Back-seat Executive

The long-wheelbase E-Class from Mercedes-Benz is a proper back- seat luxury car, and the bestseller is the diesel, offered in a sole four- cylinder variant. Here we'll tell you why that is

- Story: Jim Gorde

DIFFERENT PEOPLE equate “luxury” with different meanings. It could be style, space, gadgets, or simply compressing time to make more happen in a short period. It mostly is the opposite, though, when time is taken as a luxury. If one has the luxury of time to spend as they wish, it is possibly one of life’s greatest treasures.

Mercedes-Benz offers luxury cars that walk the talk, like this made-in-India-for-India E-Class long-wheelbase in right-hand drive. It is the proverbial tailored suit of cars, almost. It has a distinct aura, with dynamic-looking lights, flowing lines, a long wheelbase, a striking wheel design, and a clear-cut tail-lamp cluster that showcases its origins. That’s apart from the advanced safety, comfort, and tech features, as well as equally commendable engines. We've already tested the E 200 four-cylinder petrol and the E 450 six-cylinder petrol versions, so I'll stick to the essentials here.

The size of this sole diesel variant, earlier sold in Expression or Exclusive variants, seems a bit more enlightened. It has a lot of kit on offer, from a hyper setup of three screens, a dual-pane sliding sunroof, mono or gradient ambient lighting across a vast selectable spectrum reminiscent of Windows display options, premium Burmester sound, and perforated leather seats without ventilation—the chauffeur doesn’t need it, after all. This is a backseat car, and it shows. There are powered rear window blinds and even quarter-glass shades, a detail Mercedes is quick to highlight.