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I agree I think the E is more stylish and has more attractive details. However, because of the shortened length of the C, it looks truncated. I think that design would look very good in something like the size of a E. The E is really toned down but still attractive in an understated kind of way. However, the plastic flares in the front bumper intake is ugly, just like the new GLC (same designer)
I too believe that the E-Class is more stylish. It has an upper bodyside crease that runs straight through both the front and rear door handles into the rear taillights, rather than dropping below the rear door handle. That character line and the higher, straighter trunk lid gives it a more elegant, less truncated look.
The C-Class has a style that looks like someone shrunk a larger car too much in length but not enough in height.
Originally Posted by peteharvey
The secret to the S Class is that it looks similar to, but not almost exactly the same as the C Class.
For an E or S Class to look too similar to the C Class devalues the E & S Class.
Strange, but I think the C looks best.
I like the C's light colored rear underpan diffuser most.
Though E has the neatest, cleanest and most conventional side crease.
S Class's shark fin doesn't look as nice as BMW's nor Lexus' shark fin.
S Class rear diffuser looks old in this company now.
I think you meant:
The secret to the C Class is that it looks similar to, but not almost exactly the same as the S Class.
The full-size, flagship S-Class sedan was introduced before the compact C-Class sedan, and is the flagship sedan in the MB lineup. The standard that all of an automaker's cars should be compared to is the flagship. It is wrong to compare the flagship luxury car to a compact, entry-level car.
Still, no matter how you look at it, the S Class has a "pinched tail" type of look; rather old fashioned from the 50's, or 60's etc.
The S's rear skirt is obviously older than the others.
The C actually looks more contemporary [modern], though its proportions indicate that it is only a baby.
The E looks like a bigger C, with a little more conservatism here and there like the medial upper angle of the tail lights, and the rear skirt.
The upper line angle of the C's tail light lenses actually slope downwards, while the E's upper line angle is more conservatively flat and parallel to the road surface.
Having said all that, I'm not exactly thrilled with this 2018 LS either.
I agree - the C is more stylish.
The E is always so conservative?
I have missed three E Classes now; the 1999 boxy E Class with 4 round headlights, the 2009, and the 2015 E Classes.
but the E is in no way ugly. None of these cars are. I think the E is just really restrained but it still looks elegant. With the sport package and the proper 19" wheel option, it can look badass
It's been bugging me for a while but now I realize what the new LS looks like - the old Maserati Quattroporte, with the long hood and short trunk. Quite a brave move by Lexus to go against the usual 3-box design of the S-class and 7-series.
It's been bugging me for a while but now I realize what the new LS looks like - the old Maserati Quattroporte, with the long hood and short trunk. Quite a brave move by Lexus to go against the usual 3-box design of the S-class and 7-series.
It was mentioned awhile back that the 5LS would target the XJ, Panamera, and Quattroporte. All of which are known for their athleticism, emotion, and polarizing aesthetics.
It was mentioned awhile back that the 5LS would target the XJ, Panamera, and Quattroporte. All of which are known for their athleticism, emotion, and polarizing aesthetics.
If I can afford the S, no way I would consider the E. They are just too different in my opinion. Even the new E has some extra features, it's still an E.
Originally Posted by SW15LS
I saw a new E in the wild today, immediately thought it was a C. Took some real concentrated looking to determine it was an E.
I saw an E300 on the carrier the other day. I thought it was a C until I got closer and saw E300. While I'm certainly not a car enthusiast, I can pretty much tell which car is which most of the time from far away in general. I must say these two look really alike to me.
Did you test drive them? How are they compared to GS350? I test drove the current one a few time but not impressed. I do like the new interior though.
I haven't driven the new release, but I have driven the old E from 2009-16.
IMO, styling was terrible, boxy, parallelogram, with lots of lines, sharp creases, boring, and will age quickly.
Inside, similar type of boxy parallelogram boredom.
IMO, old E's interior [like 4GS] cheated off the interior styling of the old 2003-10 5 Series with a jog control and a high mount LCD screen.
In the rear compartment, the plastics and leather were cheap, with cheap thin backrests, and cheap thin rear centre fold arm rests - unfortunately, the new 2016-23 E Class is not much different here.
Old E has actually more interior space than new E despite new E's massive wheelbase.
Old E had adequate trunk that was not as deep as GS.
Old E drove, handled well, with good comfort and quietness; 4GS too firmly sprung, and 4GS tires like Dunlop Sport Maxx 050 too noisy above 50 mph; 4GS has obviously targeted sports-oriented luxury.
Except for the styling, the old 2009-16 E Class was a pretty good alrounder, with lots of electronic aids - though how effective and reliable these electronic aid are is open to conjecture.
In my experience over the decades, E sells mainly due to name.
Over the decades, by regularly adding technology, Benz has managed to "maintain" their name.
The 1995-2002 and 2009-16 E's had terrible exterior styling, yet they still sold well.
The rear compartment of the 2009-16 E's look terribly cheap with cheap plastics, cheap leather, and thin back rests and thin rear center-fold armrests, but they still sold well.
E's have had terrible four cylinder Kompressor engines, and terrible 90 degree V6's built from 90 degree V8 blocks, yet they still sold well.
I vividly remember the old 1999 E Class V6's rear passenger floor [foot well] used to vibrate under hard acceleration, but they still sold well!
Meanwhile, thanks to business leases, Benz can get away with compromised reliability and durability.
Equally true is that many Benz buyers know little about motor cars.
Think about it, when people know little about a product, they go for the name!
After the name, comes the styling; people do indeed judge a book by its cover, but because I've seen badly styled products sell well thanks to their name - the badge still is number one.
Just a warning for Lexus.
If old E's with poor styling, and poor engines, can sell that well - just wait till you see how well the new E Class can sell with decent styling and decent engines.
There's also a bit of a Canikon factor about it.
Remember the great Canon vs Nikon wars?
Nowadays, it is understood that Canon and Nikon area equally good, but in different ways.
It is understood that Canon and Nikon are at different stages of their model cycles.
In other words, new E will often win now, but 2019 GS will win later.
Many people jump to conclusions and think that E Class sales is king, while GS sales is poor, but in fact, we must add ES to GS sales to get a real idea of Lexus' midrange luxury sales...
Unfortunately the E is a global seller in both left and right hand drive forms, whereas the ES is mainly for the North American market. The ES isn't even offered in Europe.
Unfortunately the E is a global seller in both left and right hand drive forms, whereas the ES is mainly for the North American market. The ES isn't even offered in Europe.
iirc they sell an ES200 in China, and some other Asian/Oceanic countries
European cars are global sellers.
However Jap cars are always limited by protectionist quotas set by the European Economic Community
Presently European cars are locally assembled in China & sell well in China.
However Lexus has decided not to assemble cars locally, with Lexus vehicles costing many times more than their European rivals.
.
Toyota feel assembling Lexus cars in China isn't worth the cost. Funny that they also assemble a ton of Toyota vehicles there, including various hybrids and obscure models like the Crown and Mark X.
The ES is surprisingly a big seller in China because it's cheaper than an Audi A6 or BMW 5, even with it being imported from Japan. Its competitors are all locally built German cars. But aside from the US and China, the Asia Pacific and Middle East market doesn't really buy Lexus sedans - the RX is the biggest seller.
07-31-16, 08:22 PM
