Artist Performance at Mercedes E Class World Premiere - 2017 NCR TV HD

Prior to 1993, Mercedes-Benz offered the same category of car under a non-unified naming structure. The E initially stood for Einspritzmotor (German for fuel injection engine); a new feature in volume production vehicles at the time that the E-Class first appeared, with the E as a suffix to the engine nomenclature (e.g. 230 E) in the 1960s. It was not until the launch of the facelifted W124 in 1993 that the E was used as a prefix (i.e., E 220) and the model referred to officially as the E-Class (or E-Klasse). At this time all Mercedes cars used fuel injection and the company felt it was no longer necessary to add this as a distinguishing feature.
Historically, the E-Class Saloons and Estates is Mercedes-Benz' best-selling model with more than 13 million sold by 2015.[1] Though originally available as 4-door sedan and 5-door station wagon, the W212 series in 2009 debuted a 2-door coupé and 2-door convertible. Before that, the Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class' (1997-2009) design and styling was derived from the E-Class although technically it was based on the mechanical underpinnings of the smaller C-Class. Due to the E-Class's size and durability, it have filled many market segments, frequently serve as taxis in European and Asian countries, and special-purpose vehicles (e.g., police or ambulance modifications) from the factory.[2]
The W212 replaced the W211 in 2009 (as a 2010 model). Official photos of the W212 were leaked on the internet on 9 December 2008 ahead of its 2009 Geneva Motor Show unveiling.[3] Scans of a leaked brochure were posted onto the internet in January 2009, detailing the whole E-Class range including the new E 200 CGI and E 230 CGI with direct injected forced inducted engines.[4] New features included a blind spot monitor, Lane Keeping Assist, Pre-safe with Attention Assist and Night View Assist Plus. In the United States the E-Class was priced nearly US$4,600 less than the previous model.[5] The E-Class coupe is built in Bremen using the W204 C-class platform.[6] The W212 estate was also announced and available from November 2009.[7] The W212 cabriolet was announced 11 January 2010 at the North American International Auto Show for sale in March 2010 in Europe and in May 2010 in the United States.[8]
In 2013 (for the 2014 model year), the E-Class was comprehensively facelifted. The front fascia was heavily restyled, giving it a more aggressive look compared to the pre-facelift model. It incorporates a new, bigger, sharper front grille and a new, singular front lights (marking the end of Mercedes's dual headlamps use) with LED DRLs. An optional all-LED headlamps was also available. The front bumper was made more sharp, with bigger air intakes. In the rear, the car was also given a new, rear LED tail lights. The facelift was meant to make it more appealing to younger customers, who prefer its newer rivals (Audi A6 (4G) and BMW 5 Series) for their more modern looks.[9] Inside, the car's cabin has been minimally restyled with new A/C and a new, incorporated clock in the center console between the central air vents, like the CLS-Class (W218). Most of the engines remained unchanged from the previous model. The Coupé and Cabrio shared a more aggressive, swifter look than the sedan, with a more svelte front fascia and a sleeker bonnet. Although not an all-new model, majority of the auto world have stated that the updated design and several changes make the car more than a regular mid-cycle refresh.[10] On a family portrait of several generations of the E-Class side by side by Mercedes-Benz for the unveiling of the W213 E-Class, the W212 facelift was the only mid-cycle refresh featured in the image.[1