The newly redesigned 2017 Mercedes-Benz E Class is everything we've been expecting and more.

As you all know, this week is the reveal of the new Mercedes Benz E Class at the Detroit Auto Show. A few weeks ago we were teased with pictures of the interior and some info about the tech that would be found inside of the new E Class. What we didn't get to see was what the outside looked like. Well I am here with some pictures for you (as well as some info) courtesy of my friend over at Torquenews, Patrick Rall, who was kind enough to snap some pictures for me while he was covering the Detroit Auto Show. 

The first thing I noticed about the new E Class was the unmistakable design cues it took from the W222 chassis S Class and the W205 chassis C Class with the longer hood, shorter rear deck lid and the swooping coupe style roof lines. All in all this is the most aggressive looking E Class to date even with the luxury styling package. The new 2017 Mercedes Benz E Class still maintains its unique class styling with the angled edges on the sides. Regardless of how Mercedes wants to redesign it, the new E Class still looks like an E Class and that is definitely OK with me. Even though the outside looks the same, the biggest changes come from the interior, where they redesigned everything down to the look of the seats. While those who have been in a W222 S Class will recognize the wrap around dashboard, that is pretty much where it ends. While the base model will come with the tablet style command unit, you can upgrade to the new style dual led screen layout that allows the driver to customize the look of the cluster with one of three different styles.

So right now you may be asking your self, "what else does the new Mercedes Benz E Class have to offer?" To start it will launch in the US with a turbocharged four cylinder that puts out 241 horse power in the E300 (this is also the same engine that will be found in the SLC300). Future models will come with the turbo charged 6 cylinder (possibly the same twin turbo 3.0 currently found in the E400), a V8 (maybe the 5.5?), a plug in hybrid, and a diesel that will get 42 MPG (highway).

Now that we have that out of the way, let's get to the really cool stuff. The new Mercedes Benz E Class will have more driver assistance options than a self driving google car (purely sarcasm, but only kind of). 

• First up is the Drive Pilot's adaptive cruise control and Steering Pilot that track the car in front at speeds up to 130 MPH and can keep the car centered in the lines up to 81 MPH. According to Mercedes Benz the E Class can track adjacent vehicles and deal with obscured lane markings. the driving assist features on the new E Class will double or even triple the amount of time that the driver can keep their hands off of the wheel and still remain on the road.
• Active Lane Change Assist is a radar and camera based system that semi-automates lane changes. When the driver activates the turn signal the car will wait 2 seconds to make sure it is what was intended, make sure the lane is clear and then move the vehicle into the lane that you designated.
• Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function will brake the car if it detects crossing traffic that you aren't slowing for, and will initiate advance braking if it senses you've come upon the tail end of a traffic jam. Mercedes Benz states the vehicle should avoid accidents up to 43 MPH and will reduce the severity of collisions if you are going faster than the designated speed.
• Evasive Steering Assist works with pedestrian detection to help the driver steer around a pedestrian and apply steering wheel torque to recover and straighten you back out.
• One of the coolest new features of the new Mercedes Benz E Class is the Remote Parking Pilot which will pull the vehicle out of a garage or parking space using the smartphone app while the driver is standing outside of the vehicle. This lets big cars get into tiny spaces.
• If there is one thing today's modern society has taught is that we love to stay connected to one another so why should our cars be any different? Car-to-X communication will be introduced to the world in the new Mercedes Benz E Class. Car-to-X, meaning car-to-anything communication, allows the car to communicate to another connected car ahead and helps cars "see" around corners or through obstacles. The car is both the receiver and transmitter. obviously to start this wont really be a useful option, but once Mercedes Benz gets the ball rolling with other subsequent models the usefulness of this technology will be limitless.

The tech under the hood in Mercedes' latest entry is no doubt top of the line, but what you need to really ask your self is this, is this the sexiest looking E Class yet? I think it might be, but you can judge for yourself. 

With the 2017 E Class, Mercedes-Benz really has thought of everything.

With the 2017 E Class, Mercedes-Benz really has thought of everything.

Most of us know that Mercedes-Benz are among the safest vehicles on the road. This is due to the overwhelming amount of innovations Mercedes has brought to the automotive industry. Not only did Mercedes-Benz develop and patent the first automobile, but they also designed the first Four Wheel Independent Suspension, Safety Cage Crush Zones, and Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) just to name a few. In fact Mercedes currently holds over 125,000 patents total. So it should come as no surprise that in 2002 Mercedes introduced the Pre-Safe system that helps the vehicle prepare for an accident before it happens.

Mercedes-Benz engineers are devoted to preparing for a moment they hope never occurs. Because of this, Mercedes often sets the standards that all automobiles eventually follow. With features such as Active Blind Spot and Lane Keeping Assist, Pre Safe allows you to carry whatever precious cargo you may have safely from point A to point B. So with decades of engineering in every Mercedes-Benz vehicle it makes you wonder what they will think of next. What else could they possibly come up with to keep you safe? What about your hearing? That's right. Starting with the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E Class, your ears will now be a whole lot safer.

New for 2017, your Mercedes-Benz will include Bio-Mechanical ear protection with it's already impressive list of safety features. By using its array of sensors and on-board gadgetry the 2017 E class will be able to detect a crash and along with seat belt pretensioning and Pre-Safe Brake, a sound will be emitted from the speakers that causes the stapedius muscle in your ear to contract. This automatic response by your body protects your sensitive eardrums from permanent damage. How cool is that? Also on the list for new tech is the Evasive Steering Assist which helps the driver with, you guessed it, evasive maneuvers in an emergency. The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E class will also be among the first of the brand to have the pretty cool Car-to-X Communication which allows cars with the same feature to communicate with one another to help prevent collisions and to help support other autonomous functions.

Of course there will be a whole lot more to these cars other than their safety features. The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E Class is, after all, a completely redesigned vehicle that takes it's styling cues from both it's little and big brother while still maintaining it's own pedigree among the pack. I have owned a W211 chassis, currently own a W212 chassis, and am looking forward to the fifth generation W213 chassis. I for one cannot wait for these cars to hit show room floors. However the 2016 models are out and as fun to drive as ever. If you haven't already done so, go to your local dealer and check one out. I promise you won't be disappointed.