Speaking of kit we won’t be getting in the UK: air suspension isn’t on the options list. Instead, we will get steel spring suspension with adaptive damping. This might not seem like a big deal, but our air-equipped European press car exhibited impressive body control over dips and crests and took the sting out of potholes and raised ironwork. With the state of our roads in the UK, it seems something of an oversight not to offer such a set-up to British buyers.
But on a more positive note, the E-Class handles gamely for such a big car. It may lean a bit in corners, but there is plenty of grip and the steering is precise. Our test car’s rear-wheel steering made it surprisingly nimble on switchback roads, but again, that’s an option that UK buyers will be denied. The only real weakness is a spongy brake pedal that can rob you of confidence on the way into a corner.
Indeed, it certainly feels more wieldy than its predecessor, which is impressive when you consider that this latest-generation car has grown in every direction – an expansion that’s most noticeable when sitting in the rear. Thanks to an additional 2cm having been added to the wheelbase, rear-seat passengers have more room to stretch out on longer journeys.
Passengers will also find themselves surrounded by a much more striking interior design. Sharing a number of its styling cues with the EQE, it has a glitz and glamour that’s normally associated with a Gulfstream jet. Ostentatious ambient lighting and materials abound, and it all feels pleasingly well screwed together.