W212 Mercedes E-Class Interior Spy Shots

[cawimmer430]

Looking pretty good. You can tell that the materials used are very likely the same ones found in the current W221 S-Class. That's a good thing. 

[Galaxy]

They got rid of the huge cave that the S class has. That's good.

[ifcar]

They got rid of the cave, and the basic dash appearance looks good. I do like that chrome trim above the center stack. But that plastic on the passenger's side looks overly-grained, I don't go for the swath of gray buttons, and I still don't like that steering wheel.

[Raza]

WHY IS THERE NO GEARSHIFT!?

I hate this.  Column shifts are for old Lincolns.

[Vinsanity]

WHY IS THERE NO GEARSHIFT!?

I hate this.  Column shifts are for old Lincolns.

It has paddle shifters...

What's the difference anyway, if the car's just a plain old slushbox?

[Submariner]

It has paddle shifters...

What's the difference anyway, if the car's just a plain old slushbox?

It's the feeling.

Yes, it's a slushbox.  Yes, it's got paddle shifters.  But, something just seems out of place when the shifter isnt where it should be.

[Vinsanity]

It's the feeling.

Yes, it's a slushbox.  Yes, it's got paddle shifters.  But, something just seems out of place when the shifter isnt where it should be.

I'm afraid I don't follow.

Moving the gear selector from the steering column to the floor/center console won't make a Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham any more intuitive/sporty/whatever...I'm not sure what the difference would be for a Mercedes E-class

[cawimmer430]

WHY IS THERE NO GEARSHIFT!?

I hate this.  Column shifts are for old Lincolns.

The lower end models will very likely retain the standard 6-speed M/T. 

[Submariner]

The lower end models will very likely retain the standard 6-speed M/T. 

which we wont get...

[Maxxum]

I'm afraid I don't follow.

Moving the gear selector from the steering column to the floor/center console won't make a Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham any more intuitive/sporty/whatever...I'm not sure what the difference would be for a Mercedes E-class

Exactly. If it is an auto, you put it in drive and then drive without bothering about it until you have to park or reverse. The gearshift in automatics just sits there and eats up space while its job can well be done by smaller levers behind the steering wheel or higher up on the dash. That area is best for keeping cupholders since (at least in my car) I have found that is where my hand naturally reaches. The cupholders are a little big hard to reach in my (04 Accord) for me since I have to look down and then pull the cup with my palm facing back/downwards many times. Moreover I belive the center storage+armrest can be made roomier if there was no gearshift using up floor space.

[Cookie Monster]

Wow, that's a ton of buttons!

[Raza]

Wow, that's a ton of buttons!

Buttons = Good.

[ifcar]

Buttons = Good.

Not by default. Only if they're better designed than most past MBs.

[Submariner]

Not by default. Only if they're better designed than most past MBs.

Give any past Merc less than 10 minutes and every single button makes sense and is easy enough to use.  I'm sick of people bitching about how user-unfriendly COMAND and the like is.  Jesus people, stop complaining and figure it out.  You don't need the owners manual, just a little common sense and patience.

[Submariner]

Also, Merc should think about redesigning the "hutch" in the S-class to more closely resemble the E. 

[CJ]

Mercedes COMAND and BMW iDrive are two very similar sytems.  Both are incredibly easy to use.  A pain in the ass for a minute, but then you get it and it's second nature.

[ifcar]

Mercedes COMAND and BMW iDrive are two very similar sytems.  Both are incredibly easy to use.  A pain in the ass for a minute, but then you get it and it's second nature.

It's not that they're difficult to use, it's that they're needlessly time-consuming and distracting to use if you're trying to drive your car.

[Submariner]

It's not that they're difficult to use, it's that they're needlessly time-consuming and distracting to use if you're trying to drive your car.

If you know what you're doing, it's not much different from any other system on the market.

[ifcar]

If you know what you're doing, it's not much different from any other system on the market.

It's very different from a system of buttons and knobs.

[Atomic]

WHY IS THERE NO GEARSHIFT!?

I hate this.  Column shifts are for old Lincolns.

i agree! what next? the return of the front bench seat with room for three  ?!

i do like the dash, but not the amount of buttons.

[omicron]

I'm not a fan of the log strapped to the door.

[Submariner]

I'm not a fan of the log strapped to the door.

I guess Merc thought it needed more wood.

[sportyaccordy]

It's the feeling.

Yes, it's a slushbox.  Yes, it's got paddle shifters.  But, something just seems out of place when the shifter isnt where it should be.

Not when you are driving a 4cyl Camry LE. Then the shifter might as well be in your ass.

[Vinsanity]

Not when you are driving a 4cyl Camry LE. Then the shifter might as well be in your ass.

I have got to sig that

Too bad Trep's not around to read it

[CALL_911]

I wonder if MB's going to beef up the 3.5L V6 to combat the N54. In any case, that 3.5 is a hell of an engine. It's a gem.

[cawimmer430]

I guess Merc thought it needed more wood.

[Submariner]

I wonder if MB's going to beef up the 3.5L V6 to combat the N54. In any case, that 3.5 is a hell of an engine. It's a gem.

DI is suposed to bring it close to the 300 HP mark.