SCWells72

I don't know if you guys have seen the May 2001 issue of Automobile Magazine, but there's a picture of the 2003 MB E class and its restyled headlights are DEAD RINGERS for the GS' headlights! Of course, I think it's pretty well accepted that Lexus borrowed heavily from the E's quad headlamp design to begin with...

The rest of the car has been restyled as well, looking less boxy and more sporty. All in all it looks quite nice. From a performance standpoint the E(500?) gets a bump in displacement to a 306 HP, 5.0L V8. The E55 gets a supercharged version of the 5.5L V8 making about 400HP.

I'm not near a scanner now, but maybe this evening I'll post up a picture since the May issue info isn't available on Auto Mag's site yet.

GS4Will

i read that article few days ago, and that was the exact conclusion i had. like you said, it is another interpretation of gs front, so i think it is not to bad.

but i thought the benz would crank up the hp a little to fight the new 540 which rumored will have ~325 hp. when the next gen gs430 comes out in ~3 years, the feud will continue....

biggie27

that was my first reaction too when I saw the new E-class I was on the floor laughing the great Mercedes Benz lowering its class to a japenese company or wait let me refraise that it was raising its standerds to LEXUS QUALITY hehehhe

iWashDishes

How is it that Mercedes came out with the quad light design first, and now we have you blabbing about Lexus first-this?? Sure, Lexus makes a damn fine automobile but please don't discredit another company nor your name because of your superiority complex. BTW, it's japAnese, rePhrase and standArd....just trying to look out for ya, know what I mean??

biggie27

I hate to break this to you if your gonna reffer to it as a quad light designe then mercedes didnt come out with it first unless you forgot about the SC300/400 which also has the quad design, dont think I'm putting mercedes down or anything like that they are amazing cars and are the most technicaly advanced cars I have ever seen ( the S600 in particular) but mercedes is know for its uniqueness and its state of the art and bold designs and to turn around and copy a japenes company that has only been in the luxury sector of the market for 10 years and worse to do a major face lift on there so called own designe and make it look more like a lexus GS series with the S-classes back end is a shame for a car manufacturer that has been leading this sector of the market for the past 60 or so years, IMO Mercedes needs to do something new with the E-class like they did with the rest of there cars and try a bold new design yes the new E-class looks nice as everyone stated but why does it look so nice you think, cause it reminds them of there GS's.

just a little info about why I put mercedes down


and for future reffrence sorry about my spelling I'm Arab and not the greatest speller in the world so sue me

Manaray

Damn, Biggie just beat me to the post...my friggin' browser had a brain fart.....anyways, here's what I gonna say.....

Actually, if you want to talk about recent car designs, the Lexus SC came out BEFORE the E-Class with Quad Lights.

Lexus SC = 1992
Mercedes E-Class (with Quad Lights) = 1996

Mercedes hit 4 YEARS AFTER the SC came out with quad lights.

So who the copied who?

Another thing, Lexus started the whole Body Style then Engine Class thing (eg: GS300, LS400, etc.)...did you notice that Mercedes changed THEIR naming scheme in 1994 (4 years AFTER Lexus)...the 500SEL become the S500, 300E became the E320 (the new "quad light" body didn't come out until 1996)

No matter what, one thing remains true, Mercedes can not touch Lexus in the realm of build quality. No way, no how.

fever

Don't even begin to flap your gums about Lexus coming up with quad lights before Mercedes. Mercedes has been there done that decades ago. I won't get into a build quality debate with anyone but let's remember that Mercedes has always set the standard for engineering and build quality with the exception perhaps of Packard. Just because Lexus has a lower frequency of repair issue for the last ten years doesn't exactly make them a legend.
Now, having said that, yes, I choose to drive a Lexus over my fiancee's choice of Mercedes. I don't know about y'all, but until Mercedes stops acting like they did us a favor by allowing us to buy one of their cars I will not buy a Benz.

SCWells72

So I wasn't trying to imply that MB had revolutionized the world with the E's quad headlamp design. My comment was derived from statements like the following from almost every GS review I've ever read (this one from Edmund's):

Toyota/Lexus didn't invent the quad headlamp design; neither did MB. Actually, I'm not sure WHO did, but if you think about it, Jags have had them FOREVER and my favorite 'Vettes from the late '50s had quad headlamp setups, too.

The GS styling is in fact derivative of both the E class (headlamps) and the 5 series (short front and rear overhangs) with that special Lexus twist. I was just making a comment that, in a strange reversal, the latest E class' front end seems to be more derivative of the GS.

Oh...and I forgot to scan the pic. Maybe tonight if anyone hasn't seen it yet.

Manaray

Fever - I agree with you about Mercedes feeling that they are doing us a favor by ALLOWING us to buy one of their cars...

Anyways, as far as setting the standard, it can't be denied that Lexus, for the past 10 years has set the standard for the car industry. Where was Mercedes in the late 80's and early 90's? Where was the entire car industry? They were in the pits. Designs were weak, build quality was poor, reliability was questionable at best, and customer service was unheard of (and that Mercedes and BMW, it still is!).

Lexus changed the entire automotive industry. Everyone is now "Lexus-like". Not the other way around....this DOES make Lexus a legend. If it wasn't for Lexus, the 2001 Mercedes S-Class would be as big of a piece of **** as it was in 1990 (trust me, I know what a piece it was because my step dad owned one...new off the local dealer's lot...he always laments about how he should have bought 2 LS400's instead!)

Not to mention that Lexus set the STANDARD for interiors.

As far as the quad lights, there are TONS of cars with "quad lights"...before and after Mercedes. I don't think Lexus copied Mercedes or BMW as much as people would like to believe on the GS. The GS is a combination of the older GS (can't mistake the body lines..and it had short overhangs) and the SC.

And that Edmund's review is bull****, the E-Class's lights don't even sweep back into the hood. The GS's headlights DO sweep back into the hood/fender. The E-Class headlights are like disks mounted to the front.

I know that Toyota loves to borrow designs from other people, but I think the GS is more distinctive that people give it credit for. I've NEVER mistaken a GS for a E-Class or a BMW (of any sort)...

zz231

is this what it's gonna look like?

(f)-LEX-ible

Will you quit arguing already and post the pictures. I can't wait!!!

GlobeCLK

iTrader: (5)

The new E-class looks like a big C with 4 lights. It's good that the new E didn't steal the front lights from the GS that much (tried to be sporty like the GS but not even close) because this is UGLY. What's with the tiny projector in the headlamp, looks like Impreza.

I think MB is running out of ideas. Ever since SLK came out with triangle taillights, S-class took it, CL took it, C-class took it, who knows maybe this new E's rear have triangle taillights. Ugly side mirrors from the C-class, E took it. Mercedes has the ugliest stock rims in the world. (Lexus has the best, BMW not bad too.)

Since the C-class is a mini S-class, the E should be a middle-size S-class. I don't see that as any "prestige heritage", I see that as an empty design think-tank.


.........Did I mention that Mercedes has the ugliest stock rims in the world?

Intellexual

I too think BMW have the awesomest stock rims. The optional (I think M) rims on the 330's are beautiful, and the 17" 7 spokes on the 328/330s were pretty good looking too. The upsized rims on the 5 series are sweet, as well al the big 18"s offered for the 7 series. What I really hate from BMW are the "bicycle spoke" wheels some 528's and 740's have. Those make me sick.

As for Mercedes, they're stock rims suck if your not counting AMG. The C-class has gross rims, E320 has gross rims, CLK320 has disgusting rims, and the S-class has the WORST stock rims ever! It makes me sick seeing that huge sedan riding on those 15" - 16" ugly rims....it really needs the Sport package w/ the AMG rims to look good.

As for Lexus, they're rims are fairly decent. The GS rims, of course, look really good. The 17" 5 spoke IS rims, however, I think look better, if only they were wider, they would look better than the GS 5 spokes. They should also offer the "graphite polished" option on the GS 17"s as they do on the IS. Not too sure if I like the LS430 rims...they look somewhat derivative of large-sedan Mercedes rims...

SCWells72

Sorry so late with the pics. I popped a couple of faster CPUs into my home machine tonight and just now have everything back up and running.

So here are the pics from Automobile Magazine:



I noticed that zz231 beat me to the punch on the front view, but the rear and interior views are here as well.

I personally think it's a pretty sharp looking car, but I tend to enjoy a wide variety of cars.

Enjoy...

GlobeCLK

iTrader: (5)

Yeah, I almost forgot about the BMW sport-edition wheels. I used to love 528i because it's got that 17" mesh wheel with the huge lip on the sport package.

And yeah Mercedes wheels are classy. I just think they're ugly because maybe I'm young and prefer sporty wheels on ALL cars. I guess I'll love it when I grow older

But then again, some wheels made by MB before were AMAZINGly ugly. 99' CLK320 wheels? Looks like some steel wheels missing their hubcaps!


.......the stock wheels: