The fabulous E-class has been a dream for many, and now, by offering it with a smaller engine, Mercedes-Benz hopes to make it more accessible. Cheaper it may be, but does the new engine live up to the rest of this excellent luxury car?

“ WE WERE REACQUAINTED WITH THE TERRIFIC DYNAMICS OF THE E-CLASS. ”

MERCEDES-BENZ E200K
List price (ex-showroom, Mumbai)
Rs 35.22 lakh
Top speed 207 kph
0-100kph 13.16sec
Kpl 6.2 (city), 9.9 (highway)
For Ride and handling, engineering, safety, interiors
Against Lacks V6 performance

Some folks, the type that strike multi-crore deals from their mobile phones while sitting in the back of a car, buy an E-class just to ride in it. To them, the things that matter are comfort, ride quality, the quality and finish of the interiors, and of course the prestige that rubs off the star.
They will shed no tears for less-than-spectacular performance, and a tad less mechanical sophistication wouldn’t worry them too much. Change the motor in the E-class and most punters wouldn’t even notice. Others the E200K may attract are those who find the ownership of a full-fledged Mercedes saloon not quite within striking distance. This is why Mercedes-Benz India has launched the cheapest version of its fabulous E-class yet.
But does the Merc E200K, a substantially undernourished version by the look of things, have what it takes to live up to the rest of this truly fantastic package? Is it foolish to skimp on something often bought with snobbery as a primary objective? Will the badge on the boot be its undoing?
Displacing merely 1796cc, the E200K’s motor is the same unit that powers the C200K compressor. While this supercharged engine was a step up for C-class buyers, in the E-class, it’s a step down. This compact motor is a whole 800cc smaller than the larger 2.7-litre motor. Also down on cylinders, from six to four, the E200K seems to have its work cut out. Salvation, however, comes in the form of a supercharger or Kompressor in German, which bumps power up to 158bhp, not too far off the V6’s 167.
First impressions behind the wheel are actually quite promising. The strong low rpm response of the Kompressor engine is a pleasant contrast to the laziness of the V6-powered E. Power is available on demand even at low engine speeds, and the big E-class seems quite happy running around in city traffic. It excels in part-throttle responses, and as a result feels quite driveable in the real world.
The big Merc is perfectly comfortable at passing, too. Slower traffic is easily dispatched with a flex of the right foot, but you need to kick down to a lower gear to execute passing moves on other, faster cars. The response from the engine now is much stronger and acceleration more rapid, but spinning this engine hard does make it sound strained.
Flat-out acceleration tests revealed that the E200K leaves much to be desired in a straight line, the 1.6-tonne kerb weight and the reduced power slowing it down by quite a margin.
100 kilometres an hour takes a leisurely 13.16 seconds, almost three seconds more than the V6, with 150 needing a total of 33.13 seconds. By this time, the E240 has floated past and left the area entirely. The E200K however, like almost every Merc saloon on sale in India, proved it had no trouble cracking the 200kph mark.
The E200K also set no records as far as fuel efficiency in the class are concerned. Gulping down a litre every 6.2 kilometres in city conditions, the supercharged motor actually proved less fuel efficient in comparison with the V6 motor.
There is little doubt that the W211 package is a class act. The fresh exteriors look better and better as the days roll on. The brilliant chassis, with its
aluminum suspension arms, ‘Sensotronic’ brake-by-wire system and very direct steering make the E-class a car to drive as well as be driven in. The fresh-faced interiors are still a joy to behold, and this is one of the best-looking sedans around.
There are a few new interesting bits too, on loan from the mighty S-class, seen first on the E200K, but which will certainly make their way into the other models in the range. Rear seat passengers now get digitally-adjustable air-con controls, and there are now air-con vents incorporated in the B-pillar. Lock the doors from the outside and the external mirrors now fold automatically.
The E200K comes in the top-of-the-line Elegance spec level, which means you get leather interiors and all the goodies you find in the more expensive diesel and V6.
In comparison to the bigger V6, what the E200K lacks is not just performance but also a certain amount of refinement.
The smaller four-cylinder powerplant simply doesn’t have that velvet feel or the effortless performance of the V6, which for a typical E-class buyer, we feel, is certainly worth the extra cash. Priced quite steeply at Rs 35.22 lakh, the E200K is not that cheap and still quite a stretch.
So, if you can make it this far, we suggest you go the extra mile and plonk for the V6 instead.