We all know that there is a big push towards fully electric cars and all car manufacturers have plans to move in that direction including Mercedes, who hope to be fully electric by 2030.
In the next few weeks Mercedes will unveil their new range of V-Class luxury people carriers. If you are thinking of moving into the VIP limousine business this could be one to check out.
However, Mercedes still has some excellent petrol and diesel models on their fleet and last week I got to drive a diesel version of their E220. When I picked up the car on Monday morning with a full tank of diesel on board the range said 1,400km. Now that’s a nice relaxing figure, no range anxiety there; who wants electric?
I love the old-fashioned three-pointed star on the huge bonnet of a Mercedes and while Merc has been experimenting by using their logo on the bonnet on some of their recent cars, my test car had the three-pointed star and that image is replicated throughout the car.
When I was a young lad I never dreamed of driving a Mercedes; I thought Mercs were only for very wealthy people and/or managing directors. That may have been true many years ago, but now Mercedes are trying to attract more young customers to their brand.
The choice of car for government ministers right is now optional, but in the old days one of the perks when being appointed a Minister or Junior Minister meant a Merc was also provided.
Yes it’s a diesel, but with mild hybrid technology. It’s so comfortable and relaxing, but if it’s speed you are after you can get from zero to 100km/h in 7.6 seconds. The top speed is 238km/h and if you want to check out that figure I would recommend a trip to Mondello Park
My test car came in Graphite Grey metallic. From a distance it looked black, but that was the official colour. Dark on the outside, but inside Beige is the dominant colour, on the seats, doors and steering wheel. Officially the interior colouring is Macchiato Beige.
Many new cars have huge ‘iPad’ type infotainment screens which dominate the dash. The infotainment screen in the E220 I drove was a 14.4-inch Superscreen, but it blended in seamlessly on the dash.
The Hyperscreen version of the infotainment screen which stretches right across the dash will cost you extra. In the car I drove the space to the left of the screen where the front seat passenger could watch a video was blank and filled with tiny images of the three-pointed star.
There is also a ‘selfie camera’ on top of the dash, facing into the cabin. It can be used for Zoom or teams calls, when the car is parked of course.
At the back you get new lights which also have the three-pointed star logo incorporated. The boot is massive, but as usual with Mercedes no spare wheel included.
If you don’t have enough money to buy an S-Class, I think this new version of the E Class might suffice and save you a few euro along the way.
Prices start at €81,185 for the 2.0-litre automatic 9G-Tronic. My test car included a few optional extras which brought the price of the car as tested to €89,318. Road tax is €200.
Take a test drive, no matter what age you are and enjoy the thrill of driving a classy diesel car before they are all squeezed off our roads by electric power.
