Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet
It is hard to think of a country that is more suitable for a transforming life than Australia. Even our coldest states (you know who you are) are blessed with the sun warmer than most other places on the civilized regions of the planet, so you would think we will be caught in the whirlpool of happiness all year round.
But it’s really in the UK (though cold, gray and almost always underwater) that convertible cars actually fly out of dealerships, with starving Britons buying more than anyone else on the world. It’s strange?
However, here, they are still an odd thing, sold in small quantities to scoundrels. At least in part because old convertibles are almost always inferior to their hardtops.
But Mercedes – which makes more convertibles than most – claims to have mastered the leading soft formula with the E400 4Matic, a car that it says offers all the privileges of outdoor engines without any dynamic or realistic drawbacks.
Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10
Luxurious. That’s the word that comes to mind when you first look at the E400 Cabriolet. While the Coupe version has a sporty twist on its exterior design, the convertible is all about large proportions and boat-like, especially with the fabric roof open.
Like nearly all types of drop-tops, the E400 looks best with a cabin that opens up the elements, and the special side profile paints a picture of strong vibration, only with AMG alloys and Body styling suggestions for performance are provided under the bonnet.
How realistic is the inner space? 6/10
It’s a two-door, four-seater convertible, so practicality isn’t on its list of top strengths.
That said, life is a peach of flowers for upmarket riders, both of whom will travel in spacious elegance. There are two cups hidden under a wooden case beneath the climate controller – which also houses a power outlet – as well as a smart double-hinged central storage bin that can be opened by the passenger or driver. Car and opens to reveal two USB points.
There’s also a door for the bottle door, and the entertainment system can be controlled via a traditional click-wheel-mounted touchpad controller – though, frankly, it’s harder and more time-consuming to use. pretending not to exist.
Climbing into the back (and we mean climbing up – no back doors) is made easier by the fact that you can fold and slide the front seats automatically by pulling a lever mounted near the headrest. However, at that time, you will find the space a bit narrower and you feel strangely cocooned, due to the large tunnel that runs through between the cabin and the low roof line.
There are two cupholders living in the space in which the middle seat will usually go and there is a small bottle holder on the left of both back seat riders. There are vents there, but there’s no temperature control.
The front doors are huge and really very heavy, requiring considerable power to open them.
Boot space is expected to be a bit limited, with 385 liters offered. There’s also a flip-down divider, showing you how much room the roof will need, reducing boot space to 310 liters. Speaking of which, the software can go down in just 20 seconds and at speeds up to 50km / h.
A real deal, though. The front (and only) front doors are huge and really very heavy, requiring considerable power to open them, especially if you park on a small corner. To be honest, I dropped down to push them open with my feet.
Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with? 8/10
At $ 157,400, the Cabriolet is the most expensive model in the E400 family and is about $ 20,000 higher than the sedan and over $ 10,000 more than the coupe variants.
That money buys you a full ride – as is true – with the E400 Cabriolet that comes with 20-inch AMG alloys, LED headlights (made up of 84 LEDs) with high beam support, unlocking close. with push-button start, air suspension and Merc’s AIRCAP – a lip on the windshield designed to push air up and through the cabin when the roof is down.
On the technology front, expect a 13-speaker, 13-speaker Burmester stereo, driven by a seriously impressive widescreen cockpit; two 12.3-inch screens spill from the center of the dashboard to the driver’s door and control everything from navigation to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
There are tons of security things, including semi-autonomous technology, but we’ll get into that under the heading Safety.
What are the important stats for engine and transmission? 8/10
This is a great engine, this twin turbocharged engine – even if it doesn’t feel quite lively in the form of the Cabriolet like in the hardtop equivalent.
How much fuel does it consume? 7/10
Mercedes claims 7.4L / 100km on the combined cycle (but you can expect to push nine liters in real conditions), with emissions pegged at 170g per km of CO2.
66-liter tanks will only accept 95ron fuels.
What does it like to drive? 8/10
Sure, the E400 Cabriolet can drive itself, but we’re equally happy to note that it’s still a lot more fun handling the steering duties on our own.
And that is mainly due to that wonderful motive; quiet and easy at city speeds, frantic and enthusiastic, and really furious with their drive settings switching to the most demanding Sport + mode.
We spent time on the sedan version and while this Cabriolet is heavier (1935kg compared to 1820kg) and a bit slower to 100km / h (5.5 seconds versus 5.2 seconds), it doesn’t feel right behind the wheel, similar and future satisfaction when you put your foot on.
But hard charging isn’t what this car is talking about, and the E 400 is best when rolling back to the city or ‘burping with the top down, and warm summer air washed through the cabin.
In its conventional drive setup, the light but engaging steering system and the provision from standard air suspension are striking, creating the cabin from all but the most imperfect on the road, while the – Torque from the V6 engine for easy, unobtrusive acceleration.
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