Mercedes-Benz’s recently unveiled CLA-class is more than just the brand’s most recent foray into the world of front-wheel drive. It’s also an indicator of the entire lineup’s stylistic future—for proof, simply look at the freshly updated 2014 E-class. Indeed, Mercedes design director Hans-Dieter Futschik tells us to expect a lot more of the new look going forward, and an additional piece of evidence just arrived in the form of the unofficially unveiled 2014 S-class.
We dig the new style. The new E-class carries forward the availability of two distinct front-end designs. The Luxury model features the traditional Benz grille with three louvers and the three-pointed hood ornament, while the Sport version has the star integrated into the grille for an aesthetic that associates it more with the brand’s performance-oriented offerings. The head- and taillights, both bumpers, the front fenders, the hood, and the rear doors are all new across the board, but the effect is a car that looks stately rather than seductive in its workaday duds. For a wilder take, move on over to the E63 AMG 4MATIC, which backs up its aggressive looks with 550 horsepower (or 577 in the performance S model).
At the other end of the E spectrum lives the car we’re discussing here, the new E250 BlueTec. It may have just one-third the horsepower of the E63 AMG S 4MATIC, but this new diesel is just as interesting. The 2014-model-year replacement for the six-cylinder E350 BlueTec, the E250 and its 2.1-liter turbo-diesel four packs two sequential turbos—that is a smaller one to get things moving and a larger one that takes over at increased engine loads—and 195 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. That output nearly matches the 210 horses and 400 lb-ft of the outgoing E350’s V-6, and the 2.1’s torque figure rings in just 22 lb-ft below that of the last naturally aspirated V-8 offered in the E. The new four-cylinder will also be available shortly in the GLK250 BlueTec crossover.
The four scoots the E-class around. If it’s not in a hurry, then at least it’s not notably lazy. Widely spaced ratios that prolong the transmission’s stay in each gear help the BlueTec feel quicker than it is. Engine noise is subdued, and clues that it’s a diesel are remarkably few. There’s the low shift rpm, and some minor vibrations at highway speeds, when the engine lugs along below 1500 rpm. While that sort of low-rev loading would have most four-cylinders gnawing through their bearings, it’s merely unseemly in this luxury car. For a more transparent and nearly as torquey E-class experience, you might wish to look into the new turbocharged V-6–powered E400 when it arrives to supplant the E550 sedan in about a year.
All 2014 E-classes include an engine stop-start system and a redesigned instrument panel and dashboard, while the options list is now jam-packed with the latest in Mercedes’ safety gadgetry—which we’ve detailed here—as well as a rear trunk you can open by waving your foot below the bumper. Rear-wheel drive is the default for the E250, but 4MATIC all-wheel drive will be available in a diesel E for the first time here in the U.S.
With highway fuel economy expected to hit 38 mpg—city mileage is pegged at 24—its theoretical 800-mile cruising range will make this BlueTec the envy of long-haul truckers everywhere. But, with a predicted 0-to-60-mph time of 7.1 seconds, it’s unlikely to be the envy of anyone in an E63 AMG.
Specifications
Jared Gall started his career with Car and Driver as an unpaid intern, but has now worked here more than half of his life. He has held numerous positions within C/D's digital and print teams and has driven some 2500 cars. Employee records indicate that he is the only staffer ever to T-bone a school bus with another school bus.
