Luxury trim comes with 17-inch wheels, comfort suspension, green-tinted glass and burl walnut wood interior accents. Sport trim includes 18-inch twin-spoke wheels, sport rear bumper, dual exhaust pipes, lowered sport suspension, blue-tinted glass, black bird's eye maple wood trim, white gauges, and a matte chrome gearshift surround.
Options include the Premium 1 package ($2,410) with DVD navigation, Sirius satellite radio, power rear window sunshade and heated and active-ventilated front seats. Premium II ($4,320) adds headlamp washers, a bi-xenon active light system, cornering fog lamps, and Keyless Go to that list. Also optional: leather upholstery ($1,550), a panorama sunroof for sedans ($1,010), electronic trunk closer ($530), split/folding rear seats ($350), wood/leather steering wheel ($550), iPod integration kit ($425), and Parktronic obstacle warning ($1,120). Radar-controlled Distronic adaptive cruise control is no longer available on these models.
New for 2008 is the AMG Sport Package ($2,000), which adds deeper front and rear aprons, unique 18-inch AMG wheels, and an AMG leather-covered steering wheel with manual shift paddles to E350s with Sport trim.
The E550 ($59,700) and E550 4Matic ($61,200) sedans are powered by a 382-hp 5.5-liter V8, and offer more standard equipment than the E350. Leather upholstery, a four-zone climate control system, and Airmatic variable air suspension come standard. Options are similar to those offered on the E350, including the Premium I ($2,860) and Premium II ($4,770) packages, as well as the AMG Sport Package.
The E63 AMG sedan ($85,300) and wagon ($86,050) come with the 507-hp 6.2-liter V8, a seven-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles, massive 18-inch tires and wheels, performance brakes, a lowered chassis, and a more aggressively tuned Airmatic suspension. They're distinguished by unique body touches and interior trim, deeply sculpted sports seats, and AMG markings. Distronic cruise control ($2,200) is still available on these models. The AMG wagon does not come with a third-row seat, but one can be ordered ($1,010). Otherwise, options are similar to those on the other E-Class models.
Safety features that come standard on all models include eight airbags: dual front airbags, side-impact airbags for front and rear passengers, and head-protection curtains that run the length of the cabin on both sides. The airbag management system employs multiple impact sensors designed to more precisely control the timing and rate of deployment. The system accounts for the weight of a front-seat passenger and controls seatbelt pretensioners according to the force of impact. Active safety featur Next Page