Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain Picture Gallery

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain was showcased at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. The fifth addition to the E-Class body style, after the saloon, estate, coupe, and convertible; the All-Terrain is a jacked-up version of the E-Class Estate with an intention of going where no E-Class has ever ventured before. The E-Class All-Terrain is expected to follow the new E-Class when it will be launched in India next year.  

The E-Class All-Terrain is the toughest looking E-Class you can imagine, with black body cladding slapped around the car, skid plates both at front and back, raised suspension set up and SUV-inspired grill and bumpers. The roof rails with 19-inch wheels and a sleek silhouette, gives the car, quite a striking appearance.

The E-Class All-Terrain is only available in a single E220d trim, so under the hood is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine which produces 191bhp of power and 400Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 9G-Tronic automatic transmission which provides an acceleration of 0-100kmph in 8seconds and a top speed of 231kmph.

The Estate is not all show and no go, since Mercedes-Benz has provided the All-Terrain with their permanent all-wheel-drive 4-Matic system used in the GLE SUV to give the car its off-road credentials. The height of the car is raised by almost 30mm compared to standard E-Class. So the All-Terrain could be a bit more ambitious where roads become scarce.

The 4MATIC system in the car is based on the electronic traction system in conjunction with 4ETS system. The 4ETS distributes the power between the front and rear axle in the ratio of 45:55. So if one or more wheels lose grip, 4ETS applies brakes on them and automatically diverts the drive power to the wheels with better traction.

The car is riding on the Air Body Control air suspension from Mercedes-Benz, which can raise the height by 20mm at speeds up to 35 kmph at a touch of a button. Drivers can choose from three ride-height levels ranging from 35mm – 156mm, depending upon the terrain, which can be selected manually with the level button on the centre console.

Mercedes-Benz has also provided the All-Terrain with five driving modes. Apart from three common modes, the All-Terrain mode provides the driver with information like steering angle, the vehicle level (position of the air suspension), the angle of slope and the angle of inclination, the accelerator/brake position and a compass.

The cabin remains true to the E-Class panache. It has the usual digital instrument cluster, centre placed infotainment screen, with COMMAND connectivity system, soft touch plastic, leather upholstery, and silver trim finishes with ambient lighting. The Burmester sound system with 13 speakers and a 9-channel amplifier is available as an option.

The E-Class All-Terrain has rivals in the form of Audi A6 Allroad and Volvo V40 Cross Country. The Indian debut of the car is likely but it will be a niche product from the German manufacturer in the Indian line-up. It will be imported as a CBU in India and would be priced at a premium over the standard E-Class.