Lane Tracking Setup on 2014 Mercedes-benz E350?
Car Review: 2014 Mercedes-Benz E350 Coupé
Luxury appointments and responsive engine make this German vehicle a worthy choice
In the world of automotive design, the coupe is regarded as both sexy and sporty. These two-door showpieces usually offer superior aerodynamics and a lot of curves, but they lose some practicality when it comes to carrying passengers.
On the plus side, however, coupes usually offer the driver and front passenger more room to stretch out in than a similar-sized sedan. This is because the doors have been extended to enable access to the rear seating area, and extra long seat rails have been fitted to move the front seats out of the way when loading passengers. The modern coupe is an excellent choice for empty nesters, as they offer optimal comfort for two, but can carry two more individuals in a pinch.
The 2014 Mercedes-Benz E350 Coupé is a great looking automobile, as it has a distinctive profile with plenty of curb appeal. The pillarless side window treatment and panoramic glass roof help give the passenger cabin an airy look and feel.
The car sits low and rides on lightweight 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in performance rubber, a combination that helps it track true and grip the road like a sports car. The standard AMG appearance package includes an aggressive front spoiler, side sills and a rear valance, all of which help set the E Coupé stand out from the crowd.
Advanced LED lighting units are used front and rear, illuminating the four corners in elongated housings that represent the latest trend in automotive styling.
The E350 features a well-sorted, high-compression, direct-injected 3.5-litre V6 engine mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission. This potent power plant incorporates a clever ECO Start/Stop function which will automatically switch the engine off when you come to a full stop, then seamlessly restart the car when the accelerator is depressed. Having this technology on board will help you save gas and reduce the car's emissions.
The V6 is rated at 302 horsepower and 273 lb.-ft. of torque, and power is delivered to all four wheels. Enthusiast drivers will appreciate that there is a rear bias to the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system to preserve the balanced feel one enjoys in a rear-wheel-drive automobile.
Acceleration is impressive as the engine has a rather wide torque band, so runs from zero to 100 km/h can be executed in a mere 5.5 seconds.
The E350 is equipped with steering-wheel mounted shift paddles as standard equipment. While not as quick as others on the market, they do come in handy when the driver is executing a pass or just having some fun, and their operation is very smooth and precise.
The car rides firmly but I still found it comfortable enough for longer commutes. Steering is communicative, as the steering is lightly assisted and speed dependent. The test car benefited from the Sport brake upgrade that comes as part of the optional AMG Sport Package, and these big, ventilated discs proved predictable and fade free during the course of testing.
Mercedes-Benz provides a very comfortable cockpit environment that has been carefully designed to place the controls and instrumentation in the optimal position for most drivers. This is one of the things that sets Mercedes-Benz apart from lesser brands, as this is one company that holds to the belief that the act of driving an automobile is meant to be a pleasant experience, not just a chore.
The ergonomic four-spoke steering wheel, also part of the AMG Sport Package, feels perfectly balanced in your hands as you utilize it to guide the car from apex to apex on your favourite back road, and it offers just enough electrical assistance when dealing with more mundane tasks such as parking. Of course it is equipped with secondary controls for many of the car's comfort and entertainment features, as well as Bluetooth and cruise control functions.
The front seats are a sport bucket design, and as such, provide exceptional bolstering and side support. I am a rather tall individual, but I found these highly adjustable seats comfortable enough for long rides.
The same cannot be said of those in the rear passenger compartment, as it was obvious that it was best reserved for small-scale adults and children. I managed to squeeze my large frame back there with relative ease as the front seats slide forward and leave a surprisingly wide access path for ingress and egress. Unfortunately, in order to have enough legroom for my six-foot two-inch self in the back seat, the driver's seat had to be set at its most forward position, which left very little operational room for a driver.
My test vehicle looked sharp with its classic combination of metallic silver paint and a black interior. The quality of the leather seating and dark ash and metallic trim is of a very high standard, as should be expected in a Mercedes-Benz product.
All the luxury equipment expected in a car of this class was present and accounted for on my test vehicle, but extras included an AMG Sport Package, which includes the Sport steering wheel, multicontour front seats, 18-inch AMG twin five-spoke wheels, and the upgraded Sport brake system.
The $3,700 Premium Package was also ticked off on the build sheet which equips the car with an automated parking system (Parktronic with Active Parking Assist), a 360-degree camera, media interface, rear window sunshade, Keyless-Go, and a premium Harmon/Kardon LOGIC 7 surround sound system.
The E350 Coupé would be an excellent vehicle for the image-conscious executive or urban professional looking to impress his or her friends and peers, but without breaking the bank. Superior German build quality, luxurious appointments, sultry curves and a dynamic driving experience combine to make the E350 Coupé worth a long, lustful look.
The Specs
Type of Vehicle All-wheel-drive, front-engine, mid-sized coupe
Engine 3.5-litre V6 engine
Power 302 hp @ 6,500 rpm; 273 lb.-ft. @ 3,500 rpm
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Brakes Front and rear disc with ABS
Tires P235/40R18 (front); P255/35R18 (rear)
Price: base/as tested $63,000 / $68,400
Destination charge N/A
Natural Resources Canada fuel economy L/100 km 10.5 city, 7.1 highway
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Lane Tracking Setup on 2014 Mercedes-benz E350?
Source: https://driving.ca/mercedes-benz/e-class/reviews/road-test/two-door-beauty-sure-to-impress