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Cape Town - In less than 24 hours, the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class cabriolet left an indelible impression on me.
But first the headlines: we had the big daddy on test, the E400 4Matic. Power is quoted at 245kW/480Nm from a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine. It puts down the power in an effortless manner and the nine-speed automatic is as quiet as Jacob Zuma at SONA.
Highlight on our test car included the optional massage seats with five different configurations. My girlfriend also tried out Merc's airscarf system, which wafts warm air down your neck. Useful in winter when driving with the roof down.
Mercedes says the electronic soft top roof can open and close in 20 seconds, at a maximum speed of 50km/h when travelling. The fabric soft-top on the test car was a black hue and suited the dark blue body colour brilliantly.
The starting price of the E400 is R1 349 600 and I must be honest even without the optional equipment it felt like a lot of car for the money. It can genuinely seat four adults offers 385 litres of boot space and possesses exquisite build quality.
The all-new 50:50 folding rear seat backrests create a through-loading feature in the interior.
It didn't set my pants on fire when I threw it through some bends on my way to work but stuck to its guns thanks to the four-wheel drive system.
At the end of my handful of hours with the 4826cm barge I didn't want to get out of it. It's supremely comfortable, surprisingly frugal (in eco-mode) and is just a great car.
The short test period might not have beeen ideal but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
