The Perfect Carrying Case for a Litter of Ski-Bunnies
December 14, 2009 / By Frank Markus
Click to view GallerySure-footed four-corner traction: Standard. Height-adjustable rear AirMatic suspension for deep-snow ground clearance: Standard. Luggage-rack rails ready to accept your Thule ski-rack: Standard (and low enough to show off your Dynastar Ferrari sticks at a comfortable viewing height). Seating for seven (okay, five and two-halves): Standard. Iconic style and a hood ornament that commands respect from the apres-ski club valets: Standard. Could there be a more perfect vehicle than the new Mercedes E-Class wagon for driving up to Deer Valley, Whistler, or Hochgurgl, Austria?
Mercedes-Benz invited us to the latter (if you can say it without dislodging any phlegm, you get a night free) to sample its new E350 4Matic Wagon’s suitability to wintry driving. The visit started with a tech briefing held in an igloo and concluded with a driving session on some of the most nicely groomed parking lots and most gorgeous snow-covered mountain roads on planet earth.
Click to view GalleryFirst, you should know that the new E-Class wagon will only be available with the 3.5-liter V-6 and all-wheel-drive. The wicked E63 AMG wagon is finished, at least for the time being. Please observe a moment of silence for its passing. Thank you. Next, you may be encouraged to hear that the latest iteration of 4Matic is lighter (adding just 100 pounds), more compact, and–teamed with the new seven-speed automatic–more efficient (improving by as much as 2.3 mpg on the EPA driving cycle). Its planetary center differential still provides a natural 45:55 front:rear torque split, with slippage at either axle causing friction in the pre-loaded center differential clutch to send as much as 70 percent of the torque to the axle with the best grip.
Mercedes still relies on individual wheel braking to equalize torque side to side or front to rear as needed beyond what the center diff can do. We find this to be a perfectly acceptable solution for on-road vehicles coping with momentary traction losses due to rain, snow or ice (using the brakes to go forward in a hill-climbing off-roader is nowhere near as effective or desirable as proper torque-directing differentials).
And indeed in a series of exercises on a large groomed-snow-covered parking lot, the fourth-generation 4Matic system and its coterie of backup electronic assistants functioned exactly as planned. With all systems on, the car faithfully cleaves to the driver’s intended driving line — at least to the extent that physics can allow (which is impressively high when the various electromechanical traction assistants are abetted by a set of Continental ContiWinterContact footwear). Switch ASR off and deep prods at the accelerator are rewarded with satisfying countersteerworthy slides at 30 or 40 degrees of slip angle (after which the systems step back in to reign in the fun).
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