Test drive Mercedes Benz E-class w211 2002-2006 sedan

Mercedes-Benz E 320- Athlete in a tailcoat

What a magnificent car, this new Mercedes- Benz E-class: beautiful, Staten- just irresisting! What kind of lines, what kind of forms, in my opinion, this is the most successful development of the concern after the new Rodster Cope SL.

Indeed, the new E -class is unusually beautiful - from the very moment of its appearance, I see every such car that I met on the road. Any color, any version, any equipment - you can admire Eshka to infinity. And finally he is mine! Let at least only three hours, but still. For three hours, I become more solid and more expensive, more degree and more serious. How good it is at least a little to be the owner of the new Mercedes-Benz E 320-to feel like a man ...

Going around a couple of times around the car and admiring its forms, I get behind the wheel. Ba, this is the salon. Leather, expensive plastic, many buttons and keys. And also a large screen on the central console - it displays all information about tinctures of various systems: radio, climate control, active air suspension, etc. Here you can also get data on the average, general and instant consumption of fuel, the average speed and time of movement, the interval until the next that is the supply of fuel - in general, any information that can be needed along the way. And this screen also displays a map of the navigation system, which will help you get anywhere in a completely unfamiliar country - only in our republic this miracle of technology does not work.

I drive a driver's seat and a steering wheel for my anthropometric data. Everything, of course, moves exclusively with the help of electric drives. I set up mirrors, simultaneously noting what a cool picture in them: even with such immodest dimensions, the car is controlled completely and in all directions. Well, that's it, let's go ...

First of all - for refueling. Having traveled at one time on a six -cylinder machine, I am already used to the fact that you need to either refuel to the eyeballs on a powerful wheelbarrow, or not to drive far from the gas station - they are all right with appetite. But Mercedes-Benz pleasantly surprised: the on-board computer issued information that the fuel in the tank would be enough for a hundred almost kilometers. And according to my information, there were less than ten liters. Okay, maybe enough!

I turn on the climate control, I take out my favorite CD and I go to the streets of our metropolis under the accompaniment of QEEN. Merce, like a large predatory fish, immediately rushed in pursuit of a trifle in the third row. A small movement with the right foot, and now the next raiser frantically leaves to the right, gleaming cautiously: who is scared by xenon there. But he did not have to admire my 320th for a long time: after a couple of seconds, Mercedes breaks far ahead. The tachometer arrow floats somewhere between the two and four thousand revolutions - the most convenient range. The peak of torque, which is 315 Nm, is 3000 rpm, which is why at the average speed of the 320th so easily and unobtrusively leaves any pursuer.

Meanwhile, I only hear music: if you do not pay attention to the tachometer, then it is impossible to understand at what revolutions the engine works - it is not heard in the cabin at all. It seems that I'm starting to understand what Mercedes-Benz is so fond of. And why do fans of the brand constantly repeat that a real Merce should be at least six -cylinder and with an automatic machine. On the 320th, by the way, a five-speed automatic transmission was installed, adaptive, adjusting to the driving style. If you just roll slowly, then its switching will be the same: soft, unhurried, insinuating. And if you press, regardless of speed restrictions, then the process of shifts of transmission becomes a little more rapid and tough. The machine gives out the maximum acceleration at the request of the owner, and now it is not up to delicacy. But this does not mean that the machine gun turns into a rigid sports sextile: the smoothness and silence in the cabin are still the main advantages of this car.

Meanwhile, having slightly played in traffic lights, we found ourselves on a suburban highway - well, we will check how comfortable E 320 at high speed. We pass the post, sorry, Di, and then we go a couple more kilometers in normal mode - scan the sidelines. Well, everything, it's time - on the speedometer 70 km/h, apparently, the fourth gear is included in the floor. Having jumped down at once in two gears, the Merce squats to the stern and under the roar of the engine, which is now twisting to the speed limiter, goes forward. 100, 130, 150, 170 - the acceleration rate is gradually decreasing, but judging by the tachometer and the number of unused gears, the Mercedes -Benz E 320 will certainly take its maximum speed. Closer to the 200th, the highest, fifth gear is turned on, and the acceleration rate is reduced to barely noticeable. Yes, if here the gearbox is shorter, and even a six-speed one, even in this range of the 320th could show more worthy results. Not to mention more mundane speed modes. Although everything is already very good: 7.7 seconds from a place up to 100 km/h and the maximum speed of 234 km/h.

Having flew in this mode (about 190-200 km/h) a couple of tens of kilometers and, fortunately, never shouting at the patrol, I suddenly remembered the gasoline - there was very little left. Moreover, the computer predicted its testimony regarding the supply of stroke based on the city fuel consumption - he did not expect that we would squeeze the maximum speed! We sharply reduce the pace, switch the computer menu - it seems to have carried it. Despite the high speed mode, the 320th burned not so much fuel - at such a speed, the average consumption was about 14.5 liters per hundred. Great! It turns out that on one tank, the volume of which in version E 320 is increased to 80 liters, you can drive a sufficient number of hundred kilometers without refueling - even if you brazenly exceed all reasonable speed pre -dits. If you go on signs, then according to passport data, fuel consumption should be within 7.5 liters!

While I made information about the fuel consumption and distance from the on -board computer, which the car could still go without refueling, we got to Raubich. If so, we decided to call. They took a picture of the car surprisingly quickly: this Mercedes, no matter how you put it, it turns out beautifully. And while the rest were smoked, I decided to check how Mercedes-Benz behaves without any electronic collars there. Also, on the way, I noticed that with too intense pedaling on the dashboard, an alarming triangle of the ESP system was blinked every now and then: Submiss, they say, turnover, do not waste energy. That is why I was interested in how the car would behave without a collar. And in order to get used to at least a little to his habits, I drove several circles along the site - with a screech of rubber, of course. And the representative of the dealer, apparently, unraveled my intentions. Only ESP do not disconnect! - He wanted to shout, but it was too late. Having quickly poked the ESP Clivis and pressing the gas pedal to the very polish, I already enjoyed the real controlled skid. The entire herd in the amount of 224 horses, hidden under the hood and previously prudently restrained by electronics, has now escaped. The slightly noticeable movement of the steering wheel, and the Mercedes-Benz E 320, turning around almost on the spot, went sideways-a small correction of the skid helped to drive in this position seven to eight meters. The sight, probably, was amazing: the silver of the 320th in the clubs of the blue smoke distributed by the rear wheels, desperately tore off. Eh, it’s a pity that there was no one to photograph this moment: I was driving, and the representative of the dealer company answered my proposal to repeat in such an abstruse word that cannot be printed in the newspaper. Okay, you will have to take my word for me - with a margin of traction of the 320th full order!

And the system of traction control is really not disconnected, except for such drawings. Electronics that insure the driver from errors works very correctly: if you pressed the accelerator pedal too much and the drive wheels are about to break into the slip, the electronic brain will slightly reduce the engine speed, so as not to waste energy on useless slip. And with such an electronic collar, the Mercedes -Benz E 320 is even more dynamic than without it: on the wet asphalt you do not need to play jewelry in order to start without slipping the drive wheels - Davi for gas and do not think about anything! Electronics itself will do everything: the engine will reduce the engine speed, and the wheels will selectively slow down if there is a danger of drift. In general, full service - drive a car, enjoy, enjoy comfort and feel safe - Mercedes -Benz still!

Source: Auto -Gazeta / N 29 (421) dated 08/19/03