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Replacing the CLK that straddled the gap between the C and E-Class ranges, the newcomer is a soft-top glamourpuss purring with technology. It has a safety breakthrough in offering the German carmaker’s first head airbags in a convertible.
But the star comfort feature — says Merc’s global vice-president of sales and marketing, Joachim Schmidt – is the new AirCap system, which combines a wind deflector on the windshield and a draft-stopper behind the rear seats to protect rear passengers at speeds up to 160km/h. “Passengers in the rear can enjoy the open top without having worry about it messing up their hairdo,” Schmidt says.
Front seat passengers get to enjoy the AirScarf system — from the SL convertible — that blasts warm air around their necks.
In the US, the E-Class convertible will go on sale in 2011 with a choice of engines: the E350 gets a 200kW/350Nm 3.5-litre while the E550 has a 285kW/530Nm 5.5-litre V8. Mercedes-Benz Australia has previously said we are likely to get the E350 version first, followed later by the V8 and two others not currently slated for the US – an E250 petrol and a diesel.
Their spokesman David McCarthy has also said the price in our showrooms is yet to be determined, but would be competitive. "If you look at the price, the E-Class coupe (from $94,500, $127,500 with the 350) is a good starting price but with an obvious premium for the roof,” he told Carsguide recently. “The BMW 3 Series will be a rival, yes, but size-wise our car is more like a BMW 4 Series … which doesn't exist.”
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