Mercedes-Benz E-Class interior revealed

Mercedes-Benz has revealed the distinctive interior and contemporary appointments of its new E-Class in a series of official photographs prior to a planned public debut for the fifth-generation luxury sedan at the Detroit motor show in early January.

Set to head into Australian showrooms next year, the new E-Class has been thoroughly redesigned for 2016 in a bid to see it provide stiffer competition to a raft of  traditional rivals, including the Audi A6, BMW 5-Series and Jaguar XF.

Together with a new mechanical package that includes a platform structure that is said to provide weight savings of up to 100kg over today's fourth-generation E-Class and newly developed four-cylinder diesel engines offering added economy, the new car also receives a thorough restyle with the aim of attracting younger customers.   

But while Mercedes-Benz is waiting until the Detroit motor show to officially reveal the exterior of its new mid-range model, the head of exterior design at the German car maker, Hartmut Sinkwitz, has lifted the veil of secrecy on the interior of the latest E-Class, which he describes as a "new standard in the business class".

Both roomier and reflecting a higher quality than that of the current fourth-generation E-class, the new interior combines design cues from both the smaller C-Class and larger S-Class. The highlight is a wide glass faced digital panel consisting of two 31.2cm digital monitors. Depending on the specification they vary in resolution from 960 x 540 to 1920 x 720 pixels.

In a first for the E-class, the display of primary instrument monitor behind the steering wheel can be altered in style, with the driver offered the choice between three different options: classic, sport and progressive. The secondary infotainment display positioned in the centre of the dashboard can also be tailored for personal preferences.   

A further innovation is the adoption of laser guided touch pads on each of the horizontal spokes of the steering wheel. In combination with a touch pad located between the front seats as well as a rotary dial and speech recognition system, they allow the driver to control the new E-Class's Command infotainment system via the simple swipe of your thumb.

More conventional buttons on the steering are also used to control functions such as the volume control and telephone.   

Taking a lead from the S-Class, the new E-Class comes with optional LED ambient lighting for the infotainment screen surround, various recesses within the dashboard, door pockets, foot wells, overhead console and sound system tweeters. Going one better than its larger sibling, it offers the choice of 64 different colours, which are accessible through a display on the centre display.

In a bid to improve comfort, Mercedes-Benz has also developed a new range of seats for the E-Class. The shapely new seats vary in look depending on the equipment line chosen, providing both greater support and a wider range of cushioning than those used today.  

Buyers of the new E-Class will be able to specify it with new trim options and colour combinations. Music fans are catered for with a Burmester 3D Surround Sound audio system boasting no less than 23 speakers and 1450 Watts of power.