With the E320, there's big news under the hood in the form of an all-new 3.2-liter V6 engine. It's a sophisticated package, with twin single overhead camshafts and two spark plugs per cylinder. Made of
aluminum, it's 100 pounds lighter than the old V6. Horsepower is up from 217 to 221, and fuel economy has
been improved as well. In current form, it meets the LEV, or Low-Emission Vehicle, standards, and with
only minor changes should meet the challenging Ultra-Low-Emission mandate California is about to put
into effect.
With plenty of torque at the low end, the new V6 seems better suited to U.S. driving conditions than
the old powerplant. It's mated to a slick 5-speed automatic. Our only grumble is that it takes too long
to downshift for a quick pass.
A new turbodiesel engine gets 26/34 EPA mpg city/highway, yet delivers 174 horsepower, up from last year's
134-hp normally aspirated diesel.
The popularity of sport-utility vehicles has led to heightened awareness of the advantages of four-wheel
drive. So Mercedes is offering a new all-wheel-drive system for the E-Class this year. It has a full-time