By: IOL Motoring Staff
Stuttgart - While the spy shots that we've seen until now imply that the imminent new-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class will look very much like an enlarged C-Class on the outside, we now know that it's very much a downsized S-Class on the inside.
Mercedes has yet to officially reveal the exterior of its new E-Class, that will happen any time between now and January's Detroit Motor Show debut, but to build up some anticipation the company has just released a set of pictures of its middle sedan's interior.
Not only does it look the elegant part with its S-Class-inspired design, but it also moves the technological game forward with a glut of new gadgets and features.
Key among these is the two 31.2cm high-res display screens that appear to 'hover' in space and new touch-sensitive control buttons on the steering wheel that allow the driver to control the entire infotainment system via finger swipes and without having to take a hand of the steering wheel.
Drivers can also tailor the content on the central display screen to their own preferences and it can be backlit at night with multi-colour mood lighting, creating that aforementioned floating effect.
As with the current C-Class, drivers will also be able to input commands via a touchpad mounted on the centre console.
Though not yet officially confirmed, the next E-Class is also said to feature innovative new semi-autonomous-driving technology as part of its expected full suite of driver-assistance gadgets.
Watch this space for the full story when the next E-Class is officially unveiled.