New Mercedes CLK and E-Class Interior Spied

Since the last batch of spy shots of the new CLK and E-Class Wagon, there's not much new to see on the outside. But our intrepid spy photographer got up close and managed shots of the interior revealing a few interesting details. Based on the new C-Class, the CLK's center instrument panel gets a built-in navigation monitor instead of the flip-up unit in the C-Class. However, the big surprise is that the gear shift lever on the E-Class, seen with a shining chrome button on the end, gets moved from the traditional location of being in the center console to the right side of the steering column. Ironic since BMW is reportedly moving their gear shift lever back down to the center console in the next gen BMW 7-Series.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/9071228.014/new-mercedes-clk-and-e-class-interior-spied

I didn't anticipate that the E and CLK will have the same center console. Looks good though and is a blend between the C-class, current E-class and S-class. The CLK is maturing and MB is going to position it between the E92 and 6er.

that looks very un MB like, centre button almost straight from an audi and the whole looks more BMW than MB.

looks like the old mercs..super angular..
i love it.. kind of like the reventon exterior edgy

aircon controls looks to be like the S class ones. A little too much black plastic on the center console but I guess we'll have to wait and see. There does seem to be a horizontal strip of wood on the CLK, that the C desperately needs.

I'm a little worried as well. I want to see a great amount of wood incorporated into the dash like with all traditional Mercs. I don't want to see Mb interior becoming more sterile than the ones in Bimmers.

what's the point of COMMAND III if it will have more buttons than a nuclear powerplant?
i think mercedes engineers missed a class when their chief was busy explaining the Idrive to them.
besides that it looks good, but somehow not 2007 good, of course final judgemetn when real pics appear

the vents look weird/cheap?!

Don't worry, bad pictures. The quality will be up to standard.

They didn't miss anything. Not all products on the planet are supposed to be like an iPod with nothing but a knob or a button on it. Some people like basic and frequently used functions to be easily accessible by just pressing a button, rather than having to dig through menus and sub menus distracting you from what's ahead on the road.

The columns and rays of buttons on the left side of the knob are obviously numbers for making a phone call. I'm surprised that they have kept them but I guess they carried out a market research and found out that their customers like it that way.

Further more iDrive isn't much of an inspiration after all the negativity we have heard and read about it.

Someone had already posted the uncovered interior picture of the new E before at carspyshots.com though some people doubt the authenticity of it. But looking at the spy photos of the interior so far you can see how accurate the uncovered picture is.