Thursday 11th September 2008

Horsing Around With The New E-Class

New 'shooting brake' destined for Paris show

---

Next month’s Paris Motor Show will witness the unveiling of this glamorous new Mercedes ‘shooting brake’ concept.

Dubbed the ‘ConceptFASCINATION’ the new show car is a stylish amalgamation of the the front end of the CLK replacement, and a coupe-like estate rear end which Mercedes says epitomises the classic two-door shooting brake genre.

The ConceptFASCINATION itself is unlikely to make it into production, but you can expect to see most of its styling themes on the next generation E-class saloon due for launch next year – and subsequently a new E-class badged coupe, which insiders say is likely to replace the CLK in 2010 in an effort to make the Merc model range more straightforward.

There’s clearly a lot of the latest S-class design apparent in the ConceptFASCINATION, including the pronounced wheel arches and swoopy waistline. The concept also marks a shift away from the roundheadlamps that have marked out the E-class for a couple of generations.

The show car’s interior is inspired by the world of equestrianism, says Mercedes, so there’s plenty of saddle-leather on which to park your jodhpurs.

Under its swoopy hood the ConceptFASCINATION also features a 204bhp version of Merc’s new 2.2 litre four cylinder diesel range which will power production E-class models next year.

[Fetchez la vache]

MB Must be furious after they put in all that effort, then someone rear-ends it

[mylesmcd]

i like er

[MogulBoy]

The thinking mans' Lynx Eventer?

[lestag]

oh st a stretched astra!!

[FD_Henning]

Visibility? What is it with Mercedes designing cars with tiny post-box windows? First the CLS, now this.

The back looks a littel high off the ground too.

All the individual items should mean it's a good looking car, but somehow it's just not.

[Turbo Sandwhich]

the smaller back side windows remind me of a 300c estate! quite like it! back is a bit funny though!

[MrTappets]

I reckon most of the problem is the roof line. It slopes down too much at the back.

[GingerWizard]

not too sure about the horsey bollo<ks but that is not a bad looking motor....

[Cactussed]

I really like the look of that. Pity it'll only come with a slushbox...

[tuffer]

Someone trod on the R Class!!!

[topless_mx5]

Alfa Berrera (sp?) rear end if you squint with one eye and close the other.

[t0ny99]

Under its swoopy what?

[pistonlager]

lestag said:

oh st a stretched astra!!

There's a lot of cars this week that look Astra-ish

[james_tigerwoods]

Oh joy, Mercedes designing another car to slot into their already confusing range...

[eonjb]

Looks like a Renault Vel Satis from the rear! At first glance it looks ok, then if you study it, well it all goes wrong.

[CypherP]

Have to disagree, i actually really like that. Loving the wider arches and actually really like the back, for some strange reason...

[morgrp]

Thats a very handsome machine - Someone said stretched Astra? - and the bad part would be? The latest astra may be a vauxhall and in 1.3litre diesel form one of the slowest cars known to man - but one thing it ain't is ugly - I don't care for the Astra at all but it is almost with out question one of the best looking cars in its class

[XJSJohn]

MogulBoy said:

The thinking mans' Lynx Eventer?

if you don't mind old bean, i think you will find that the Eventer IS the thinking mans choice!!

I so regret not buying a fantastic manual conversion one of these a few years ago, even though 2 x V12 would have ruined me at the time!!!

The merc looks ... well .... ok .... ish, a bit like that volvo coupe thing (edit to add) with Bently conti GT rear wheel arches ..

Edited by XJSJohn on Thursday 11th September 15:14

[Ed.]

I kind of like it, though does remind me of dodge magnum not the shape itself just how the back is squished.

[psn]

Im thinking, R class faclift