There are few people in this world for whom we hold more contempt than European bureaucrats. They're the pencil-pushers that, if they had their way, would put an end to some of our favorite exotic sportscars and have us all driving Smart ForTwos. But every gray cloud has its silver lining, and in the case of Belgium's bureaucracy, is the sneak peak we get from time to time when a carmaker files its designs to register them as trademarks.
What we're looking at this time is the upcoming Mercedes-Benz E-Class cabrio. Although there were rumors that the model could be delayed, by and large we knew this was coming, and have even seen plenty spy shots of test mules preparing for their market launch.
Replacing the outgoing CLK convertible, this new model is based on the slick new E-Class coupe but, you know...with a convertible roof. It's a fabric job, unlike its rivals from BMW, Lexus, Infiniti and Volvo, which have all gone with folding hard-tops by now. The mechanicals are otherwise expected to carry over from its fixed-roof counterpart, although the jury's still out on whether an AMG version will be on offer as well. For now, we'll just have to peruse these grainy black-and-white images until the new drop-top Benz drops in the first half of next year.
Before we begin, let us say that when it comes to cars, Time Magazine can get it right. Like the time they hired Dan Neil to write The 50 Worst Cars of All Time. That was really good. However, now Time has the "10 Most Exciting Vehicles of 2010," and boy is it really awful. In fact, it's so awful that we're dying to hear what Dan Neil thinks of it. Time's list isn't just regular bad, it's take all your credibility on a given subject and light it on fire bad. Akin to letting Glenn Beck run the civil rights desk. OK, but in car terms how bad? The Volkswagen Golf is one of Time's most exciting vehicles of 2010 – and that's not even the really terrible part. We're making you follow the jump for the really bad stuff.
But first, a little bit of what Time did get right. The Nissan 370Z, Caddy CTS Wagon, Ford SHO and Hyundai Genesis Coupe can all be construed as "exciting." Even the Kia Soul, which kicks off their list, is a pretty nifty vehicle – though how can they include the rectilinear Soul and not the Cube? Probably because they already had a Nissan on the list. Then of course there's the issue of the Soul being pretty much OK, but one of the very most exciting? Kinda maybe sorta, but ultimately we'll just say no.
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If there's one television show we love here at Autoblog, it's Sex and the City. Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda – all aflutter over noontime glasses of Kristal, gossiping about Prada, Mr. Big, converting to Judaism for all the wrong reasons and whoeverwhatever Samantha humped last night. It's so fab! Just kidding, we hate that show and the ex-girlfriends that forced us to know this much about it. *Ahem.*
We mention S&TC however, because when the first movie came out, it featured the then-new Mercedes-Benz GLK. And soon there will be a part 2, and that sequel is going to feature the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class convertible. How do we know? Because somebody just snapped a whole bunch of shots of Sarah Jessica Parker, her $600 Christian Louboutin T-Strap sandals, $1,800 Sylvia Drapey Hobo hand bag and a yet-to-be-released E-Class droptop on the set of Sex and the City 2.
So... is this is a trend or just a fad? We know that the Audi R8 Spider will be making its debut in Ironman 2, and to some degree Aston Martin likes to show off their latest dream boat in the latest James Bond adventure. And out of the three, we imagine that Mercedes is going to sell a heckofa lot more E-Class convertibles to Carrie Bradshaw fans than AudiAston Martin will sell to Tony StarkAgent 007 aficionados. Right?
Following the debut of the new E-Class sedan at the Detroit Auto Show and the convertible and wagon versions coming to Frankfurt later this year, Mercedes used the Geneva Motor Show to unveil the new E-Class coupe as promised. The sleek coupe replaces the CLK and cuts an especially aerodynamic profile. Engine options range from the oil-sipping E 250 CDI BlueEfficiency to the V8-powered E 500. Opinions remain divided on the square headlamps and derivative tail lights, but we found that Mercedes' latest coupe cuts an attractive line in person.
Now that the new 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan has been unveiled and the E-Class Coupe's debut is scheduled for the rapidly approaching Geneva Motor Show, news has arrived that the model range will be completed with wagon and convertible versions at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September. Shortly after the show, the wagon should go on sale, with the droptop expected to follow right in time for winter to hit in November. So far, there's no information on powertrain options, but we'd expect both the practical wagon and the cabriolet to share a similar range of engines as the rest of the lineup – including the frugal turbodiesel four cylinder wearing the CDI BlueEFFICIENCY badge and the big 388-horsepower V8 in the E500. Of course, as we know more, so will you.
In the ramp-up to the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, we've heard from all the big luxury players and then some on the new concepts and production vehicles they'd be bringing to the Swiss show, except for Mercedes-Benz. But at long last, here's the big debut that the Three-Pointed Star will be presenting at the Geneva Palexpo in a couple of weeks: the new E-Class Coupe.
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The rich keep getting richer, and their cars keep getting bigger. Although you might see some old Mercedes-Benz E's pulling cab duty in extended form overseas, by and large (so to speak) it's the S-Class that usually gets the stretched treatment in Mercedes' sedan lineup. But these spy shots suggest that the Benz boys are going in another direction, as they show a stretched version of the new E-Class undergoing development. Hot on the heels of the reveal of the E-Class sedan, reports suggest that these spy shots are of an official factory E-Class Pullman limousine – not an independent aftermarket conversion. If that's the case, the five-meter stretched E is likely to be decked out with all of the latest high-tech gadgetry inside, while the beefy-looking windows and body roll suggest this could be an armored Guard version. Whatever it is, you can bet it'll be a whole lot cheaper than a Maybach Zeppelin.
A Mercedes should isolate its occupants and be built like a tank, and the new Mercedes-Benz E-Guard fulfills both requirements to the letter. The E-Guard is the latest addition to the automaker's line of armored vehicles, based on the standard E-Class and upgraded with an array of security measures. Mercedes installs body armor right into the chassis, replaces the windows with bulletproof polycarbonate, a blast-proof floor and run-flat 17-inch tires. The result is virtually indistinguishable from a standard E-Class, making the E-Guard less of a target for would-be assassins and carjackers in the world's less friendly locales. To help cope with the added weight, Mercedes has fitted a special Level II air suspension, while the standard engines from the E350, E500 and E350 CDI pull the extra duty. While some may say it's impossible to put a price on safety, Mercedes begs to differ, charging a 10,000 euro premium for the armored E while politely reminding you that you're not paranoid if they're actually trying to get you.
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe has been caught in the clear -- almost nude -- with just a little tape around the lights and decklid at a company presentation in Mallorca. We'll have to spend some time with that sculpted flank in person just to make sure, but in pictures, the former E-Class and CLK have successfully come together in the new E-Class sedan and E-Class Coupe. It could also be the third best translation of the design language that began with the S-Class (the C-Class is second), leaving the CL-Class a distinctive-yet-distant fourth. We'd imagine the E-Class Coupe is set for a New York or Geneva Auto Show unveiling, where we can inspect it thoroughly.
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe has been caught in the clear -- almost nude -- with just a little tape around the lights and decklid at a company presentation in Mallorca. We'll have to spend some time with that sculpted flank in person just to make sure, but in pictures, the former E-Class and CLK have successfully come together in the new E-Class sedan and E-Class Coupe. It could also be the third best translation of the design language that began with the S-Class (the C-Class is second), leaving the CL-Class a distinctive-yet-distant fourth. We'd imagine the E-Class Coupe is set for a New York or Geneva Auto Show unveiling, where we can inspect it thoroughly.
