Test drive Mercedes Benz E-class w211 2006-2009 sedan
Star & infinity
Mercedes brand machines in Russia are idolypolar. Before the arrival of other luxury automobile brands, many generally put the products of the Stuttgart Autolad ostally - there are, they say, just cars, good cars and Mercedes. But this theory first shook Lexus. And now it is the turn of Infiniti to prove that the earth is still round and flies in space, and does not rest on three rays. 
Over the ocean, the Infiniti Nissanovsky brand has already won a place in the sun and now constantly appears in the first positions of the ratings of US buyers. The closest competitors are Lexus, Acura and something local spill. Cars from Europe in CIS indices are still found in the top ten, but the jerk of the Japanese luxury auto industry on the American market was too strong to confront it. This year, the Infiniti brand will celebrate its eighteenth birthday - a suitable age to go to conquer the world. The old light is also marked on the expansion map, but official sales will begin there no earlier than 2008. It turns out that we were in a privileged position-to purchase a white Infiniti with an adapted suspension, a correct metric speedometer and a climate control, which instead of pharyngeites shows familiar Celsius, can be now.
The ATTESA E-TS ATTESA ATTESA ATTESA system includes an electronic controller and an electromagnetic coupling. At the start, she distributes the torque between the front and the rear axles equally. In the established M35X mode, it becomes rear -wheel drive. But as soon as the car starts the entrance to the turn, as the electronics will immediately begin to transfer a small part of the traction force to the front. Attesa e-ts is also able to redistribute the moment between the left and right wheels when the car accelerates on a heterogeneous road surface. The Mercedes company is a classic permanent all-wheel drive system with a given moment distribution (40% forward, 60% ago). Hence such a predictability of reactions even with a disabled course of course stabilization. Telescopes are powerless. Searching for any shortcomings of manufacturing in a Japanese sedan is the same hopeless thing as the search for extraterrestrial civilizations in the infinity of the universe. Impeccability is felt in everything: in folds and seams on the skin, in lightning-fast silence of the lock of the lock (it is only worth touching the door handle), in the work of climate control, which drives the air through the microfilters with activated coal. Or such a trifle: they drowned out the engine, but forgot to close the window or hatch - it's okay, 45 seconds will not be de -energized. Having got inside this sedan, you are learning instantly. The driver’s settings are extensive, the scales are perfectly read, the controller of the Infiniti controller, which in the form of a large aluminum washer is placed on the console in front of a seven -inch color monitor, is subordinated to intuition. And the list of equipment does not raise questions - Packed the M35X for its price is excellent. Instead of the Elite version, you can just take Premium - get the same minus the back of the curtain, adjust the angle of tilt the back of the rear seat and the climate control unit/audio. The savings seem to be tangible - $ 1700, but a good counter -breeder immediately arises: what if I have to travel as a passenger?
The appearance of the M35X storm does not cause admiration, but you feel a slight pleasant excitement every time. The car looks larger than classmates and somewhat rustic in shape, but fulfilled dignity in details. The design is not shocking, deprived of aggression and controversial feints. If you find that 18-inch wheels do not sufficiently express in this car the quality of the male leader, then immediately order your Infiniti with your native aerodynamic body kit-three small spoilers and threshold will bring the desired alpha effect. For transportation of goods, the M35X is not adapted. The 388-liter foster of the trunk is an extremely modest indicator even by the standards of compact sedans. But in the underground laid a full -fledged spare wheel.
Wash the glasses. Sometimes you think that the Mercedes E-class is capable of self-APGRADE-connected to the server, downloaded a package of updates ... In fact, in Stuttgart they just learned to perform facies very well. Generations are changing, and E-class remains recognizable, always modern and therefore damn attractive. From the New Eshki (calling it updated, the language does not turn) generally blows the beauty of the representative S-Klasse of the former generation. The same calm spreading contours with a smooth transition to the stern, an arrow -shaped nose and advanced arches with smooth outlines. However, the stop-signals (in the Avantgarde configuration-LED) with roundings, and not in the form of a wedge, and, of course, the headlights immediately give out a bespectacled scum. 
By the way, about optics. Probably, there was no car with headlights more sophisticated in nature, which is E-Klasse. The intelligent Light system (offered for a surcharge) analyzes the movement mode, weather conditions and controls the light of bixenon projectors, foglights and other headlights. Instead of the neighbor, the highway (the visibility of the left side of the road is improved by 10 meters), instead of the far, the automatic regulatory (is automatically turned on at a speed of 90 km/h, has two degrees of lighting). In bad weather, rotary fog lights will be connected, a dynamic light function will work in smooth turns, and when maneuvering in alleys - lateral light. Now imagine how frightening the list of all equipment looks if some headlights are drawn to the article (magazine, of course). There is everything - from the alarm of pressure in tires to heating the rear seats. And that's why it is so difficult to compare the number of lotions with the price of a car. If you order an e-klasse for a service park, then choose the basic equipment, and if for himself, then the client, getting caught, eventually clicks the Select All-Bogo Box. In the future, this guarantees pleasant surprises. Well, for example, I found an unfamiliar button on the central console - the motor opened access to the secretary. Oh how!
The stars favors. Imagine, lucky: there was no precipitation on the shooting day, and then such scarce snow fell in Moscow and even formed ice. Ideal conditions for checking the running qualities of all -wheel drive sedans! Mercedes conquered in such conditions. E350 4MATIC is very predictable, and both with an electronic collar and without it. In the first case, the reactions are lazy, in the second - you enjoy the opportunity to make clear, dosed slides. And how it accelerates! He succumbed to gas from a traffic light, cast a short glance at the mirrors and experienced ... confusion. The flow stood and stands. Did you really rush to red? No, they just skid. At high speeds, the speaker was much better than I expected from a 3.5-liter engine (the second plus: it is practically inaudible in the cabin). Inhibition is performed without a hint of loss of course stability. In the characteristics of the steering amplifier, the absence of a returning moment at first with small deviations of the steering wheel seemed very strange, but having traveled, I found this feature evenly - it does not bother, but it teaches the car always under control. In addition, at medium and high speeds, the returning torque intensifies, everything returns to normal.
Infiniti M35X is also a delicious car. It seems easier in motion and more acute in management. Inhibition occurs very effectively, but without a characteristic bow - it is felt that a tremendous weight is piled on the front wheels, but the suspension holds the machine, retains the optimal geometry of the wheels. The car even in such an emergency mode clearly obeys the helm - it is significantly better than any other large sedans. And it's not only about ABS and other electronics. The result was predetermined from the very beginning by using a lightweight engine and the Front Mid-Ship platform (the motor is shifted back, beyond the front axle). This gave the car the correct weightlift and racing habits. But there are also qualities in which the Japanese still loses its bespectacled to script: comfort (M35X is more noisy and tough) and acceleration dynamics. In Mercedesovsky, the moment characteristics are good in the entire speed range, and in Nissanovsky - only at high ones. It is felt that the motor is charged, but its temperament can only be implemented with a manual box, and not with an automaton, which, by the way, in Infiniti is special - with smooth switching (the Download Rev Matching system puts it up when it is erupted in speeds).
It turns out that Infiniti loses a duel? How to count. For the E350 4MATIC, which was on our test, you need to lay out? 71 500. And for this money you can purchase a 339-horsepower M45 Sport. The Japanese prepared well, they have something to go on the attack.
CHOCOLATE FONDUE. In Infiniti, for this model, there are only three options for decorating the cabin (white, beige or black upholstery), but in terms of aesthetics they surpassed themselves. Opening the M35X door, you see such a luxury that you immediately want to climb into the salon and no longer leave it under any pretext. Burbon skin with Infiniti embroidery on the backs of armchairs, rosewood, aluminum, amber backlighting of Solar-Eclipse devices and stylish analog watch cause feelings that have ever experienced from acquaintance with business class cars. The interior exudes a very soft light and home comfort. No, even more! Imagine: a table, a burning candle, a fund with molten chocolate, shiny eyes in advance ... In addition to heating, by the way, the seats are equipped with ventilation and provide coolness with a sultry summer. There are no special complaints about ergonomics. The driver's seat is configured in ten parameters (passenger - six), the settings range seemed very wide. The sound of an audio system equipped with a six -disc chainger (loading from a dashboard) and losing MP3/WMA, slightly cooled, with damp meat, but this does not prevent the driver and passengers of Infiniti with pleasure.
Infiniti in front, a suspension with two transverse levers is used in front (naturally independent), and in the back - either a traditional multi -link (for M35 and M35X), or a suspension with active steering (for M45) and electronic control. Winging helps the car quickly screwed into the turn and at the same time reduces the risk of drift. The suspension on Infiniti did not give a reason to call itself short-term, but setting up springs and shock absorbers tangibly harder than on e-klasse. The standard and perhaps, perhaps, suspension with increased road clearance (as on our model) is optimal for E350 4MATIC. It provides good smoothness and fairly quick clear reactions. But if desired, the buyer can order a car with soft or sports setting. In addition, a car at the factory can equip the Airmatic Dual Control pneumatic system at the plant. I was going to write Mercedes as a Mercedes, but something stopped me. Well, yes, of course - the steering wheel! Is this a steering wheel? This is some kind of channel with buttons. Convenient, I do not argue, but it looks at least pretentious. And you know, in the E-Class salon you find many dubious metamorphoses. I used to sit in any Mercedes and understood - character! Now everywhere everything is rounded, fraught, handed. All this manicure is clearly made with the intention of please everyone. And the white pancakes of the devices (not the most readable, by the way) - so that the mass taste would notice and said: Oh, we have not seen this yet! I would like to put in an example of competitors from Munich - those, on the contrary, are not embarrassed, and more steeper and steeply bend their line. However, in the E350 4550 4Matic Avantgarde, I also found really beautiful things. Take, say, lighting of the salon. The idea of \u200b\u200bweakly smoldering arcs around the ceiling is spectacular and practical in addition - helps to find the right inclusive on the ceiling. Or folded upholstery-the skin is so pleasant to the touch that it seems that you touch something living. It is a pity that this gelding does not have a withers - there is nothing to affectionately burst the beast. Text Ruslan Tarasov, photo Andrey Danilov
Infiniti M35X Gasoline engine, v6
Working volume (cubic cub) 3498
Power (L.S. at about/min) 280 at 6200
Moment (nm at rpm) 363 at 4800
The drive is complete
Gearbox 5-speed, automatic
Length/width/height (mm) 4900/1795/1524
Wheel base (mm) 2950
Equipped mass (kg) 1868
Acceleration to 100 km/h (c) 7.1
Fuel consumption (city/highway, l/100 km) 17.2/10.6
Maximum speed (km/h) 206
Price in Moscow from $ 67 900
Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Gasoline engine, v6
Working volume (cubic cub) 3498
Power (L.S. at rpm) 272 at 6000
Moment (Nm at rpm) 350 at 2400-5000
The drive is complete
Gearbox 5-speed, automatic
Length/width/height (mm) 4820/1820/1450
Equipped mass (kg) 1785
Maximum speed (km/h) 250
Acceleration to 100 km/h (c) 7.1
Fuel consumption (medium, l/100 km) 10.7
Price in Moscow from 61 800
Source: "Autopilot"
