Mercedes-Benz have begun producing their latest generation E-Class at their Sindelfingen plant, Daimler AG’s oldest established vehicle plant.
According to Mercedes-Benz board member Markus Schafer, the new E-Class is “the world’s most intelligent business saloon,” which should make for some very impressed customers once they start taking delivery of their cars.
Because of the E-Class’ rich tradition, Mercedes gathered examples of the nine predecessor model series at the finishing line in Sindelfingen. Site manager Michael Bauer said that the E-Class “stands for everything that makes our plant the competence center for upper range and luxury-class vehicles: tradition, innovation and the drive to set standards among the world’s best.”
With innovative technologies such as the Drive Pilot, Mercedes can indeed point the finger at BMW and Audi who have yet to introduce similar autonomous systems in their 5-Series and A6 models respectively. Other highlights of the new E-Class are the Pilot Distronic system, as well as the Steering Pilot – in fact, Mercedes says that the new E-Class can take into account surrounding vehicles and parallel structures and adjust accordingly at speeds of up to 130 km/h, even if the lines are unclear or non-existent, as they tend to be at road works sections.
Mercedes’ Sindelfingen plant currently employs a workforce of over 25,000 and produces the E-Class (Saloon and Estate), the CLS and the CLS Shooting Brake, the S-Class (Saloon, Coupe and Cabriolet), the Mercedes-Maybach and the Mercedes-AMG GT.