EXECUTIVE DECISION

The executive luxury sedan segment has been stretched to nudge the boundaries of the super-luxury space, with everything from length and wheelbase to equipment and massage seats coming to the lower rung. We pit the E 450 L against the 530Li

- Jim Gorde

‘HOW LONG BEFORE THE BOUNDARIES vanish?’ I ask myself. Here before me are two executive luxury sedans, both of which are more than five metres long with wheelbases stretching past three metres. That’s super-luxury sedan and seven-seat SUV territory. Even so, the formula for both is similar. China is a large market for luxury brands where their sub-flagship portfolio bears long-wheelbase models—we’re talking everything from a BMW X1 and Mercedes C-Class to the Audi A4, A6, and Q5 and the BMW 3, X3, and 5 Series, and the Mercedes E-Class, of course. That formula is smart. The thing is, though, they’re all left-hand drive. And Mercedes-Benz India saw an opportunity.

The E-Class Long-wheelbase was the first to arrive with the steering wheel on the right side. The W213 generation arrived as the V213 in India, sporting a 205-millimetre longer wheelbase than its W212 predecessor. And it turned into Mercedes-Benz India’s bestseller. After all, everyone wants everything longer. Many particularly want their car to be longer than most; more “prestigious” or something. But the segment did take a step forward since. BMW followed with a long-wheelbase 3 Series “Gran Limousine” and the recently introduced iX1L. But their prime contender to try and nick a piece of the pie which the Mercedes E-Class has long claimed for itself is the 5 Series. And the tables have turned. Or have they?