Mercedes-Benz announce E-Class cabriolet prices
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The first Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet delivered following the
European market launch at the customer centre in Bremen (Germany) last Monday (29/3/10): Peter Schabert, plant
manager Mercedes-Benz plant Bremen (2nd from left), and Doris Heitkamp-Koenig, head of the Mercedes-Benz
customer centre in Bremen (1st from right), are presenting the Cabriolet to the first customers Dieter and
Ingrid Funke.
The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet
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Mercedes-Benz
4th April, 2010
The highly appealing and emotionally charged cabriolet is the latest
addition to the successful Mercedes-Benz E-Class line-up. The first units have been delivered to new owners in
Germany and the new model is about to arrive on Australian roads.
The open-top two-door model, deliveries of which start from next month, features a classic fabric soft top, making
for a stylistically pure cabriolet feeling. Viewed from the side, the new model is an intriguing proposition – with
its clear proportions and a flawless cabriolet silhouette.
In keeping with the motto "four seasons, four passengers", all-year-round suitability was right at the top of the
developers' list of priorities. With the new E-Class Cabriolet, the cabriolet season lasts the whole year because the
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet provides driving pleasure and comfort whether the roof is open or closed.
New features include:
- AIRCAP® automatic draught-stop: always on board and easily controllable at the push of a button, it reduces
turbulence substantially for all four seat occupants
- Modified AIRSCARF® neck-level heating system
- Acoustic soft top fitted as standard
The soft-top can be opened and closed fully automatically within 20 seconds – even when driving at speeds of up
to 40 km/h. The cabriolet roof is stowed in a special compartment behind the rear panel. A retractable cover
separates the soft top compartment from the boot area; this cover must be closed in order to close the soft top. If
the roof is to remain closed, the cover can be slid rearwards, in which case the boot capacity is increased by 90
litres to 390 litres.
A through-loading feature is included as standard for the new Cabriolet, as is EASY-ENTRY – a manually operated
entry and exit aid for the rear passengers.
The power plants for the new E-Class Cabriolet are equally innovative: the new four-cylinder direct-injection
diesel and petrol models combine efficiency with effortlessly superior power delivery. Their exemplary, low fuel
consumption has not only been achieved because of the new engines, but also with a number of practical measures.
These include on-demand activation of the steering and fuel pumps, the use of tyres with low rolling resistance,
and an alternator control system which takes account of the current driving situation and the vehicle's electrical
power requirements, plus the crucial factor of outstanding aerodynamics. The Cabriolet's cd figure of 0.28 is the
best in its class, marking a continuation of the E-Class success story in the field of aerodynamics.
An overview of the available engines
- E 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Cabriolet: 150 kW & 500 Nm
- E 250 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY Cabriolet: 150 kW & 310 Nm
- E 350 Cabriolet: 200 kW & 350 Nm
- E 500 Cabriolet: 285 kW & 530 Nm
The E 350 and E 500 Cabriolets will be available from Mercedes-Benz showrooms this month. The E 250 CGI will be
released in Australia in May this year. The E 250 CDI Cabriolet is currently expected to be released this June.
Less turbulence, easier to use: AIRCAP® is a world-first
In 1989, Mercedes-Benz introduced a world premiere in the shape of a draught-stop for the SL Roadster, followed
in 2004 by the AIRSCARF® neck-level heating system to further enhance comfort in open-top models.
Now comes another world-first: the AIRCAP® automatic draught-stop, which can be activated at the push of a
button, greatly reduces turbulence in the interior of the new Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet, providing a "sea of warm
air". It is also much easier to implement and use than conventional draught-stops: there is no tricky installation,
the two individual rear seats are easily accessible and the Cabriolet's flowing side lines remain uninterrupted.
AIRCAP® is therefore a classic Mercedes innovation: functional, comfort-enhancing, elegant and safe.
AIRCAP® consists of two components: a wind deflector that can be extended by around six centimetres with a net
in the windscreen frame and a draught-stop between the rear seats.
The functions of the two components:
- Elevation of the free flow above the interior
- Net at the front reduces the annoying vacuum in the interior
- Draught-stop at the rear reduces the backflow
As well as enhancing occupant comfort and well being, the reduction in draught when AIRCAP® is activated (it can
be activated at speeds of up to 160 km/h and can remain in use right up to the car's top speed) reduces the interior
noise level – so passengers in all seats find it much easier to communicate.
AIRCAP® is fitted to all Australian E-Class Cabriolet models as standard equipment.
Adding to year-round cabriolet driving comfort is the AIRSCARF® neck-level heating system. This patented system
functions like an invisible scarf, which warms the occupants' head and neck areas. AIRSCARF® is integrated into the
backrests of the front seats and provides warm air through outlets in the head restraints.
The Mercedes engineers have modified this unique innovation specifically for the E-Class Cabriolet: in this model,
an adjustment wheel pivots the outlet nozzle upwards and downwards by a total of 36 degrees over and above the head
restraint height adjustment range, meaning that the driver and front passenger can enjoy the unique neck-level
heating regardless of how short or tall they are.
The AIRSCARF® neck-level heating system is fitted as standard equipment to the E 350 and E 500 Cabriolets; it is
optionally available on the two four-cylinder models.
Quiet, warm and windproof: acoustic soft top fitted as standard
Thanks to its acoustic soft top, fitted as standard, even the closed E-Class Cabriolet has one of the quietest
interiors in the segment for four-seater premium cabriolets with a fabric roof. The soft top's exceptionally
high-quality insulation brings about a clearly noticeable reduction in the interior noise level compared to
conventional fabric soft tops. Exterior noise caused by other vehicles and wind noise are therefore absorbed more
effectively. On the road, the difference is audible from speeds of just 80 km/h, for example when driving through a
tunnel or overtaking a convoy of trucks. At higher speeds, the benefits of the acoustic soft top are even more
tangible. For instance, it is possible to have a perfectly normal phone conversation in hands-free mode even when
travelling at a speed of over 200 km/h (where legal).
The soft top is, of course, waterproof and windproof. Plus it can be put through an automatic carwash without any
hesitation. With a total thickness of 23.5 mm, the fabric soft top offers excellent thermal insulation, meaning that
the E-Class Cabriolet is also ideal for use in winter.
Safety: robust structure, anticipatory protection and window bags
The new Cabriolet offers the wealth of safety innovations one would expect from a Mercedes model. Highlights of
the open-top two-door model include roll-over protection, the A-pillars reinforced by two additional tubes and the
plug-in B-pillars.
This new model is also the first Mercedes cabriolet to feature head bags.
The roll-over protection consists of two robust bars, each with a diameter of 35 mm, which are housed in the rear
head restraints in modules behind the rear seat backrests. If the sensors housed in the airbag control unit detect
imminent danger to the occupants, pre-tensioned pressure springs are activated by pyrotechnic means – that is,
extremely quickly.
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Consequently, both roll-over bars in the rear head restraints are extended. They reach their highest point and
are locked automatically within a fraction of a second. In combination with the robust A-pillars, each of which is
reinforced with two high-strength steel tubes, the steel bars provide highly effective roll-over protection.
The plug-in B-pillars are extremely robustly connected as they engage in the side skirts, thus offering highly
effective protection in the event of a crash. A shoe made from ultra-high-strength steel braces the inside of the
B-pillar against the rear seat cross member.
With nine airbags fitted as standard, belt tensioners and belt force limiters for all seats, not to mention
crash-responsive head restraints for the driver and front passenger, the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet offers
the most extensive safety equipment package in this vehicle category. The airbags, which can deploy in milliseconds
in the event of an accident, include front airbags and sidebars for the driver and front passenger, a
knee bag on
the driver's side, rear-passenger sidebars and head bags. The latter, which appear in a Mercedes cabriolet for the
first time, are housed in the door panelling in the beltline area. Covering a wide area – around 0.7 x 0.5 metres
with a volume of 17 litres when deployed – the airbags provide extremely effective protection for occupants large
and small in the event of a crash. The side protection system – comprising head
bag and thorax bag – optimises the
level of protection afforded to individual parts of the body.
Further exemplary safety equipment available for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet includes ATTENTION ASSIST
drowsiness detection, PRE-SAFE® anticipatory occupant protection, the sophisticated Intelligent Light System, the
Active Bonnet and DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control.
The New E-Class Cabriolet: Engine and transmission summary
Four engine choices will be available to Australian E-Class Cabriolet customers. They are:
|
Model |
Engine |
Power |
Torque |
Fuel Cons.* |
CO2 Output |
|
E 500 Cabriolet |
V8, petrol |
285 kW |
530 Nm |
11.0l/100 km |
257 g/km |
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E 350 Cabriolet |
V6, petrol |
200 kW |
350 Nm |
9.8 l/100 km |
229 g/km |
|
E 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Cabriolet |
4-cyl, turbo-diesel |
150 kW |
500 Nm |
5.6 l/100 km** |
148 g/km** |
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E 250 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY Cabriolet |
4-cyl, turbo-petrol |
150 kW |
310 Nm |
8.3 l/100 km |
192 g/km |
NOTE: * Combined cycle, according to ADR 81/02
** Combined cycle, according to NEDC (ADR 81/02 figures not available at time of publication)
The New E-Class Cabriolet: Australian model summary
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Model |
Engine |
Date of Release |
Price* |
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E 500 Cabriolet |
285 kW V8, petrol |
April 2010 |
$186,950 |
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E 350 Cabriolet |
200 kW V6, petrol |
April 2010 |
$139,950 |
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E 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Cabriolet |
150 kW 4-cyl, turbo-diesel |
Third Quarter 2010 |
TBA |
|
E 250 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY Cabriolet |
150 kW 4-cyl, turbo-petrol |
May 2010 |
$105,950 |
NOTE: * MLP – Manufacturer’s List Price excludes dealer delivery fees and the various statutory charges.
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