- Mercedes unveiled its stretched E300 L sedan at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show.
- The new E300 L gets a 5.5-inch-longer wheelbase and overall length.
- It goes into production next month at Beijing Benz.
BEIJING — Mercedes-Benz unveiled its stretched E300 L sedan here at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show, joining German competitors Audi, BMW and Volvo in the long-wheelbase, midrange luxury-car segment.
Aimed primarily at wealthy Chinese customers, especially those who prefer chauffeur-driven travel, the new E300 L gets a 5.5-inch stretch in wheelbase and overall length, virtually all of which is added to the rear passenger compartment.
Exterior cues include a mildly revised grille, deck lid and rear fenders.
Slated to go into production next month at Beijing Benz, the E300 L is fitted with a full complement of safety features, including the Mercedes PreSafe occupant protection system, a rear-seat safety package with belt-force limiters and rear side airbags, plus a driver drowsiness detection system.
Among the available luxury amenities are a panoramic sunroof, automatic climate control, DVD rear-seat entertainment system and heated rear seats, as well as rear-seat controls for the power front passenger seat.
Inside Line says: What took Daimler so long to read and respond to this particular upmarket segment in China? — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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tonkatoytruck says:
09:22 AM, 05/18/2010
Rear roof line is just too boxy and really magnifies the hoods overtall proportions and busy look as it overflows onto the front fenders.
The C pillar, the side crease, and the rear fender bulge all come together as if just slapped on there.
I like the concept of a longer E class but with the new hard edged lines, it just falls apart.
What are supposed to be character lines to fool the eye into seeing a sporty rake just does not hide the fact that it has a flat roof, trunk, and nearly flat hood.
I think MB went in the wrong direction to include this C Class look to the E and S class designs.
electrified1 says:
04:39 PM, 04/26/2010
To dino6
"[...] look better than the regular versions."
So does the Cadillac SLS, which looks better than our STS.
And to answer Inside line, Mercedes always use a long time to repond to the market. In North America, they refused to add very simple and useful things like cupholders during many years.
dino6 says:
02:15 PM, 04/26/2010
This long wheelbase E and the long wheelbase 5 series both shown in China look better than the regular versions. I think the added length gives the cars better proportions and makes them look sleeker.