2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet

MERCEDES E-LECTRA CABRIOLET

By Casey Williams

A breezy spring day is enough to make anyone want to re-live childhood and hop on a classic bike, like the ones from California’s Electra Bicycle Company. Cruiser styling reminds you of the past, taking you to your favorite day in which all things seemed possible, but brings you forward with new-tech materials and comfort. If Electra built a car, it would be called the E-Cabrio. In the meantime, we’ll settle for the one built by Mercedes-Benz.

No lithe sports car, the 2011 E-Class Cabriolet is created instead in Mercedes’ long tradition of incomparable grand touring four-seat convertibles like the ’57 220S, ’68 280SE, or its more direct ancestor, the ’93 E320 Cabrio. The ’11 edition elevates the standard significantly by remaining unflappable at high speeds while giving a little play on curvy backroads.

Mercedes’ doctrine of “Vertical Affinity” in which a model of any era resembles others is renowned, and as a ‘Benz, the E-Cabrio draws inspiration from predecessors. Ponton rear fenders connect to the 220S, wood and leather echo the 280SE, and pop-up rear headrests began with the E320 to provide protection in rollovers. Large headlamps, inset smaller lamps, and a wide star-strewn grille with twin lamellas trace back to the ’55 300SL “Gullwing” and others. Some find the in-dash key, gated gear selector, light switch location, low turn stalk, and upper left placement of the cruise control quaint, but they are exactly where your grandmother remembers them. For Mercedes enthusiasts, the cabin feels like home.

Be-fallen planks of burled walnut cover the dash, consoles, and doors. Seats are bovine, but there’s not enough stitched leather and too much vinyl on the dash. Mercedes could sacrifice another cow for total dash divinity. Available harmon/kardon speakers on rear deck are little grilles of pleasure, surrounding passengers with true 5.1 symphonic sound. In-dash navigation is near perfect in finding your way back to grandma’s house, while parking sensors are helpful when the valet wedges your sled into unimaginable dimensions. Pulling the concealed chrome lever opens a tour of simple pleasures by retracting the top in 20 seconds at speeds below 25 mph. All four windows vanish with one button.

Much better on your rump than a 12-speed’s saddle, the leather seats are heated, cooled, and smell like your favorite Bessie. A lady on a bicycle would want to wear a hat to keep her hive from blowing a-mess; Mercedes engineers imbued the E-Cabrio with modern equivalents. AIRCAP® is a power-deployable spoiler that raises from the windshield header to route air over the cabin, eliminating turbulence, and creating a pressure barrier that holds warm air inside. On a 300-mile drive, I nearly forgot the top was open, having normal conversation with a passenger, until my sun-roasted face posted a painful reminder.

On cool rides, you might also put on a scarf to stay warm. As in the company’s roadsters, AIRSCARF® directs warm air onto front passengers’ necks through vents below the headrests, adjusting through 3 temperature settings, rotating precisely 36-degrees, sliding up and down with the headrests, and blowing at variable speeds depending on your speed. Imagine a bicyclist’s scarf that provided warm air and adjusted protection as you pedaled faster! An air-conditioned AIRSCARF would make summer driving even better, especially in southern climates.

Unlike a two-wheeled Electra, the ‘Benz Cabrio can transform from townie to roadie with one step of the throttle. A cool older gent may like driving the E350 with its 3.5-litre, 268-HP V6 and enjoy a quick blitz from 0-60 mph in 6.7 seconds. However, his young manservant would really pump the pedals of an E550 and its 382-HP 5.5-litre V8 as he zips from 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds. Under tromped throttle, the E350 feels ever-so-burdened by its weight, but nobody promised an E63. The V8 has no such hesitation, launching down the road like a jet locomotive, fast and heavy.

Imagine a bicycle this safe. Electronic Stability Control, Brake Assist, and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution are all standard. Hidden behind the classic star is an optional radar unit that drives DISTRONIC PLUS active cruise control, but also enables PRE-SAFE, a system that monitors vehicles in front and can apply the brakes automatically to limit impacts, acting as an “electronic crumple zone”. Innovative side head airbags deploy from the door tops to provide closed car-like protection. Adaptive high beams adjust intensity gradually, based on oncoming traffic. We’re way beyond padded elbow pads, wheel-generator headlamp, and a cute little bell.

From mountain passes to straight-aways in-masses, the E-Lectrifying Mercedes Cabriolet is sweeter than molasses. Go for a ride through the mountains, sun shining, ensconced in a cabin calmer than a country farmhouse foyer. A scarf warms the body and a canvas top enlivens the spirit. All things are possible. More expensive than the $600 Electra Cruiser, E350s start at $56,850 while E550s begin at $64,800 — almost reasonable for a new-tech wonder and future classic.