hawk20
MB Enthusiast
Autocar Rates New E class Ahead of BMW 5 series.
Autocar magazine has declared the E-Class Saloon the winner in a head to head road test with the new BMW 5 Series, taken on 3rd February 2010. “Never has the
E-Class,” writes Autocar, “stood so proud of its class as this one does today.”
The saloon scores highly on several fronts, with its spacious, luxurious cabin singled out for particular praise: “…the way the E-Class deploys its wood and leather and subtle but extensive use of chrome has a class missing from the BMW.”
The E-Class also gets rave reviews for its sublime driving experience, which is
“…quieter, smoother and, as a result, more sophisticated (than the 5 Series), while still being plenty swift enough to offer all the performance most buyers will ever want.”
Steering is “smooth and almost liquid by comparison (with the 5 Series), free of friction and wonderfully linear and precise’. What’s more, “…the Mercedes is perhaps the finest-riding car ever to wear steel springs.”
As for acoustics, “… it is the Mercedes that is the quieter of the two… you hear a lot less of the engine, a phenomenon that helps bolster the sense of opulence and luxury that so distinguishes the E-Class.”
Autocar magazine has declared the E-Class Saloon the winner in a head to head road test with the new BMW 5 Series, taken on 3rd February 2010. “Never has the
E-Class,” writes Autocar, “stood so proud of its class as this one does today.”
The saloon scores highly on several fronts, with its spacious, luxurious cabin singled out for particular praise: “…the way the E-Class deploys its wood and leather and subtle but extensive use of chrome has a class missing from the BMW.”
The E-Class also gets rave reviews for its sublime driving experience, which is
“…quieter, smoother and, as a result, more sophisticated (than the 5 Series), while still being plenty swift enough to offer all the performance most buyers will ever want.”
Steering is “smooth and almost liquid by comparison (with the 5 Series), free of friction and wonderfully linear and precise’. What’s more, “…the Mercedes is perhaps the finest-riding car ever to wear steel springs.”
As for acoustics, “… it is the Mercedes that is the quieter of the two… you hear a lot less of the engine, a phenomenon that helps bolster the sense of opulence and luxury that so distinguishes the E-Class.”
What's wrong with a full size spare wheel/tyre anyway? 
I have yet to drive the new E class but if it shares the [high frequency jitter] ride of the adaptive dampers of the W204 then that's not good.
There is such variation in the ride quality of the newer models depending on their suspension and wheel combination its difficult to make comparisons like for like. Some Audi models now offer a 16 to 20 " variation in wheel diameter depending on specification which must have a huge influence on their handling/ ride. One thing is certain I have lost count of the number of new model reviews by motoring journalists which include phrases like " the entry line model with its conservative tyre and wheel combination offers the best ride quality in the range" Go figure.
