Mercedes-Benz E 220 d: Launching Tomorrow

Come tomorrow, Mercedes-Benz will have a third member of the E-Class family. Prices for the E 220 d will be announced tomorrow, and we are expecting it to slot between the E 200 and the E 350 d. That means the 220 d is likely to sport a sticker price in the whereabouts of Rs 65 lakh. 

The big talking point here is the new 2.0-litre diesel engine. The four-cylinder engine develops 194PS of power and 400Nm of torque, which is on par with its other two-litre-engine'd rivals. That's also substantially lower than what the 3.0-litre V6 diesel makes (258PS/620Nm), but we're expecting power to be traded off for some efficiency. While we are talking about the diesel E-Class, take a look at our first drive impressions of the 350 d here. Transmission duties are handled by a 9-speed automatic gearbox that sends the power to the rear wheels.

Recommended read: Mercedes-Benz E-Class review

Just like its siblings, the E 220 d will be offered in the long-wheelbase avatar only. The LWB is longer by 186mm compared to the standard sedan, which means there's more space in the rear for the seth ji to relax. We're expecting the 220 d to borrow features from the E 200, which means it is likely to miss out on air suspension. That said, features such as reclining rear seats, ambient lighting, 12.3-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and the panoramic sunroof will be on offer. 

The E 220 d plugs in the Rs 15 lakh gulf between the entry level E 200 and the top-spec E 350 d. Rivals of the E include the BMW 5 Series (which is due for an update next month), the Audi A6 and the soon to be localised Volvo S90. 

We'll be driving the E 220 d soon; stay tuned to ZigWheels for an in-depth review.