the S-Class, with pop-out antics that get annoying rather quickly if you happen not to have a chauffeur taking care of all your needs and wants. Holding down either the lock or unlock button on the key fob closes or opens all four windows and the sunroof, when in proximity, making for easy airing out of the cabin, or a handy security check.
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