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<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>One of the cool things about writing about cars for a living is that you get to experience a lot of very different vehicles, often within a few days of each other.</p><p>This can be good. But it can also create some issues.</p><p>I recently drove a Jaguar F-Type R with all-wheel-drive and a BMW M235i, more or less back to back.</p><p>But I didn't drive the F-Type on the street. I drove it at the Monticello Motor Club in upstate New York, on a track, while wearing a helmet. I drove it very fast. And not particularly well, but still.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The BMW was driven mainly on the Saw Mill Parkway, north of New York City, and in suburban New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. No helmet, but I did break out the driving gloves.</span></p><p>This is by no means a fair way to compare the two cars. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jaguar-f-type-r-coupe-review-2014-10">Business Insider's Ben Zhang checked out the F-Type</a> (a slightly different version) last year and was blown away. We didn't name it our Car of the Year - <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chevrolet-corvette-stingray-business-insider-car-of-the-year-2014-12">that honor went to the Corvette Stingray</a> - but the voting was close. The Jag I drove had a supercharged, 550-horsepower engine. Sticker price: $104,000, which is actually a bargain for a car of such stupendous power and performance.</p><p>The BMW, meanwhile, had a 320-horsepower, turbo-charged inline 6-cylinder engine. And no AWD. It costs $43,000.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>About the only thing these two cars have in common is that they both have two doors. </p><p>They certainly don't have in common my love or affection. I was grateful that Jaguar allowed us to enjoy some track time with what is, in many respects, a road-going race car. But as stunning as the F-Type R is when you let it run free, the car left me with nagging impression that I just didn't like it all that much. </p><p>It took about two days of thinking about this to figure out what was bugging me.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>It's that the car is pretentious. The car the F-Type is supposed to evoke is the legendary Jaguar E-Type, regarded by many as the most beautiful car of all time. The E-Type is special: the car is all sleek curves, and not one of them is out of place. It looks like it was drawn up by the Almighty and carved by Da Vinci. For my money, it's the only car ever built that deserves to be called a work of art. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>F comes after E, so the F-Type was conceived to be a modern-day version of the E-Type. It certainly has presence. But that presence is loud. The E-Type whispered. The F-Type roars. </p><p>Not that the Jag can be entirely blamed for being pretentious. There's an arms race afoot in the luxury sports-car market to present oodles of power and potency in a strutting, self-confident package. Jag needs to keep up and would clearly fret if it couldn't.</p><p>For what it's worth, the M235i is also a product of history - specifically, the smaller BMWs of the early 1980s through the early 1990s. These were versatile, relatively luxurious sport coupes that were (and still are) flat-out a blast to drive, particularly the high-performance M3. The M235i isn't actually an "M" version of the current 2 Series (M is BMW's performance division). So although it <em>isn't</em> an M2, it is a much snazzier version of the base 2 Series coupe. (Also, BMW hasn't held back on the M badging, so confusion is understandable.)</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>This is not a pretentious car. But it is the best way in the world to turn a half a tank of gas into acceleration and handling over the course of a few hours. It weighs in at 3,400 lbs. - only about 200 less than the Jag. So while the F-Type is objectively much faster - 0-60 mph in 3.8 second versus the Bimmer's 4.4 - the BMW <em>feels </em>quicker. </p><p>Mind you, the BMW isn't burdened with the same aesthetic legacy as the F-Type. It looks sharp, but adding a few angles, swoops, and a pair of raptor-like headlights is enough to greatly amplify the utilitarian impression made by the M235i's '80s ancestors.</p><p>This is all a deeply subjective assessment. Some of it can be blamed on the Jag's personality, which is literally full of sound and fury. The exhaust bellows like a beautifully dressed, overmuscled Englishman who just took a few grand off the house at a craps table in Vegas.</p><p>The M235i exudes synthesized motor sounds that are a cheerful tenor to the Jag's boastful baritone (the engine and exhaust noises, due to technology not as lively on its own as BMW's engineers would like, are sonically augmented and piped through the car's stereo speakers).</p><p>Driving this dashing little thing isn't exactly the most viscerally satisfying experience I've ever had behind the wheel - that honor would go to my 1997 Mazda Miata, in particular in November 2005 when I had to get my laboring wife to the hospital, a run from Pasadena to Los Angeles as the sun was setting so we could ultimately welcome our now car-crazy son, James, into the world - but the experience was still <em>quite visceral. </em></p><p>I opened the sunroof and rolled the windows down and put it in Sport+ mode and worked the paddle shifters in automanual mode to have loads of fun with 3rd, 4th, and 5th gears. For the record, this is what it feels like to drive a Sidewinder missile. And also for the record, BMW has done such a fine job with the transmission that you can use the paddles or go semi-old-school with the shifter and experience a passable imitation of handling a stick.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>The car isn't without a few drawbacks, starting with the need to commit to a modest passenger load. It's a 2+2 - two seats in the front, two in the rear. I could smash my family of five into my old Saab 900S. No dice with the BMW. I'm also still not much of a fan of BMW's iDrive system, and for the most part, the infotainment setup in the M235i compares unfavorably with what you can get in a Chevy Trax.</p><p>On the plus side, the age-old BMW problem, that the "ultimate driving machine" is built around the driver, with everyone else in the relegated to afterthought status, has been solved, somewhat. My wife has ridden shotgun in countless cars at this point and she now holds the 235i in high esteem.</p><p>And for the driver, the "cockpit" nature of his side of the car is as dandy as ever. The moderately bolstered, highly adjustable seat, the wonderful feel of both the steering wheel and the steering itself, the clean analog instruments complemented by various low-key digital screens - this is a comfortable car to drive fast or slow, to both cruise in and corner hard with confidence.</p><p>You can effectively switch your passion for driving on and off with the M235i. When you find yourself on the right road at the right time, it's ready to go. </p><p>Now back to the F-Type. This is the kind of car that incessantly reminds you that its large and in charge. It wears absolutely nothing lightly. For many, this would be a welcome burden: Look at me! Look me! Hear me! Hear me! </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>I don't begrudge anyone that, but for me, it replaces the basic joy of driving with something else. You are, to a degree, a celebrity in an F-Type - moreso in the F-Type R. In the the M235i, you are just someone with a great car that can do cool things. The smiles will come unexpectedly - you'll catch yourself in a grin. With the Jag, you'll demand it.</p><p>As I already said, not a fair comparison. Subjective as hell.<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> But when you drive a lot of cars, you need to figure out what you <em>genuinely</em> like. There is that which impresses. And there is that which makes a connection. </span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">In the M235i, you merge with the machine. With the Jaguar F-Type R, you don't.</span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bethenny-frankel-huge-business-mistake-lost-millions-real-housewives-2015-5">How one simple mistake cost 'Real Housewives' superstar Bethenny Frankel millions</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="treGpzdDrlNasuxsLTPw1AeeqbEP3zlz" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Why I loved driving a $43,000 BMW more than a $104,000 Jaguar

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Linda Zhang led the team that made Ford's first electric truck.</li><li>The F-150 Lightning has had 200,000 orders and helped create a new generation of truckers.</li></ul><p>Ford's F-150 has been the <a href="https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2021/12/02/ford-november-sales.html#:~:text=Orders%20Hit%2074%2C000-,Ford%20F%2DSeries%20Best%2DSelling%20Truck%20for%2045th%20Year%20in,%2C%202021%20%7C%20DEARBORN%2C%20Mich.">best-selling truck in the US for 45 consecutive years</a>, and the most popular vehicle overall for no less than four decades. </p><p>While getting drivers of passenger cars to go electric has been reasonably simple, convincing buyers that an electric truck can match their gas-powered equivalents in range, payload, towing capacity, durability, and reliability is much more of a challenge, the AAA's Greg Brannon told Insider.</p><p>The woman rising to that challenge for Ford is Linda Zhang, the chief engineer of Ford's electric version of the F-150 called the Lightning.</p><p>There have been 200,000 orders for the truck, and the level of interest prompted Ford to almost double production to 150,000 a year, but buyers still face a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-f150-lightning-electric-truck-reservations-closed-production-release-date-2021-12?r=US&amp;IR=T">three-year wait to get behind the wheel</a>. It's also <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/ford/f-150">been a hit with critics</a>.</p><h2>Hearts and minds</h2><p>So how have Zhang and her team been able to convince truck-loving Americans to go electric?</p><p>With a background in engineering, finance, manufacturing, and strategy at Ford, Zhang worked on the Ford Explorer and Escape SUVs before getting the call that Ford wanted her to push forward with an electric version of the hugely popular F-150.   </p><p>But Zhang, who joined Ford 26 years ago on the company's graduate program, told Insider simply replacing the gas-powered model with an electric version wouldn't work.</p><p>"You have to change hearts and minds. Minds are something you can do with dollars - EVs are cheaper to operate. But what do we do with a vehicle to change hearts?"</p><p>Before getting to that point, Zhang first had to persuade Ford employees, many of whom she said were skeptical about the very idea of a plug-in F-150.</p><p>"We had several people on the team that would say "I'll work on this project but I'm never going to be one of your customers'," she said.</p><div type="image" title="Electric F-150 Lightning powers a worksite" height="3712" width="4950" msid="95188008" hostid="261" sizebytes="900764"></div><p>The first obstacle was overcoming the biggest barrier to EV adoption: range anxiety.</p><p>In focus groups, Zhang said most customers realised they typically needed less than 200 miles for one trip. The cheapest version of the Lightning model, the Pro SR, has a <a href="https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2022/03/21/ford-f-150-lightning-epa-estimated-range.html">range of 230 miles</a>, rising to 320 miles for more expensive versions.</p><p>Zhang, who owns a Lightning, recalled how she was able to drive her 18-year-old daughter on a 300-mile trip to her first semester of college with a brief stop to recharge on the way.</p><p>Towing was the other major barrier, as many potential customers feared the electric version would not have the same power as the petrol-fueled equivalent. <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/589421/ford-f150-lightning-towing-range-reduction/">Early customer reviews though, appear to have dismissed those concerns</a>.</p><p>Its dual use as a back-up generator was a further bonus for buyers, Zhang said.</p><p>Those sceptical Ford employees were soon adding their names to waiting lists, including an engineer she said saved a wedding after a power outage by plugging in a Lightning. </p><h2><strong>New generation of eco-truckers</strong></h2><p>Ford has beaten competitors like Tesla's Cybertruck to market, and with a starting price of $39,000 the Lightning is the cheapest electric truck available in the US – nearly half the price of the Rivian R1T. </p><div type="image" title="Tesla CEO Elon Musk stands in front of the company's Cybertruck." height="1764" width="2352" msid="95188009" hostid="261" sizebytes="159790"></div><p>As well as slowly convincing drivers to go electric, Zhang said the plug-in F-150 is winning over a new generation of more environmentally conscious, and diverse, drivers. </p><p>"I would say at this point the customer profile is dramatically younger. It's in states like California and New York that we normally don't sell full-size trucks," Ford CEO James Farley <a href="https://shareholder.ford.com/investors/events-and-presentations/default.aspx">said on an earnings call in April</a>.</p><p>Its popularity will come as a relief to <a href="https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2022/04/26/production-begins-f-150-lightning.html">Ford following its $1 billion investment in the truck and hiring thousands of employees to get the vehicle into production</a>.</p><p>"The significance of the F-150 Lightning in modern automotive manufacturing cannot be overstated," said the AAA's Brannon.</p><p>"The F-150 has consistently been one of the most popular vehicles in the U.S for many years – the electrification of this model represents a major step in the mass production and adoption of electric vehicles." </p><p>He added: "These buyers will vocalize their experiences whether they are positive or negative, which will have a significant impact on convincing others whether or not to consider an electric vehicle for their next vehicle purchase."</p>

Doubters swore they'd never give up their F-150 to go electric - but she changed their minds. Here's how

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Linda Zhang led the team that made <keyword id="6355174" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ford" source="Orion">Ford</keyword>'s first electric truck.</li><li>The <keyword id="12025774" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="f-150-lightning" source="Orion">F-150 Lightning</keyword> has had 200,000 orders and helped create a new generation of truckers.</li></ul><p>Ford's <keyword id="14293549" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="f-150" source="Orion">F-150</keyword> has been the <a href="https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2021/12/02/ford-november-sales.html#:~:text=Orders%20Hit%2074%2C000-,Ford%20F%2DSeries%20Best%2DSelling%20Truck%20for%2045th%20Year%20in,%2C%202021%20%7C%20DEARBORN%2C%20Mich.">best-selling truck in the US for 45 consecutive years</a>, and the most popular vehicle overall for no less than four decades. </p><p>While getting drivers of passenger cars to go electric has been reasonably simple, convincing buyers that an electric truck can match their gas-powered equivalents in range, payload, towing capacity, durability, and reliability is much more of a challenge, the AAA's Greg Brannon told Insider.</p><p>The woman rising to that challenge for Ford is Linda Zhang, the chief engineer of Ford's electric version of the F-150 called the Lightning.</p><p>There have been 200,000 orders for the truck, and the level of interest prompted Ford to almost double production to 150,000 a year, but buyers still face a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-f150-lightning-electric-truck-reservations-closed-production-release-date-2021-12?r=US&amp;IR=T">three-year wait to get behind the wheel</a>. It's also <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/ford/f-150">been a hit with critics</a>.</p><h2>Hearts and minds</h2><p>So how have Zhang and her team been able to convince truck-loving Americans to go electric?</p><p>With a background in engineering, finance, manufacturing, and strategy at Ford, Zhang worked on the Ford Explorer and Escape SUVs before getting the call that Ford wanted her to push forward with an electric version of the hugely popular F-150.   </p><p>But Zhang, who joined Ford 26 years ago on the company's graduate program, told Insider simply replacing the gas-powered model with an electric version wouldn't work.</p><p>"You have to change hearts and minds. Minds are something you can do with dollars - EVs are cheaper to operate. But what do we do with a vehicle to change hearts?"</p><p>Before getting to that point, Zhang first had to persuade Ford employees, many of whom she said were skeptical about the very idea of a plug-in F-150.</p><p>"We had several people on the team that would say "I'll work on this project but I'm never going to be one of your customers'," she said.</p><div type="image" title="Electric F-150 Lightning powers a worksite" height="3712" width="4950" msid="92471879" hostid="261" sizebytes="900764"></div><p>The first obstacle was overcoming the biggest barrier to EV adoption: range anxiety.</p><p>In focus groups, Zhang said most customers realised they typically needed less than 200 miles for one trip. The cheapest version of the Lightning model, the Pro SR, has a <a href="https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2022/03/21/ford-f-150-lightning-epa-estimated-range.html">range of 230 miles</a>, rising to 320 miles for more expensive versions.</p><p>Zhang, who owns a Lightning, recalled how she was able to drive her 18-year-old daughter on a 300-mile trip to her first semester of college with a brief stop to recharge on the way.</p><p>Towing was the other major barrier, as many potential customers feared the electric version would not have the same power as the petrol-fueled equivalent. <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/589421/ford-f150-lightning-towing-range-reduction/">Early customer reviews though, appear to have dismissed those concerns</a>.</p><p>Its dual use as a back-up generator was a further bonus for buyers, Zhang said.</p><p>Those sceptical Ford employees were soon adding their names to waiting lists, including an engineer she said saved a wedding after a power outage by plugging in a Lightning. </p><h2><strong>New generation of eco-truckers</strong></h2><p>Ford has beaten competitors like Tesla's Cybertruck to market, and with a starting price of $39,000 the Lightning is the cheapest electric truck available in the US – nearly half the price of the Rivian R1T. </p><div type="image" title="Tesla CEO Elon Musk stands in front of the company's Cybertruck." height="1764" width="2352" msid="92471881" hostid="261" sizebytes="159790"></div><p>As well as slowly convincing drivers to go electric, Zhang said the plug-in F-150 is winning over a new generation of more environmentally conscious, and diverse, drivers. </p><p>"I would say at this point the customer profile is dramatically younger. It's in states like California and New York that we normally don't sell full-size trucks," Ford CEO James Farley <a href="https://shareholder.ford.com/investors/events-and-presentations/default.aspx">said on an earnings call in April</a>.</p><p>Its popularity will come as a relief to <a href="https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2022/04/26/production-begins-f-150-lightning.html">Ford following its $1 billion investment in the truck and hiring thousands of employees to get the vehicle into production</a>.</p><p>"The significance of the F-150 Lightning in modern automotive manufacturing cannot be overstated," said the AAA's Brannon.</p><p>"The F-150 has consistently been one of the most popular vehicles in the U.S for many years – the electrification of this model represents a major step in the mass production and adoption of electric vehicles." </p><p>He added: "These buyers will vocalize their experiences whether they are positive or negative, which will have a significant impact on convincing others whether or not to consider an <keyword id="11938291" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="electric-vehicle" source="Orion">electric vehicle</keyword> for their next vehicle purchase."</p>

Meet the woman who helped Ford beat range anxiety and get the electric F-150 Lightning truck on the road

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="50939" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="E-class">E-Class</keyword> is <keyword id="25952" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mercedes-Benz">Mercedes-Benz</keyword>'s most popular model ever.</li><li>The current, 10th-generation E-Class recently underwent a comprehensive refresh.</li><li>Prices for the E-Class start at $54,250. After options, my loaner came to $81,950 MSRP.</li></ul><p>The big, brash <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/g-wagen-bulletproof-armored-stretched-limo-million-inkas-g63-amg-2020-8">Mercedes-Benz G-Wagens</a> and the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2021-mercedes-benz-s-class-sedan-debut-specs-horsepower-dealerships-2020-9">tech-laden flagship S-Class sedans</a> might grab all the attention and headlines, but at its core, <keyword id="6357420" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="mercedes">Mercedes</keyword> has always been about the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mercedes-e-class-2017-features-2016-6">E-Class</a>.  </p><p>Since 1946, Mercedes has sold more than 14 million E-Class sedans and wagons worldwide, according to <a href="https://media.mbusa.com/releases/the-new-e-class-intelligence-that-excites?firstResultIndex=0&amp;sortOrder=PublishedDescendingding">the automaker's own figures</a>. In all of Mercedes' history, the E-Class has remained the best-selling model series, though SUVs <a href="https://media.mbusa.com/releases/mercedes-benz-usa-sales-q4-2020">have sold better in recent years</a>.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_33" height="3750" width="2500" msid="81433076" hostid="261"></div>The current E-Class just went through what the automaker calls a "refresh," though the updates and additions were far more numerous than a typical mid-cycle refresh. Changes include a major styling revamp and engines with improved efficiency.<p>I spent 10 days and put about 800 miles on a <keyword id="10904592" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="2021-mercedes-benz-e450-4matic-sedan">2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 4Matic sedan</keyword>. It was a delightful thing to drive, though sometimes a frustrating one to use.</p><h2><strong>The 2021 E450 4Matic sedan: Goldilocks approved </strong></h2><p>Mercedes launched the 10th generation of its mid-range E-Class <a href="https://media.mbusa.com/releases/the-new-e-class-intelligence-that-excites?firstResultIndex=0&amp;sortOrder=PublishedDescendingding">in 2016</a> and refreshed it four years later in 2020. That refresh saw: redesigned headlights, tail lights, and front fascia; the addition of more advanced driver assistance systems; electrified engines for the E450 models; and dual, 12.3-inch widescreen interior displays as standard.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_11" height="3750" width="2500" msid="81433081" hostid="261"></div>The E-Class is Mercedes' most versatile model series. As of this writing, you can get an E-Class as a sedan, wagon, coupe, or cabriolet. Within those body styles are different engines and trim options, including several AMG variants. In total, that makes 13 available E-Class models with <a href="https://media.mbusa.com/releases/e-class-family-redesigned-with-new-technology-more-efficient-engines-and-added-luxury?firstResultIndex=0&amp;sortOrder=PublishedDescendingding">pre-option prices ranging</a> from $54,250 all the way to $112,450. <p>I know. It's a whole spectrum of cars. Mercedes offers more versions of the E-Class than Rolls-Royce has models.</p><div type="image" title="E Class Family (6)" height="1334" width="1779" msid="81433084" hostid="261"></div>But because it's used as everything from humble taxis in Europe to luxury superwagons, E-Class designers have a lot of incentive to get it right. It can't stray too far from appealing to the most amount of buyers lest it alienate anyone.<p>Much like how the E-Class folds neatly into the middle of Mercedes' greater lineup, the E450 sedan I had is your staunchly middle-of-the-road E-Class, sandwiched by the $54,250 E350 on one side and the $73,900 Mercedes-AMG E53 on the other. My loaner started at $62,000 and had nearly $20,000 in upgrades, making the final MSRP $81,950.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_2" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433087" hostid="261"></div>It also came in a shimmery coat of silver paint and was about as unassuming a spec of luxury car that you could possibly get. That's what made it great.<h2><strong>Details and safety ratings: an electrified boost</strong></h2><p>As mentioned above, the E450 now gets the new M256 engine: a 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline-six unit. That engine also has a 48-volt onboard electrical system that provides EQ Boost via an integrated electric motor - a feature that supplies the gas-powered engine with temporary bursts of power and gives the car the ability to "glide" <a href="https://media.mbusa.com/releases/the-new-e-class-intelligence-that-excites?firstResultIndex=0&amp;sortOrder=PublishedDescendingding">without the engine running</a>.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_48" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433090" hostid="261"></div>All told, the E450 <a href="https://media.mbusa.com/releases/2021-mercedes-benz-e-450-4matic-sedan?firstResultIndex=0&amp;sortOrder=PublishedDescendingding">produces a claimed</a> 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. There's also the 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, hence the 4Matic badging on the trunk. <p>Weighing in at 4,222 pounds, the E450 4Matic sedan returns an EPA-estimated 23 mpg in the city, 30 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined. It also has a fuel tank capacity of 21.1 gallons, making its estimated range about 550 miles between fill ups. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_18" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433093" hostid="261"></div>In terms of crash safety, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the 2021 E-Class five-star ratings all around. The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety has yet to rate the 2021 E-Class on crashworthiness, but the 2020 model <a href="https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/mercedes-benz/e-class-4-door-sedan/2020">earned the agency's Top Safety Pick Plus award in 2019</a>. <h2><strong>What stands out: long-distance runner</strong></h2><p>Mercedes fitted my loaner with the optional air suspension and Acoustic Comfort Package - extra insulation on the windows and windshield and with additional acoustic- and heat-absorbing materials - which meant that the car rode like a dream with the silence of an old library. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_34" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433098" hostid="261"></div>Paired with Mercedes's (mostly) excellent adaptive cruise control, the long highway miles fell away effortlessly. This E450 was a long-distance runner, that much couldn't be clearer. <p>With the aid of its massive fuel tank, I didn't need to stop and refuel the car as frequently as I've needed with other loaners. When I finally did and then performed some quick math, I found that the E450 returned an impressive real-world consumption of 26.3 mpg combined - bang on with the EPA's estimates.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E 450 4MATIC Sedan (34)" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433101" hostid="261"></div>The leather and piano-black dashboard pinstriping were both pleasant to the touch and eye, but I particularly enjoyed the dual interior displays. Too often, I find that car screens get washed out from the glare of a sunny day. That wasn't the case with these high-contrast screens. Integrated nicely in the dashboard, the long, flat layout means your front passenger is privy to the driver information gauge cluster as well. <p>The E450 has healthy low-end power thanks to the EQ Boost. Typical commuter stuff - like merging and passing - were performed with alacrity, yet the engine volume never raised to above a polite purr in the heavily insulated cabin. Even the transmission shifts were fluid and barely noticeable. </p><h2><strong>What falls short: Just give me a scroll wheel</strong></h2><p>Driving the E450 was one thing. Using its infotainment system was another beast altogether.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E 450 4MATIC Sedan (29)" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433103" hostid="261"></div>Part of the E-Class' extensive updates included a steering wheel with touch-control buttons and a touchpad center console. I found both to be frustrating to use. They produced undependable results and were an overall distraction from the road. <p>I drew particular ire from the steering wheel, which included far too many buttons controlling far too many menus in the driver information cluster. You could adjust the volume and cruise control speed by swiping along the touchpad on the wheel, but more often than not, the system either did not register the movement or changed the inputs by undesirable increments. This is where a simple scroll wheel - like what you'd find on your computer mouse - would have succeeded.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E 450 4MATIC Sedan (32)" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433108" hostid="261"></div>I also suffered some baffling issues with the cruise control. While traveling at speed in a 65-mph zone, the car inexplicably made the executive decision to slow down to 52 mph before I manually disengaged the system. This happened a couple of times on different stretches of road. <p>The best explanation I could come up with was that the E450's Active Speed Limit Assist with Traffic Sign Assist - a system that uses the car's camera and GPS navigation data to determine an appropriate speed - was influencing my cruise control speed. But that still didn't explain why the car slowed down past 55 mph, which is the lowest speed found on that part of the New York State Thruway. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_41" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433114" hostid="261"></div>"The system is able to read most speed limit signs and then compares that information to data from the navigation system," a Mercedes spokesperson explained. "It may inadvertently detect a highway exit ramp speed limit sign, or the speed limit sign on a road parallel or close enough to the highway, and interpret it to be the highway speed and intervene." <p>This didn't bode as a particularly helpful feature to me, but the spokesperson pointed out that you can disengage the speed limit function with instructions from the owner's manual. </p><h2><strong>Against competitors: a prize engine</strong></h2><p>The 2021 E450 4Matic sedan starts at $62,000, not including the $1,050 destination and delivery fee.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_25" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433116" hostid="261"></div>My loaner's nearly $20,000 in options included: Cirrus Silver metallic paint ($720), a black leather interior ($1,650), piano black lacquer flowing lines ($1,300), 19-inch AMG five-spoke wheels with black accents ($1,000), ventilated front seats ($450), a panorama roof ($1,000), multi-contour front seats with massage feature ($1,320), a head-up display ($1,100), air suspension ($1,900), the Driver Assistance Package ($1,950), and the Acoustic Comfort Package ($1,100).<p>All told, the MSRP of my loaner came to $81,950. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E 450 4MATIC Sedan (31)" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433117" hostid="261"></div>Among comparable BMWs, Porsches, Audis, and Genesis models I've driven, I've always thought that Mercedes has leaned more in the direction of opulence - especially in non-AMG guise. The interior designs have always seemed richer and more embracing than Audi and Porsche's futuristic but cold minimalism. <p>I particularly loved the EQ Boost of the inline-six. The package as a whole put down power silkily with barely a ruffle of a feather, especially with the air suspension and noise-canceling package. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_21" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433119" hostid="261"></div>And if you don't want a sedan, the E-Class comes in three other body styles for you to choose from. No other luxury brand can boast this.<h2><strong>Our impressions: It's an institution</strong></h2><p>My overwhelming impression walking away from the E450 was how much Mercedes set out to liken it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRE22a4vjmo">the perfect hotel concierge</a>: a car with total anticipation of your needs and behind-the-scenes, invisible support. Things that just <em>work</em> without you being conscious of the fact that they are.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_20" height="3750" width="2500" msid="81433120" hostid="261"></div>Brakes that don't grab too rudely. A transmission that shifts like butter. Smooth and linear power delivery. A sound-deadened interior that tamps out the worst of rude traffic noises. Comfortable, billion-way adjustable seats.<p>The inside even sort of smelled like a nice hotel lobby because of the in-cabin fragrance system (yours for $350). </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_44" height="3750" width="2500" msid="81433123" hostid="261"></div>Luxury cars will be eternally chased with questions like "Why?" and "What's the point?" And for some so-called luxury offerings, those inquiries are justified. <p>But not for the E-Class. Mercedes can wax poetic as often as it wants about the E-Class, but the car's empirical popularity is evidenced by how many the automaker has managed to sell over the decades. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_17" height="3750" width="2500" msid="81433125" hostid="261"></div>Save for its annoying interior gimmicks, the 2021 E450 is the real deal, built from the ground up to deliver a quality ride by the people who've learned to perfect it. <p style="text-align: center;">♦♦♦</p><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E 450 4MATIC Sedan (26)" height="1666" width="2500" msid="81433127" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E 450 4MATIC Sedan (35)" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433130" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E 450 4MATIC Sedan (30)" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433134" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_46" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433136" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_43" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433137" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_29" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433140" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_7" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433142" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_10" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433143" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_47" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433144" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_35" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433146" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_6" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433147" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_8" height="3750" width="2500" msid="81433150" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_45" height="1667" width="2500" msid="81433152" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Mercedes Benz E450 4Matic sedan._KL_28" height="3750" width="2500" msid="81433255" hostid="261"></div>

Review: The $82,000 Mercedes E450 sedan is a master class in luxury, even if it's not the most user-friendly

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Youtube/Volvo Cars" title_caption="A Volvo S60 with an Drive E motor." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54345a91eab8ea3b59c261c3-960/screen shot 2014-10-07 at 5.25.51 pm.png"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlkqnVoQxqY#t=62">Youtube/Volvo Cars</a></span></p><p class="caption">A Volvo S60 with an Drive E motor.</p></div><p></p></div></div>A high-performance, 2-liter, triple-turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with no less than 450 hp was unleashed upon the motoring world this week and believe it or not - it's a VOLVO! </p>
<p>The engine, known as the High Performance Drive E Powertrain Concept, features not one, not two, but <em>three</em> turbos to provide fuel-efficient horsepower. The company's newfound devotion to the four cylinder engine is set to permeate its complete lineup of cars. <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">In fact, starting with this current generation of vehicles, all of the company's venerable 5-, 6-, and 8- cylinder engines will be phased out and replaced with various iterations of the Drive E powerplant. </span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">This latest development comes on the back of existing - and kind of bonkers - Drive E engines setups like the supercharged <em>and</em> turbocharged version already in production.</span></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>The triple-turbo system's goal is to provide V6 or V8 power and performance with a lightweight and more fuel-efficient powerplant. To get the responsiveness and torque-y characteristics of a big motor, Volvo is employing exhaust-powered turbochargers to force-feed additional oxygen into the engine. However, the Achilles of any high-pressure turbo is the lag time between when you step on the gas and when turbos spool up to provide power. </p>
<p>To combat this problem in the triple-turbo engine, Volvo's engineers have installed a third, electrically powered turbocharger whose job is to maintain a constant stream pressurized air to the two other turbos. With two turbos constantly at what's referred to as "boost," the Drive E engine can provide gobs of horsepower at a moment's notice.</p>
<p>The dreaded "turbo lag" isn't an issue.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Youtube/Volvo Cars" title_caption="A Volvo S60 during engine testing." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54346757ecad040f61f25ba5-960/volvo-s60-drive-e-performance.png"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlkqnVoQxqY#t=62">Youtube/Volvo Cars</a></span></p><p class="caption">A Volvo S60 during engine testing.</p></div><p></p></div></div><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">"When we launched the Drive-E powertrain family, our aim was to deliver the most advanced 4-cylinder engines in the industry based on emissions and fuel consumption relative to performance and drivability," said Volvo's head of research and development Dr. Peter Mertens in a statement. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">"We knew that 320 hp in our petrol configuration was just a starting point. The 450 hp High Performance Drive-E Powertrain Concept demonstrates this ambition and the versatility of the Drive-E Powertrains."</span></p>
<p><span>Business Insider had the opportunity to drive an S60 T6 with the 306 horsepower supercharged and turbocharged version of the Drive E engine and it was amazing. The engine provides a broad and easily accessible torque band with no hint whatsoever of turbo lag. </span></p>
<p><span>I</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">n fact, had I not known the specification of the car, I would have guessed it was a 6 or even a small 8-cylinder unit.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Volvo is determined to move past its pleasantly understated yet unfortunately underpowered past. The triple-turbo is a clear step in that direction.</span></p>

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