Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Hyderabad
Heavy fuel heavyweight
|
Incredibly built, brutally powerful and fantastically refined, the E 280 diesel is so good it can silence its own petrol brethren...
|
AUTOBAHN STORMTROOPER This diesel Merc is no slouch - give it the stick and the scenery between towns will pass by in an unexpected blur of movement
Car manufacturers need to take a lesson from Mercedes Benz on how to make an already good car better. Why, you ask. Because these guys have just replaced what was an already staggering performer, the E 270 CDI with what promises to take the definition of `staggering' to a whole new level - the E 280 CDI. And by the way, this replacement comes in around just two years since the last car was launched.
Still not convinced about how good the new E 280 is? All right, so here are some figures. How about a mountain-moving 46.5kgm of torque from a low 1400rpm? And this, translated to tarmac by no less than Merc's brilliant seven-speed, 7G-Tronic automatic gearbox. So nail the throttle to the high quality carpet, and 280 CDI stabs forward so strongly you'd be forgiven to think it's a single seat racer and not a 1.7-ton behemoth. The 100 kph figure comes up in 8.72 seconds, quicker than the 270 CDI and the petrol 280 as well. 150 kph is breached in 19 seconds, and compared to the petrol car; this diesel is a whole five seconds quicker to 190 kph. This motor is also the world's first-ever all-aluminium V6 diesel. Blown away yet?
The car however doesn't like to be hustled through corners; it prefers to be gently eased into them and has a slight hint of understeer as you approach its dynamic limits. The culprit for this un-sporty handling is probably the steering, which could have been more responsive. The car features ventilated discs all around, which provide excellent stopping power.
Step inside the cabin and you will be greeted by the usual Teutonic quality that a Merc in this class exemplifies. The car's interiors feature a solid build and oodles of class, with discreet lighting just about everywhere, illuminating just about everything. The seats are bolstered hard, but comfort, support and space are as good as they get for four passengers. The large transmission tunnel however, seriously compromises comfort for the middle passenger. The wood and leather are top class and you can take for granted goodies like automatic wipers, lights, et al, but strangely, you still only get semi-powered seats - there's no seat memory or, for that matter, Merc's electronic parking aid, the Parktronic system. For those who simply love to boast about their car's technology, there's a seven-speed automatic transmission, which is easily the highlight of the package. It is an in-house Mercedes-Benz development and improves acceleration and fuel economy, thanks to the use of seven transmission ratios. The overall spread between the lowest and the highest ratio is thereby increased, while at the same time, an optimal, close-ratio configuration is maintained. The electronic control unit, which triggers the gear changes, can thus select the correct ratio to maximise fuel economy and improve throttle response. The reduction in average engine speeds offers further benefits for fuel consumption and lower engine noise. The new seven-speed automatic transmission also features a torque converter lockup clutch, which creates a virtually rigid connection between the engine and the transmission shaft whenever conditions are appropriate, thus preventing power losses across the torque converter.
When you need quick overtaking power, the 7G-Tronic can skip gears, rather than changing down sequentially. This seven-speed gearbox that can be operated both in Comfort and Sport modes is an absolute joy. Its intelligence picks up your driving style and uncannily picks the right gear, whatever the pace. During spirited driving, the E 280's manual gear override, the Tiptronic system, also worked superbly. This is an effortless highway runner - 100 kph equates to an extremely lazy 1500 rpm on the tachometer.
Fuel efficiency is quite impressive, the seven gears helping optimize fuel efficiency. The 7.8kpl figure we got in city is considering the size of the motor and the weight of the car, an impressive figure. Highway figures are almost the same as the 270CDI at 11.1kpl.
In the overall analysis, the E280 is a product that has the ability to annihilate its competition including that which comes from its own petrol models. It might not be an all-out sporty handler like the BMW 5-series, but for the sheer length and breadth of its talents, yes, this is the best India-built diesel sedan that money can buy.
TECHNICAL DATA
MERC-BENZ E 280 CDI
How much?
Rs 43.7 lakh(ex-showroom, Mumbai)
How big?
Length: 4,818 mm
Width: 1,822 mm
Height: 1,420 mm
Wheelbase: 2,845 mm
Fuel tank capacity: 80 litres
Trunk volume: 540 litres
Engine
Layout: 2987cc, 6 cyl in vee, diesel
Max power: 198.5bhp at 4000 rpm
Max torque: 46.49kgm at 1400-2800 rpm
Performance
Top speed: 238 kph
0-100 kph: 8.72 seconds
Combined fuel efficiency: 9.47 kpl
Transmission
7-speed auto
Tyres
225/55 R16s
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Hyderabad
|
