Mercedes Benz E-class category winner at Towcar of the Year Awards

28 September 2006

The Mercedes-Benz New Generation E-Class has been presented with a prestigious award by The Caravan Club at its annual Towcar of the Year Awards. The E 320 CDI Estate won the ‘over £33,000’ category in a hotly-contested segment.

Commenting on the award, The Caravan Club explained: “The seven-speed automatic gearbox is a dream – you have to watch the rev-counter to detect when it is changing up and down. But for its huge torque – 540lb ft from only 1600rpm – you would never guess the E 320’s V6 engine was diesel-fuelled, it is so quiet and refined.”

Dermot Kelly, Managing Director Mercedes Car Group added: “We are proud that the New Generation E-Class has won its first major award so soon after its launch. The revised models give even more flexibility, ease of ownership and driving enjoyment than ever before. The E 320 CDI Estate has long been a favourite of our customers, so to have that choice endorsed by The Caravan Club is high praise indeed.”

Launched in July 2006, the New Generation E-Class features some 2000 technical improvements over the outgoing model. Revisions to the steering, suspension, chassis and engine and electronics make the car even better to drive and own than before.

The improvements make life even easier for caravanners. All E-Class Estate models retain the rear Airmatic DC air suspension, designed to keep the car level even when towing a laden caravan, horse box or trailer.

The award-winning E 320 CDI is powered by a sophisticated three-litre V6 third-generation diesel engine. Using the very latest piezo electronic fuel injection system, the CDI engine delivers up to five pulses of carefully-metered fuel in each combustion cycle. These pulses give even greater refinement, more power and enhanced energy efficiency, when compared to a mechanical fuel injection system.

Power is transferred to the rear wheels through Mercedes’ seven-speed automatic transmission system, 7G-TRONIC. Seven speeds mean the engine is often running at lower revolutions than a car equipped with a traditional five-speed ’box – at motorway speeds the rpm is around 20 per cent lower with
7G-TRONIC, giving useful fuel savings.

All of these features combine to give the E 320 CDI 224 hp at 3800 rpm, and an astonishing 540 Nm of torque, available from 1600-2400 rpm. Some 500 Nm is available from just past idling speed, making the flexible ‘grunt’ perfect for towing.

The New Generation E-Class is also fitted with powerful brakes. The Adaptive Brake system automatically dries the disc pads in wet weather, and a hill hold function makes pulling away on an incline very easy.

Safety is paramount in the E-Class, and in addition to Brake Assist, sophisticated airbags and the PRE-SAFE® predictive occupant protection system, the car’s standard ESP® Electronic Stability Program system is further enhanced with Trailer Stability Assist. The ESP® system monitors the car and caravan’s progress along a road, and if ‘fishtailing’ is sensed, the car’s wheels are individually and imperceptibly braked to bring the combination back to a safe and even keel.

An optional (£665) tuckaway towbar can be ordered from the factory, and is operated with a boot-mounted telescopic lever. A safety LED shows when the bar is locked into place. When not needed, the towbar folds away out of sight behind the rear bumper. Luggage that cannot be kept in the caravan can be held in the commodious luggage area of the E-Class Estate – up to 1910 litres are available.

Another new option is the Intelligent Lighting System (ILS). ILS uses bixenon lighting to automatically give five different lighting operations, depending on road conditions and vehicle speed. Country mode gives a broad spread of light, illuminating the road verges; in motorway mode the beam is scaled up, to give a longer, narrower beam designed to show the road ahead at higher speeds.

Revised fog lights reduce beam ‘bounce back’ in low visibility conditions; a cornering light illuminates a turning or driveway when turning at low speed. Finally, the adaptive light system follows the curves of the road, moving the headlights in harmony with the steering wheel inputs. Rather than illuminating a hedgerow or other roadside feature, the lights can improve vision by up to 90 per cent, compared with fixed headlights.

As with every Mercedes-Benz passenger car sold through an official UK retailer, the E-Class range comes with a three year unlimited mileage warranty, backed up by the industry-leading MobiloLife package. Offering protection against corrosion (from the inside out) and breakdown cover for up to 30 years (with a few terms and conditions in place), the E-Class will remain a reliable car for years to come.

The E 320 CDI Estate costs from £38,695 on the road.