Rich pickings
The Age
Saturday August 1, 2009
Can the new E-Class out-class its rivals? BRUCE NEWTON reports. YOU could be forgiven for thinking the car industry worldwide has lost its spanners of late by trying to cover all the bases.It has been making all manner of car types from off-roaders that can€™t go off road, wagons that are sports cars, to sports cars that are supposed to swallow whole families.In this madness, though, there is a core line of products that has defined prestige values and, as a consequence, continues to be the hot-bed of rivalry among the world€™s most admired car brands.These core cars are the mid-sized sedans. They have typically been the choice of successful executives wanting something that€™s refined, quiet, comfortable and luxurious while conveying a notion that like their owners, you€™re in safe, trusted hands.Here we€™ve assembled four of the best mid-sizers from Audi, BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz and we€™ve put them head to head.The reason is that Mercedes has just released its new-from-the-ground-up E-Class sedan range, the ninth generation in a long lineage that Benz itself says exemplifies everything about the marque.We€™ve pitted the Mercedes-Benz E350 against its six-cylinder petrol arch rivals: the Audi A6 3.0 TFSI, the BMW 530i and the hybrid wonder, the Lexus GS 450h, to see which will wrest the mantle for the leaders of industry.The final member of this high-quality quartet, the Lexus GS 450h, powers its rear wheels via a combination of petrol V6 engine and electric motor. There€™s a certain irony that Lexus has often been accused of being a German copy-cat, yet here it is offering an authentically different drivetrain proposition years ahead of them.But is different necessarily better, or even as good? Or does the GS have to rely on traditional Lexus traits, such as build quality and a long list of standard equipment, to be in contention?So to business. We€™re after refinement, we€™re after performance, we€™re after a feeling of solidity, a degree of value and definitely a sense of emotion from these four upper-class, traditional rivals. Let€™s see if they can deliver.Mercedes-Benz's just-superseded E350 was the biggest selling model in the range and the new one is expected to follow suit. Like its predecessor, the new one drives its rear wheels via a 3.5-litre V6 engine mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission. In this Avantgarde specification its drive-away pricing is around $140,000 but its equipment list is attention-getting, too.Its most obvious rival is the BMW 530i, although the current 5-Series finds itself bidding auf wiedersehen as the new E-Class arrives. Nevertheless, its sporting demeanour, silky smooth in-line six-cylinder engine and brilliant six-speed auto still provide a substantial benchmark for rivals. On the road it costs $129,180.The third German, the $123,706 Audi A6 3.0 TFSI Quattro, is close to the end of its lifecycle but still has enough left in it for Audi to introduce an update, which it did so earlier this year, headlined by this supercharged all-wheel-drive version.And the Lexus? For this fully loaded spaceship on wheels, you'll need $143,243 to place it in your driveway.AUDI A6 3.0 TFSI QUATTROWhile the current A6 has been in Australia since 2004, this model was one of the headline acts of an update rolled out earlier this year.There are various minor styling and feature updates but the key change is under the bonnet, where a new supercharged 3.0-litre V6 engine pulls double duty, taking the place of the old normally aspirated 3.0-litre V6 and 4.2-litre V8.At 213kW between 4850rpm-6800rpm, the engine has the second-highest power output here, while torque is the highest at 420Nm between 2500rpm-4850rpm. Audi claims the best 0-100km/h acceleration of this quartet, at 5.9 seconds, but the worst fuel use of 9.5 litres per 100 kilometres (albeit only just behind the Benz and BMW).You can certainly feel that strong initial response when accelerating from idle. This is the sort of car in which you'd have no hesitation merging into traffic, going for that quick overtake or conquering a steep hill at pace. Being supercharged rather than turbocharged, there is no lag in response.The engine melds well with the six-speed automatic transmission, rarely prompting the need for manual shifting. If you do opt for manual swaps, then paddles are fitted to the upper spokes of the steering wheel for convenience.Fuel use blew out only marginally from the claim to 11.0L/100km on our drive, which included urban fringe, country roads, freeways and some rolling hilly countryside. That's pretty good for a big car with the added fuel-chewing weight of all-wheel-drive to contend with.Mind you, permanent AWD certainly helped the car's behaviour. The system is smart enough to sense what's going on in corners and shuttles drive around the system to keep things balanced. It certainly adds reassurance, even on dry roads.Unfortunately, it can't do anything about a ride that is clearly the least refined of the four, with a constant patter maintained on even mildly bumpy roads. The A6 had the most intrusive level of noise and the overly light steering wheel shook and rattled on bumpy corners.This was a pity because the A6's interior continues to offer high levels of quality, good seating and a decent amount of space for rear-seat passengers.Nice interior touches in the rear include face-level vents, although there are no cupholders or seat pockets.Up front, the controller for the in-car system settings proved somewhat combative, especially pre-setting radio stations and completing certain sat-nav functions. The remote opener for the glovebox and the separate stop and start buttons for the ignition also seemed to offer complexity simply for the sake of it.Nothing too complex to grasp about the pricing, clearly the least expensive here. For that you get all the basics you would expect, such as leather, satellite navigation (in a pack including a 40Gb hard drive), a decent sound system and plenty of safety gear. But there's plenty that is optional or simply unavailable, such as a driver's knee airbag, active cruise control, power height and reach steering adjustment, driver's seat memory, front parking sensors, metallic paint, MP3 and a reversing camera.The A6 does get xenon headlights (with that distinctive strip of driving lamps) and a full-sized spare tyre (with alloy wheel), tucked away under the floor of the biggest boot here (546 litres).BMW 530iStyling is subjective but none of the test crew liked the look of the BMW, even six years after it first appeared. The long, narrow headlights don't seem to fit with the body and the slashes and creases are out of step with the kidney grille. The 17-inch wheels look small under the guards. The rump is big and the obvious panel gaps appear agricultural rather than luxurious.But replacement is close so BMW is rolling the 5-Series into run-out, coinciding €” not coincidentally €” with the arrival of the new E-Class.The 5-Series' features now include a head-up display (with speedo and other functions displayed virtually above the bonnet), better satellite navigation with a bigger screen, television, voice recognition and a smart key. Among that lot, only the head-up display is a unique advantage on its rivals. As all that is added without a price increase, value is certainly improved. A strong suite of safety equipment, leather trim, dual climate-control, metallic paint, a quality stereo, driver's seat memory, power steering-wheel adjustment and Bluetooth are standard. Xenon headlights, an alarm and a split-fold rear seat are all optional.But the real detraction here is a standard feature BMW touts over and over again as a positive; run-flat tyres.Of late the ability of run-flats to provide the level of ride compliance approaching that of a traditionally shod car has been improving. But the Goodyear NCTs fitted to our test car brought all the bad memories flooding back.This 530i felt nervous, bouncy and unsettled any time it encountered a winding, bumpy road. There was little sense of being at one with the road; more that it was tip-toeing across the top of the bitumen. It was not aided by BMW's active steering system, which adjusts the steering ratio according to speed.But other aspects of the 530i are highly commendable. The in-line six-cylinder engine is beautifully smooth and amazingly economical, undercutting even the Lexus hybrid during our test. A 9.6L/100km average is testament to the engine itself, its excellent transmission and by far the lightest kerb weight here.The result is all the more commendable considering this is an engine that does its best work high in the rev range. It's OK down low but not as strong as its opposition.Inside, BMW has made some significant improvements from the current 5's early days. It remains minimalist but quality is obviously up and the high-gloss bamboo grain strip across the dash of our test car was a particularly striking feature.BMW's in-car system, iDrive, is undoubtedly improving with each iteration, as favourites buttons reduce its responsibilities, while the larger media screen provides great resolution.This was also the car that devoted the most attention to rear-seat passengers. In both comfort and convenience features €” and their placement €” it was the pick of the bunch. The boot is a good size at 520 litres.Up front, there are some fundamental issues only generational change can resolve. Storage is not good enough, the way the dashboard bows out in the centre makes the air-conditioning controls point down and away from the driver and the electronic gearshifter is fussy.LEXUS GS450hSo why was the GS beaten in terms of fuel economy by the BMW, even though its petrol-electric powertrain is officially rated as by far the most frugal here?It's a case of horses for courses. If this comparison had spent more time in stop-start traffic, where the GS' electric motors would do most of the running and the petrol 3.5-litre V6 would spend time switched off, then there's little doubt the Lexus would have schooled its three German rivals.But on our more varied drive the Lexus' advantage was erased and the result was a 9.9L/100km fuel-use rate, compared with an official 7.9L/100km.What comes into play more prominently in these circumstances is the GS' significant weight penalty, thanks to its complex powertrain and the heavy nickel metal hydride battery pack that straddles the rear axle. Weighing in at 1865 kilograms, the GS is about 150 kilograms heavier than the next heaviest car, the Benz.That complexity and weight also play an important role in forming the character of the GS. For a start, this is the most expensive car here, at least partly due to the cost of developing the hybrid drivetrain and the immense computer brainpower that operates it.Mind you, Lexus does its best to compensate for the price with an extraordinarily long equipment list for which there are no optional extras.Included are driver and passenger kneebags, a sunroof, active cruise control, a 14-speaker sound system, driver-adjustable suspension and xenon headlights that turn around corners.At a more mundane yet important level, the battery cruels boot space. It measures up at 280 litres, which translates to barely enough room to fit a couple of full-sized golf bags. And with no split-fold possible, luggage capacity is a key failing.The car's weight means the suspension is stiffer than you would expect of a Lexus, so much so that the cushioning ride is gone. It is replaced by a constant patter, front and rear, that is obvious and annoying. Riding on low-profile rubber doesn't help matters either, even though they do improve the overall looks of the car.The GS450's prospects as a limousine are further eroded by the rear-seat passenger experience. It had the least head and foot room, exacerbated for rear passengers by a seat squab that was too low to rest thighs on properly, relegating it as the tail-ender of this pack for a long rear-seat journey.And yet, move up to the driver's seat and the GS was the number two pick, behind the E-Class, for long-haul comfort. Cruising on a highway, there was a soothing quietness to the experience no matter which motors were running. Allied to that, the smooth-road ride was exemplary.Acceleration and response from the hybrid powertrain via its continuously variable transmission is simply brilliant. Lexus doesn't make a performance claim for the GS but independent tests have turned up 0-100km/h times in the mid six-second range. And it feels stronger than that.Partly that's because electric motors have the endearing habit of generating maximum torque from zero revs, so there's plenty of shove from the moment the throttle is pressed. Get a few revs on board and the V6 gets interested too, signalling its involvement via a growling engine note.So far, so good for the driver but that suspension set-up hurts the car's balance on rougher roads and the electric steering remains uninterested throughout. Not so for the electronic safety nets, which verge on the anxious side of supervision. Shrill beeping and a cut in engine power accompany any attempt to corner more enthisiastically as the stability control takes over.At least the Lexus eschews the need for a mouse-like telematics controller. Instead, a large touch screen and some well-chosen and placed buttons do the job. The secret to the success of this minimalism is a drop-down pad on the right-side of the dash that contains the set-and-forget adjustments for functions such as external mirrors. Don't try and use it while driving, though, as the steering wheel obscures the control pad.MERCEDES-BENZE350 AVANTGARDEThe ninth-generation E-Class is surprising. Not that you'd gather that from the exterior €” there's a formality about the styling that suggests a conservative attitude and that's in keeping with traditional priorities.The interior presentation is just as formal. The centre stack of dash buttons is a sheer wall and the centre console is flat. The gear selector is mounted on the console and, like the Lexus, the parking brake is foot-operated like the previous generation.And yet the sporty instrumentation with its classy sheen, floating needles and the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifts suggest there is more here than meets the eye. Outside, the low-profile 18-inch rims provide a further clue, using taller and wider rubber at the rear than at the front.And those hints are not misleading. The E-Class was the fourth and final contestant to be driven on our handling circuit with four testers on board and was the first to deal with it without issue. The ride was firm yet yielding, the grip level convincing and the steering crisp and compelling.Not only was this car a better drive than any previous E-Class, it also outshone the equivalent BMW, something we've perhaps never suggested before. Yes, some of the traditional waft was missing but so was the sense of clumsiness that big Benzes can exude when they move away from the straight and narrow. This E-Class was solid and responsive, nimble yet calm. It out-drove the BMW.From the passenger's perspective the Benz was ranked second in the rear to the BMW for seat comfort and shape. But the E350's better headroom, ride and quietness made it the first choice for a long chauffeured trip.The drivetrain does a terrific job of backing up the chassis. Yes, the essentially carry-over 3.5-litre V6 is no longer cutting-edge in terms of power and torque but Benz's seven-speed auto surely is. In comfort or sport mode it behaved with smooth alacrity, bringing the best out of the engine.The weakest point was fuel economy. The E350's combination of traditional drivetrain technologies and substantial kerb weight combined for a disappointing 11.8L/100km versus a claimed 9.4L/100km.Benz has managed to lower its recommended retail price (before on-road and dealer costs) while adding gear. It even has stuff the GS hasn't, most notably air-chamber bolstering of the front seats, tri-zone air-conditioning with adjustment for the rear passengers and a lane-keeping guide with blind spot assistance. It even gets cupholders €” for the first time. However, a smart key remains optional and it has a space saver spare tyre.Nice to see, however, that a split-fold function for the rear seat is now standard,in the process growing the boot from a substantial 540 litres to huge.VERDICTThe Audi is good on price and equipment, has a responsive engine and offers a decent interior; but it just doesn't do a good enough job of shielding its occupants from the outside world. It is in need of regeneration.Uncharacteristically, the BMW fails to involve the driver in the way good BMWs usually do. Better tyres may remedy that but there's not much you can do about the interior's limited storage and other foibles.The Lexus takes a leaf from traditional BMWs by looking after the driver more so than any other occupant. It's also a technological tour de force, albeit one whose merits are widely debated. However, if you spend your time commuting and don't have to carry many passengers or luggage, this is a really appealing saloon.But the Mercedes-Benz E350 stands clearly ahead of its three rivals here.It pays respect to its heritage, yet manages to improve its value for money and be as good to drive as any mainstream Benz. Fuel use was on the high side but there was much here to like and little else to loath.Benz hasn't always got its new products right during the past decade. But here is evidence that it is freeing its head of distractions. The result is there to be seen in the new E-Class, undoubtedly the best mid-sized luxury car in the world today.For more on these cars,go to drive.com.au/comparisonWHERE'S THE JAG?THERE'S a notable omission from our latest luxury car test.It was the winner of Drive's Best Luxury Car over $60,000 from our 2008 Car of the Year testing €” the Jaguar XF.Our COTY award specifically went to the diesel-powered version of the XF, which has since been updated as part of a model overhaul.While Jaguar could supply us with that new diesel or the new V8 for this test, it wouldn't have been an apples-with-apples match-up. Unfortunately, Jaguar was unable to source us a V6-powered XF €” arguably the least impressive of the Jaguar XF engines following the recent update €” which means it's missing from this test.Rest assured though, the XF will get a chance to fight against the latest luxury contenders in our 2009 COTY testing later on this year.BMW 530iHOW MUCH? Dealer quote $129,180 drive-awayENGINE 3.0-litre six-cylinderPOWER 200kW at 6650rpmTORQUE 315Nm at 2750rpmTRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic, RWDWEIGHT 1540kgFUEL USE 9.3L/100km (9.6L/100km on test)EMISSIONS 221g/km CO2 (228g/km on test)0-100km/h 6.6 secsSAFETY 4-star NCAP; front, front-side, rear-side, curtain airbags; ABS; stability controlLEXUS GS450hHOW MUCH? Dealer quote $143,243 drive-awayENGINE 3.5-litre V6, two electric motorsPOWER 254kW at 6400rpmTORQUE 368Nm at 4800rpmTRANSMISSION CVT, RWDWEIGHT 1885kgFUEL USE 7.9L/100km (9.9L/100km on test)EMISSIONS 188g/km CO2 (236g/km on test)0-100km/h 6.4 secs (unofficial estimate)SAFETY 5-star NCAP; front-side, rear-side, curtain, driver and front passenger knee airbags; anti-lock brakes; stability control; crash anticipationAUDI A6 3.0 TFSI QUATTROHOW MUCH? Dealer quote $123,706 drive-awayENGINE 3.0-litre supercharged V6POWER 213kW at 4850rpm-6800rpmTORQUE 420Nm at 2500rpm-4850rpmTRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic, AWDWEIGHT 1725kgFUEL USE 9.5L/100km (11.0L/100km on test)EMISSIONS 225g/km CO2 (262g/km on test)0-100km/h 5.9 secsSAFETY 5-star NCAP; front, front-side, rear-side, curtain airbags; ABS; stability controlMERCEDES-BENZ E350 AVANTGARDEHOW MUCH? Dealer quote $140,225 drive-awayENGINE 3.5-litre V6POWER 200kW at 6400rpmTORQUE 350Nm at 3000rpm-5100rpmTRANSMISSION 7-speed auto, RWDWEIGHT 1735kgFUEL USE 9.4L/100km (11.8L/100km on test)EMISSIONS 224g/km CO2 (281g/km on test)0-100km/h 6.8 secsSAFETY Not crash tested; front, front-side, rear-side, curtain and knee airbags; ABS; stability control
© 2009 The Age
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