Breezy style
Mercedes' cars are not just known for their sense of style. There's more
to the new E-class Cabriolet than just the appeal of a drop down top.
Mercedes' cars are not just known for their sense of style. There's more to the new E-class Cabriolet than just the appeal of a drop down top.
The rich man prefers a fresh set of clothes, shoes and accessories to suit his each outing. And lately, he can make that choice in automobiles too. There's the large, luxurious sedan for the office and business meets, the sassy SUV for adventurous trips and a small car to ferry the kids and pick up grocery. But what about the weekend getaway to the spa resort? Or the trip to the night club? For those occasions, one needs something classy but with a hint of bling; one needs a sporty convertible. Something like the new E-class Cabriolet (E-Cab), perhaps? VIKRANT SINGH drove it to see if it fits the bill.
Life saver
Mercedes has given the E-Cab a plethora of safety equipment like reinforced A-pillars, plug-in B-pillars and two loop bars behind the rear seat backrests to keep the occupants safe. The car also features headbags apart from front and side airbags for the front passengers and an extra knee airbag for the driver
Topping it off
The E-Cab uses the traditional but classy soft folding roof. To keep noise levels low, it's an acoustic soft top. Owing to its high-quality insulation, besides wind noise, it also cuts vehicle and road noise effectively. You can have a perfectly normal phone conversation in hands-free mode even at a speed of over 200 km/h. There's more. The roof also withstands automatic carwashes and keeps the interior temperature as desired.
Cap the air
Don't want your hair ruined by a windy open-air experience? Well, the ECabriolet sports the AIRCAP system that greatly reduces turbulence in the interior thanks to a wind deflector which extends by six centimetres and has a net in the windscreen frame. It stops the draught from reaching the two rear passengers as well. It can be activated at speeds of up to 160 kmph and can remain in use right up to the car's top speed of 250 kmph.
On the move
The car's agility control changes the suspension's nature to aid better handling. There's also the speed-sensitive sports steering which is quick around corners and a little relaxed in a straight line for better stability.
Interiors
The E-cab's interiors are so similar to the Merc sedan with its opulent and classy feel that it's sometimes a struggle to spot the differences. But they exist. The Cabriolet's insides have a deeper twotone feel and striking contrast. They also have more than a hint of sportiness to them. We love the seats. All the four seats are single seaters and well bolstered like that of a sports car. What's more, they are adjustable too.
Science Of sound
Merc uses the Logic7 surround sound system developed by audio specialist Harman Kardon. The music is distributed by a 450-W amplifier connected to 12 high performance loudspeakers. There's also a loudspeaker on the dashboard, two surround speakers behind the rear head restraints and a woofer under the rear armrest.
Power pack
Under the hood is a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine. It develops 292bhp and a peak torque of 365Nm. It also helps propel the E-Cab to 100kmph in just 6.8 seconds. The sensation of speed and acceleration too is quite outstanding on the Cabriolet. The car sounds absolutely gorgeous when revved hard.
The rich man prefers a fresh set of clothes, shoes and accessories to suit his each outing. And lately, he can make that choice in automobiles too. There's the large, luxurious sedan for the office and business meets, the sassy SUV for adventurous trips and a small car to ferry the kids and pick up grocery. But what about the weekend getaway to the spa resort? Or the trip to the night club? For those occasions, one needs something classy but with a hint of bling; one needs a sporty convertible. Something like the new E-class Cabriolet (E-Cab), perhaps? VIKRANT SINGH drove it to see if it fits the bill.
Life saver
Mercedes has given the E-Cab a plethora of safety equipment like reinforced A-pillars, plug-in B-pillars and two loop bars behind the rear seat backrests to keep the occupants safe. The car also features headbags apart from front and side airbags for the front passengers and an extra knee airbag for the driver
Topping it off
The E-Cab uses the traditional but classy soft folding roof. To keep noise levels low, it's an acoustic soft top. Owing to its high-quality insulation, besides wind noise, it also cuts vehicle and road noise effectively. You can have a perfectly normal phone conversation in hands-free mode even at a speed of over 200 km/h. There's more. The roof also withstands automatic carwashes and keeps the interior temperature as desired.
Cap the air
Don't want your hair ruined by a windy open-air experience? Well, the ECabriolet sports the AIRCAP system that greatly reduces turbulence in the interior thanks to a wind deflector which extends by six centimetres and has a net in the windscreen frame. It stops the draught from reaching the two rear passengers as well. It can be activated at speeds of up to 160 kmph and can remain in use right up to the car's top speed of 250 kmph.
On the move
The car's agility control changes the suspension's nature to aid better handling. There's also the speed-sensitive sports steering which is quick around corners and a little relaxed in a straight line for better stability.
Interiors
The E-cab's interiors are so similar to the Merc sedan with its opulent and classy feel that it's sometimes a struggle to spot the differences. But they exist. The Cabriolet's insides have a deeper twotone feel and striking contrast. They also have more than a hint of sportiness to them. We love the seats. All the four seats are single seaters and well bolstered like that of a sports car. What's more, they are adjustable too.
Science Of sound
Merc uses the Logic7 surround sound system developed by audio specialist Harman Kardon. The music is distributed by a 450-W amplifier connected to 12 high performance loudspeakers. There's also a loudspeaker on the dashboard, two surround speakers behind the rear head restraints and a woofer under the rear armrest.
Power pack
Under the hood is a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine. It develops 292bhp and a peak torque of 365Nm. It also helps propel the E-Cab to 100kmph in just 6.8 seconds. The sensation of speed and acceleration too is quite outstanding on the Cabriolet. The car sounds absolutely gorgeous when revved hard.
