German Car Zone

In the past, the traditional German rivals in the mid-size sedan segment - the Audi A6, the BMW 5-series, and the Mercedes-Benz E-class - played specific roles and carved out their own places in the market. BMW positioned the 5-series as the dedicated driver's car, Audi was first to offer four-wheel drive and direct-injection engines, and Mercedes emphasized comfort and prestige.

This scenario is about to change with the arrival of the new E-class, which is destined to shake up the hierarchy with new values, new qualities, and a new look. The ninth-generation Mercedes mid-size sedan has carefully conserved core brand values such as better-than-average packaging, a cosseting ride, and an emphasis on passive and active safety, but Mercedes engineers were determined to break new ground, and the result is the sportiest and best-handling E-class ever. It also is available with a host of new driver-assistance and creature-comfort options, and it has an interior that sets new standards in terms of fit, finish, and surface materials. On top of that, the design - whether you like it or not - is a big departure from its play-it-safe predecessor.

The Benz's competitors, on the other hand, are dangerously long in the tooth - the 5-series will be replaced early next year, and the A6 is up for renewal in late 2010. All three cars are offered with both six- and eight-cylinder engines, and the high-performance BMW M5 and Audi S6 even have V-10s. But the most popular choice is still a six-cylinder engine.



Full Test: Automobile Magazine - Luxury Sedan Comparison: Mercedes E350, Audi A6, BMW 528i


M

E makes the rest look old imo
And they are infact..so its just normal..lol

Verdicts

Time to add up the points. The BMW is a five-seat racer, a drift-challenge contender dressed up for a night on the town. It provides an intense driving experience, always connected, never on a long leash. If you like that 100-percent-on-the-alert-at-all-times attitude, then look no further. But, as involving as it is, the 530i is let down by its unsettled transmission, edgy active steering, and a stressed engine that works much harder than the more desirable 300-hp, twin-turbo unit fitted to the 535i. Factor in ho-hum cabin materials and a somewhat cramped rear seat, and the 5-series is more like a grown-up 3-series than a downsized 7-series. If you're intent on buying a 5-series, we would definitely suggest the standard steering and the twin-turbo six.

The Audi is a four-door sport coupe, a potent traction artist, and a solid good-looker. But the ride suffers, to the point that one is reluctant to accept it as the trade-off for superglue roadholding. Low-speed compliance is lacking, wheel travel is disappointingly curt, and like almost all other Audis, it hates manhole covers and transverse ridges. The prime attraction of the A6 3.0T is the potent yet very civilized supercharged engine, which is every bit as quick as the more expensive and even thirstier 4.2-liter V-8.

The brand-new E350 is the epitome of dynamic balance, a role model for near-perfect chassis compliance, and a very clever piece, especially when your pockets are deep enough to order all the high-tech options. True, the engine isn't the class leader in terms of power and refinement, directional stability could be a little more unerring, and the steering and the brakes don't respond with the impatient sharpness of the competition. On aggregate, however, the Benz is the new king of harmony and equilibrium. As far as ride comfort is concerned, it plays in a league of its own. The handling is now much more entertaining and involving. And in terms of perceived quality, it at long last represents the stuff that the Mercedes legend is made of. That's a lot of praise, and yet the E-class doesn't outdistance the A6 and the 5-series by much. But its lead is substantial enough to crown it the winner - the E-class is destined to be the new darling of the image-conscious, mile-eating, agenda-driven upper-income set. At least for now.

^Sums it up quite well,the comfort is as usual "in a league of it's own"..a true MB

IMO the others needs to be replaced now,very old looking.

The only thing in the E class that barely manage to make them look old is the front, on the other hand the rear looks already dated.

Shouldn't they have used a 535i for the compro?!

IMO E's rear is as fresh and new as F01 7er,let alone the old E60.

Well that would one step above the others,ASAIK the E350 goes against with the 530i

No surpirze there! Swedish AMS even says the new E-class outperforms the S-class on less than perfect roads in terms of comfort.

Which is really amazing coz the S is the thing for comfort,but it just got FL so..

292 hk (MB) vs 306 hk (BMW) vs 290 hk (Audi) goes better than 292 hk vs 272 hk vs 290 hk... but then again, that makes this comparison less interesting for the European market as we still does not have the 35i engine here for the 5-series.