KUALA LUMPUR. For over 75 years, the E-Class has set the standard for mid-range luxury sedans. In 2024, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia opens a new chapter for the business sedan with a new electronics architecture that allows for a comprehensive and intuitive digital user experience.

12th September 2024

• The new E-Class is the most advanced business sedan with its artificial intelligence (AI) learning capabilities via “routines” making everyday tasks easier by learning and automating frequently used comfort systems. Customers can use standard routine templates or create their own.
• The new E-Class delivers the luxury of choice with the Mercedes-Benz E 200 and Mercedes-Benz E 350 e plug-in hybrid variants. The E 350 e is capable of achieving a fully electric drive of up to 118 km (WLTP).
• Sporty, high-quality, and digital define the new E-Class interior, highlighted by the MBUX Superscreen offering an exquisite digital dashboard experience. AI-driven personalisation makes every interaction intuitive and seamless.
• The new E-Class elevates your connectivity needs with 5G and video conferencing, keeping you in touch for business or leisure. It also offers third-party app compatibility for video streaming, gaming, and internet browsing, ensuring constant connection and entertainment.

Amanda Zhang, CEO & President, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia said, “The new E-Class represents both a transformative evolution and a bold leap forward in luxury. It is the most intelligent business sedan ever, intuitively learning your routines. With electrified options ranging from a refined combustion engine to a state-of-the-art plug-in hybrid, it sets a new standard for responsible luxury. This is more than just a car—it’s a symbol of status and sophistication, designed to seamlessly adapt to and elevate your lifestyle. The new E-Class offers a personalised driving experience that redefines what it means to travel in style. For both loyal enthusiasts and a new generation of drivers in Malaysia, this vehicle is about relishing every moment with unmatched comfort, cutting-edge innovation, and timeless elegance.”

Nadia Trimmel, Vice President, Marketing & Sales, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia said, “The E-Class has long been the gold standard in its class, and this latest generation raises the bar even further. It delivers a truly immersive digital experience, leveraging advanced AI and intelligent connectivity to transform the driving experience. The MBUX Superscreen, available in the top variant, integrates three dynamic displays, including a dedicated passenger screen, offering seamless entertainment without distraction. Audiophiles will be captivated by the Burmester 4D Surround Sound System, which turns every journey into an acoustic masterpiece. The Mercedes-Benz E 200’s mild hybrid system delivers an additional 17 kW of power and up to 205 Nm of torque boost, while the E 350 e Plug-in Hybrid impresses with an electric range of up to 118 km (WLTP). With the latest Driving Assistance Package Plus, the new E-Class ensures the highest levels of safety and convenience, making every drive as safe as it is luxurious.”

As a true embodiment of luxury and performance, the new locally assembled E-Class offers customers the luxury of choice with two distinctive variants: the Mercedes-Benz E 200 AVANTGARDE, featuring a powerful electrified internal combustion engine (ICE), and the Mercedes-Benz E 350 e AMG Line, equipped with an advanced plug-in hybrid electric vehicle powertrain. 

Classic proportions and special character lines in the exterior design

The new E-Class embodies the proportions of a classic three-box saloon, with a short front overhang and a long bonnet that transitions smoothly into a well-set-back greenhouse. This "cab-backward" design, combined with a near three-centimeter longer wheelbase (2961 millimeters), provides generous passenger space, culminating in a well-proportioned rear overhang that enhances the car’s sleek profile.

A striking black panel-like surface connects the radiator grille to the headlamps, emphasising the car’s modern yet timeless design. From the side, the harmonious proportions and distinctive "cab-backward" aesthetic stand out, further enhanced by the seamless door handles, familiar from the S-Class, which elegantly extend when the driver approaches or touches the handle. The AMG Line exterior on the E 350 e brings a touch of sportiness to the E-Class with the two-character lines along the sides of the car which accentuate its sporty demeanor. The wide track and flush-fitted 19-inch multi-spoke light-alloy wheels on the E 200 and 20-inch AMG multi-spoke alloy wheels on the E 350 e further highlight its athletic stance.

The rear design of the E-Class is equally impressive. The two-section LED taillights, featuring a new contour and a signature star motif, create a unique and unmistakable light display, day or night. The width of the rear is accentuated by the seamless connection of the rear lights and the v-shaped boot lid design, complemented by a chrome trim bar along its rear edge.

Blending tradition with modernity, the E-Class features a black panel-like surface that connects the radiator grille to the headlamps. The grille itself includes a single louvre, a chrome star motif, and chrome surrounds. The E 200 comes equipped with high-performance LED headlamps, while the E 350 e boasts cutting-edge DIGITAL LIGHT technology. Both variants maintain the distinctive Mercedes-Benz daytime running light design, with lights shaped like an "eyebrow" to ensure a striking appearance.

Exclusive to the E 350 e is the panoramic sliding sunroof, which adds an extra touch of luxury by flooding the cabin with natural light, creating a bright and open atmosphere. The new E-Class balances elegance and sportiness with its powerdomes, expressive character lines, and wide stance, perfectly capturing the essence of Mercedes-Benz's design philosophy.

The high-performance LED headlamps on the E 200 has Adaptive High Beam Assist and the DIGITAL LIGHT on the E 350 e features Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus. Each headlamp contains a module with three extremely powerful LEDs refracted and directed by 1.3 million micro-mirrors that occupy the area of the thumbnail. A control unit with a powerful graphic processor uses a HDMI-like connection to generate a continuous video stream to the mirrors.

The beam, divided into 1.3 million pixels, makes precise light distribution possible. Highbeam Assist Plus is highly accurate when masking out oncoming traffic or traffic signs. The light-dark boundaries and the light distribution for all other adaptive light functions are also displayed very precisely with DIGITAL LIGHT. This optimises the visibility with optimum illumination of the surroundings.

MBUX Superscreen as a highlight of the interior design

The MBUX Superscreen in the E 350 e transforms the dashboard into a striking digital hub, offering an immersive and futuristic in-cabin experience. Spanning across the entire dashboard, the large glass surface integrates seamlessly with the 14.4-inch central display, while the visually distinct 12.3-inch high-resolution driver display enhances usability. The glass contour is dynamic, with the central display extending downward for a sleek, modern look, complemented by a narrow nozzle band that merges the central and outer air vents into one cohesive unit.

In contrast, the E 200 features a sophisticated open-pore black ash wood trim, backlit with the iconic Mercedes-Benz pattern. The central display appears to float above this elegantly curved trim, giving the interior a light and airy feel. Both variants feature ambient lighting—Active Ambient Lighting in the E 350 e and Ambient Lighting in the E 200—that wraps around the front section of the instrument panel, flowing seamlessly into the doors to create an inviting, spacious atmosphere.

The centre console blends harmoniously with the dashboard, featuring a stowage compartment, cup holders, and a soft padded armrest, along with integrated USB ports. The door panels echo the futuristic design of the dashboard with floating control arrays and high-tech metallic elements that incorporate the power window switches, grab handles, and seat controls.

The seating design is a masterpiece in both variants. The E 200, featuring ARTICO man-made leather, mirrors the luxurious aesthetics of natural leather, with beautifully contoured seat surfaces that evoke an organic, shell-like elegance. The E 350 e boasts leather upholstery with intricate longitudinal fluting, plus climatised front seats with three-stage ventilation and heating, ensuring the utmost comfort. The overall interior design is a perfect fusion of luxury, innovation, and comfort, making every journey in the E-Class a refined experience.

New MBUX generation for a holistic digital experience

Every generation of MBUX to date has triggered a revolution in the cockpit: with the new E-Class, Mercedes-Benz is now taking yet another significant development step. The latest generation with the MBUX Superscreen is even more intelligent and intuitive.

The electronics architecture is thoughtfully more software-driven. This forms the basis for more individual updating of the interior systems in the future. The computing functions of previously separate domains take place in a single processor, which means that screens and the MBUX infotainment system now share a new, very powerful central onboard computer. This form of networking improves the performance and speeds up transmission of the data streams.

The E 200 is equipped with MBUX multimedia system Premium and the E 350 e has the MBUX multimedia system Premium Plus, which includes the passenger display. For the first time in the E-Class, at the touch of a button, the 3D driver display on the E 350 e allows spatial scene perception with a real depth effect.

Added day-to-day convenience: “Routines” powered by AI

Stop at the company gate shortly before 8 o'clock in the morning, lower the side window, and present your company pass to be allowed to drive onto the premises - many working people start their working day like this, or similarly. There are also recurring processes during leisure time, for example if a driver usually switches on the seat ventilation on the way home every Tuesday evening after tennis practice. These are just two of the many applications where Mercedes-Benz wants to make everyday tasks easier for its customers with the help of “routines”.

Mercedes-Benz is working on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) so that the car learns which comfort systems vehicle occupants use repeatedly. Given the same circumstances, the aim is for AI to automate such functions like automatically opening the window upon arrival at the office gate or turning on the seat ventilation when needed.

With adaptive software, the MBUX display and operating system makes personalised suggestions for numerous infotainment, comfort, and vehicle functions. With the zero-layer design, the user does not have to scroll through submenus or give voice commands. MBUX Augmented Reality for navigation superimposes graphic navigation and traffic information on live images.

Hey Mercedes: powerful voice assistant

The Hey Mercedes voice assistant is highly capable of dialogue and learning by activating online services in the Mercedes me App. With the new "Just Talk" function, the intelligent voice control can now also be activated without a keyword. To do this, the customer must be alone in the vehicle. When the function is activated, a red microphone symbol appears in the display, i.e. the vehicle is waiting for voice commands. Hey Mercedes also explains vehicle functions like assisting an occupant in connecting a smartphone via Bluetooth.

Streaming services for music and video

With the "Online Music" service Mercedes-Benz has now fully integrated the major music streaming services – Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal, and Apple Music – into the MBUX infotainment system. MBUX allows access to the personal user profile with the linked music providers. This way, customers can access their favourite songs and playlists and discover millions of songs as well as curated playlists.

Personalisation is simple and convenient

Customers can create their personal profile directly in the new E-Class and synchronise it with existing profile data in the Mercedes me account. By scanning a QR code with the Mercedes me App, the vehicle is automatically connected to the Mercedes me account. You can now also activate your Mercedes me profile using the innovative face unlock feature via the driver camera. Once unlocked, the car adjusts to your preferred settings instantly.

Digital Vehicle Key is now available for iPhone and Apple Watch

The new E-Class now comes with Digital Vehicle Key for iPhone or Apple Watch as part of the KEYLESS GO Convenience Package with HANDS-FREE ACCESS. The new E-Class can be started and locked simply by the driver carrying a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch.

Key sharing is also possible: various digital channels can be used to invite family members or friends to use the E-Class. By doing so, the main user of the Mercedes me account can assign different rights, granting only access to the vehicle or also allowing it to be driven. 

The vehicle can recognise several users at once, and the Digital Vehicle Key can be shared with up to 16 people. Sharing is possible via AirDrop®, iMessage® and other messaging services. The recipient can then add it to his/her own Apple Wallet. The user can also remove a key just as easily after sharing, with the help of the Apple Wallet or the MBUX infotainment system.

Intelligent image filtering

The concept works in two stages: first, the seat occupancy recognition system registers whether the seat next to the driver is occupied. If this is the case, the touch surface of the display can be used from the front passenger seat via MBUX. If the front passenger seat is unoccupied, the screen becomes a digital decorative image.

A camera on the driver's display also records the driver's eye movements. The intelligent system can detect whether the eyes are looking at the front passenger screen. This takes into account, for example, how the driver steers and how often and for how long they look over to the passenger side. If necessary, the system reduces the brightness of the passenger screen. The passenger can therefore continue to follow the graphic content while it is not visible to the person behind the wheel. This reduces the potential for distraction to a minimum.

Virtual surround-sound, specially mixed for Mercedes-Benz

The E 350 e is equipped with Burmester® 4D surround sound system which offers multi-dimensional surround-sound in the car. The 3D surround-sound is generated with the help of special Burmester® algorithms and two loudspeakers integrated into the roofliner. Direct reproduction of the sound resonance in the seats adds another level to the three-dimensional listening experience, with 4D sound inspired by the acoustic massage. For this purpose, two sound resonating transducers are integrated into the backrest of each front seat. Together with the new sound visualisation, entertainment sound can be experienced with three senses.

Here are the differences in the hardware of the two sound systems:

This in-house development by Mercedes-Benz is available in conjunction with Active Ambient Lighting on the E 350 e. Software analyses the audio signals based on the parameters of frequency (bass/mid-tones/treble tones) and direction (right/left). The visual representation is beat-synchronous, in other words with practically no time lag. Depending on the preferred colour of the Active Ambient Lighting, the bass, mid tones, and high tones are visualised locally in coordinated colour tones and levels of brightness. To use the function, the driver only needs to activate the "Sound visualisation" button on the central display. When a telephone call is accepted, the playback and visual display of the music are automatically stopped.

System prompts from the driving assistance systems naturally have a higher priority within the Active Ambient Lighting than the sound visualisation function, and therefore temporarily overlay it.

In the E-Class, the light strip in the cockpit takes the form of a continuous line for the first time and is no longer interrupted by the driver's display. In addition to the sound visualisation, the functional scope of the Active Ambient Lighting is supplemented and expanded by further new features:

• Information from the parking assistant is visualised. 

• The intersection start-off function of Active Brake Assist, which provides additional safety when approaching junctions with crossing traffic, can use Active Ambient Lighting to provide a visual warning if necessary.

Dolby Atmos® and Spatial Audio

The Burmester® 4D surround sound system takes the audio experience to a new level with native integration of Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos® into the E-Class. Individual instruments or voices in the studio mix can be positioned all around the listening area. This makes a new kind of sound animation possible: while conventional stereo systems usually have a left-right dynamic, Dolby Atmos® can use the entire space and create a 360-degree experience. Dolby Atmos is available® in conjunction with the Burmester® 4D surround sound system. 

Efficiently and quietly through the wind

With a C_d figure from 0.23, the new E-Class performs very well in its vehicle segment. It therefore matches the excellent value achieved by its predecessor on market launch. This is because certain factors make aerodynamic performance more difficult: these include the wide wheel portfolio from 19 to 20 inches as well as the larger underbody cavities. At 2.36 sq. m., the frontal area A of the new E-Class is slightly larger than that of its predecessor (2.34 sq. m.).

Many computer simulations at an early stage increased the degree of maturity. This made fewer optimisation loops necessary in the wind tunnel. In close cooperation with their design colleagues, the aerodynamics team has specifically improved the new E-Class in numerous areas. Some details such as wheels with cladding inserts were adopted from the famously efficient Mercedes-Benz EQ models. Here are the most important measures:

• Optimised contours: even including the tyres 

• Innovative sealing of the front section: for the first time with side-sealing of the bonnet and an aero-lip in the radiator grille 

• Wheels with claddings: so-called "aeroblinds"

• Special spoilers at the front and rear wheels

• Flush, retractable door handles 

• Underbody: new materials (2-component main floor with moulded-on sealing lips) and improved shape (ramp-shaped spoiler lips, aerodynamic cladding on suspension components)

With the panoramic sliding sunroof on the E 350 e, many detailed improvements were made to the wind deflector and by adding side wind deflectors to the glass roof. The result is better noise comfort and reduced draughts. In the tilt position, the glass panel is lowered depending on the vehicle speed. This also ensures pleasant interior acoustics and reduces actual aerodynamic drag.

Comfort meets agility

The E 200 features AGILITY CONTROL suspension with selective damping system and lowering. It is 15 millimetres lower than the suspension of the plug-in hybrids for optimum road holding and high ride comfort. The E 350 e comes with AGILITY CONTROL suspension with selective damping system delivering comfortable suspension with passive selective damping system. It combines balanced ride comfort and high driving stability. The passive damping system ensures a superior driving experience on any road surface.

With extended functionality: the Driving Assistance Plus package

Components of the Driving Assistance Package Plus include Active Steering Assist, which assists with lane-keeping. As previously on highways, the new E-Class can now also start off automatically in city traffic and on country roads after coming to a standstill. This is possible in a time window of 30 seconds when the hands are on the steering wheel.

Other features of this assistant include lane detection at low speeds additionally with 360° camera, very high visibility and cornering performance on rural roads and improved lane centring on highways. Depending on the situation, a driving position which is off the centre of the lane (e.g. formation of an emergency corridor, but also orientation via the edge of the carriageway on rural roads without centre markings) can be used.

Active Parking Assist with PARKTRONIC is part of the Parking Package and it has been improved in several respects: the starting process is now possible intuitively via the touch screen. Furthermore, automated parking and unparking is much faster than before for the driver, as the speed has been increased to up to 4 km/h. Moreover, the warning tones are not sounded during the automated parking process.

The other components of the Driving Assistance Plus package:

• Active Distance Assist

• Active Emergency Stop Assist

• Active Brake Assist

• Evasive Steering Assist

• From speeds above 60 km/h, Active Lane Keeping Assist uses a camera to detect when road markings or road edges are crossed, helping the driver to avoid leaving the driving lane unintentionally.

• Active Blind Spot Assist

• PRE-SAFE® PLUS

The locally assembled Mercedes-Benz E 200 and Mercedes-Benz E 350 e are priced at RM 355,888 and RM 418,888 (including 10% ST) respectively for Peninsular Malaysia. Prices are on the road, without insurance. For more information, visit our website at www.mercedes-benz.com.my/e-class.

Drive system

Thanks to systematic electrification and intelligent downsizing, the new E-Class sets new standards in efficiency. The E 200’s combustion engine is a four-cylinder unit with needs-based electrification.

In addition to turbocharging, the petrol engine features intelligent support from an integrated starter-generator (ISG). Thanks to a new battery in the mild-hybrid, the power of the electric motor has been increased from 15 to 17 kW and the boost torque to 205 Nm

With an electric output of 95 kW (129 hp) and an all-electric range of up to 118 kilometres (WLTP), the E 350 e will in many cases and on many days be on the road purely electrically, without the use of the combustion engine. The system output of the E 350 e is up to 230 kW (313 hp).

The high power density of the hybrid traction head is achieved using a permanently excited synchronous motor with internal rotor. The 550 Nm peak torque of the electric motor is available right from the start, resulting in high agility when moving off, along with dynamic driving performance. The full electric power is available up to 140 km/h, at which point it is softly capped.

The operating strategy communicates with the sensors of the assistance systems and thus efficiently supports the driver in many driving situations. Two additional driving modes enable the driver to make particularly advantageous use of the plug-in powertrain:

• BATTERY HOLD: Maintaining the charge state of the high-voltage battery is given priority, e.g. when intending to drive in a city centre; selection of the most suitable drive configuration by the hybrid powertrain system is done by the hybrid powertrain system, depending on the driving situation and route.

• ELECTRIC: Electric driving up to 140 km/h, adaptation of Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC for electric driving, activation of the combustion engine using a pressure point of the accelerator pedal.

The energy recovery function allows kinetic energy to be recuperated during deceleration or downhill driving, a process that has now been improved in interaction with the hydraulic brake. The recuperation power can be as much as 100 kW. In DAuto mode, the system automatically selects the level of recuperation power according to the traffic situation. A driver wishing to influence the energy recovery rate can do so directly in three stages controlled by rocker switches behind the steering wheel. This is possible in all driving modes except SPORT. In driving mode D-, for example, the driver can experience the "one-pedal feeling": when the driver's foot leaves the accelerator, the vehicle slows down purely electrically, to an extent that the hydraulic service brake is often not needed.

Another high-tech feature is the intelligent, electromechanical brake booster. It ensures that the braking system very efficiently combines electric recuperation with the hydraulic service brake. In addition, the automatic transmission performs several gear changes during deceleration. Depending on the driving situation and the braking requirements of the driver, the vacuum-independent braking system automatically controls the flexible transition between hydraulic braking and recuperation. This allows the maximum recuperation power to be achieved more frequently and over a longer period of time. For this purpose, the system variably reduces the braking power of the hydraulic brake, even at constant pedal pressure, so that the high recuperation power is maintained as speed decreases. The driver is not aware of this automatic change.

The high-voltage (HV) battery has been developed in-house by Mercedes-Benz AG. It is part of a fourth-generation family of batteries and represents a logical evolution of the previous generation. It consists of 96 cells in a so-called pouch configuration. The battery energy content is 25.4 kWh. 19.5 kWh of this is available for electric operation. To account for the high energy density, the HV battery has an internal cooling system.

The thermal management system can therefore control the operating temperature irrespective of the climate control in the vehicle interior. In addition to continuous operation in hot and cold regions, this also allows quick charging with direct current. Even when the battery is completely discharged, it can be fully charged in around 30 minutes with the on-board 55 kW DC charger.

Additional safety and situation-related support

The driving assistance systems of the E-Class include ATTENTION ASSIST, Active Brake Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, and the Parking package with 360-degree camera. The status and activity of the driving assistance systems are shown as a full-screen view in the Assistance mode of the driver's display. The Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC system relieves the driver by regulating the speed to match that of slower vehicles ahead. The desired safety distance can be set in several increments.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class at a glance: