Mercedes-Benz launched the new W212 E-Class (E250 CDI) in India in 2013. This was followed by the launch of the E200 sedan and the E63 AMG which is a powerful performance-oriented version of the E-Class. Now, the German automaker is all set to expand the E-Class range in India by launching the E400 Cabriolet. The previous generation E-Class was available in the E350 Coupe and Cabriolet versions and now Mercedes has brought down the new E400 Cabriolet for homologation. The E400 Cabriolet is an open-top version of the E-Class sedan.
At first glance, the Cabriolet looks splendid. While the E-Class sedan offers an executive feel, the Cabriolet and Coupe are slightly redesigned to offer a sporty appearance. We can say that these models are meant for those buyers who want something more than the regular sedan but find the AMG versions out of their budget. The Mercedes E-Class is available in three guises for the Cabriolet version – E200, E250 and E400. Mercedes will be launching the most powerful version in India and it is powered by a 3.0-litre 6-cylinder bi-turbo engine which churns out 328 HP of power and 480 Nm of torque. 5.3 seconds is what is needed to reach 100 km/hr from a standstill. The engine is mated to a 7G-TRONIC Plus gearbox.
The Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet comes with a host of features including Active Park Assist, 19-inch alloys, PARKTRONIC, Keyless-GO, THERMATIC automatic climate control system, LED Intelligent Light System, AIRSCARF neck-level heating system which is exclusive to the Cabriolet, Harman Kardon Logic 7 audio system and a 360° camera. Mercedes has also loaded the E-Class Cabriolet with DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, PRE-SAFE BRAKE with Active Pedestrian Protection, Pre-Safe PLUS and BAS PLUS with Junction Assist.
The W212 Mercedes-Benz Coupe and Cabriolet have been on sale globally since 2013 but manufacturers usually launch their vehicles later in India. The E400 Cabriolet will compete with the BMW 6-Series in India. Buyers will also consider the Audi S6 if they don’t mind missing out on the open-top. Some of the other convertible options available in the Indian market costing below a crore are the new BMW Z4, Mercedes SLK 350 and Porsche Boxster S and each one of them caters to a different set of buyers. While the BMW and Porsche are 2-seaters, the Mercedes Cabriolet comes with four seats which lends a huge amount of practicality to the vehicle.
The Mercedes E200 petrol is priced at Rs. 44.75 lakhs and the E250 CDI Avantgarde variant is priced at Rs. 46.90 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). These sedans are brought down via CKD kits while the E400 will be imported via the CBU route. The E400 Cabriolet is expected to be priced at approximately Rs. 85 lakhs (ex-showroom) considering high import duties. The Mercedes E400 Cabriolet will be launched in India by the end of the year.
