What's the news?
Mercedes has confirmed the new E-Class Estate will go on sale here in Ireland from November 14th - and the practical load-lugger will start from €55,700 ex works.
With 40:20:40 split rear seats, a 670- or 1,820-litre boot (depending on whether the back seats are folded up or down) and the ability to two up to 2,100kg, the E-Class Estate is a properly versatile machine. There's even the option to have a couple of small, rear-facing chairs in the boot for children.
Three trim grades will be offered, which are Avantgarde, Exclusive and AMG Line. The first and last of these are sportier specifications, so the three-pointed star badge on the nose is located in the grille, but for the Exclusive there's a traditional bonnet-mounted star.
Although estates don't sell well here, Mercedes Ireland is hopeful this is the car to tempt people out of SUVs and saloons. It will be offered purely with diesel engines at first, with the emphasis on the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder motor in the E 220 d. A more powerful 3.0-litre V6 can be found in the E 350 d, while there will soon be an E 350 e hybrid model and a performance Mercedes-AMG E 43 Estate.
Prices start at €55,700 for the E 220 d Avantgarde, rising to €58,085 for the Exclusive and €61,415 for the AMG Line.
The first two models are in Band A3 for tax (€190 per annum) while the AMG Line slips into Band A4 (€200). The E 350 d Estate costs at least €71,695 as an Avantgarde, with the Exclusive and AMG Line variants retailing at €75,225 and €78,310 respectively. All E 350 d models are in Band C for road tax (€390 per annum).
Finally, although there's no price confirmed as yet for the hybrid model, the E43 will be priced at €101,780 and commands €1,200 per annum in tax as it sits in Band F.
Anything else?
"Combining, as it does, legendary E-Class luxury, comfort and prestige with the versatile and practical features that estate car owners will recognise, we are confident the new E-Class Estate will appeal to many who may be considering estate car ownership for the first time," Ciaran Allen, Mercedes' sales manager in Ireland, said.
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