Waving the matic wand

Mercedes knows how to make a customer happy, both in the driver's seat and at the back. The new E 450 is all class, all power, all business-for an all-consuming price

- HORMAZD SORABJEE

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has long been the benchmark for luxury sedans, offering a blend of comfort, tech and driving dynamics. It's the bestselling car in its class, thanks largely to its long wheelbase, offering more legroom to the rear-seat passenger. Luxury cars are largely chauffeurdriven. So, owners get to stretch out as they travel.

Arch-rival BMW wised up to this hack and took the fight to Mercedes doorstep (or garage door) with its 5-series, offering a long wheelbase for the first time in India. Mercedes didn't cower. Its latest E-class offers all that and more: Three engine options against the 5-series's single petrol motor.