Executive Therapy, Mercedes E-Class Style

Having just returned from a business trip to Germany and having had the opportunity to feel the stress of day-to-day life there, I have been made keenly aware of the need for automotive therapy, in the form of an executive class vehicle In this case, a Mercedes E-Class wagon. It's different

The Brand, The E-Class
I had the chance to drive my colleague's E-Class wagon for an extended Autobahn jaunt and some around town fun, and let me say this: After a day of dealing with the legions of smokers, the high population density, the oppressive autumnal weather, and bossing Hans and Uwe around to get their jobs done, some downtime, some automotive stress reduction therapy becomes a necessity And this rolling torque monster of a family Panzer may just be the best there is.

Remember, in many ways, the Mercedes E-Class is the cash cow for the Mercedes brand and a huge component in its automotive architecture It has to serve many different uses, be rock solid and comfy and efficient and everything the automaker stands for. And in it's wagon format, it does this in spades.

Getting In
I sat myself down and buckled up. My fellow colleague, and the guy who owns this car, said now adjust the seat. And against all odds, this happened intuitively and easily. Luxury German vehicles are not usually user-friendly, but the E-Class was. I set up the seat, the mirrors, the steering wheel, and marveled at just how comfy the firm, contoured seats are. And I actually understood the Mercedes COMAND system and other related buttons pretty quickly. The feel of the switchgear and anything else you touch is top notch. It feels expensive, and is.

The guy who owns this car, is almost 9 inches taller than I am and outweighs me buy 60 pounds. He is also large of frame. You know, your typical big beefy German guy. So I was further impressed by the range of bodies sizes these seats happily accommodate. If you are wondering about the back seat, I got a chance to sit in that too one evening. It's called an executive class car for a reason. It's roomy and comfy back there. Not bad being driven around in it. Leg space galore and good for wide butts.

And in case you're wondering, the station wagon has a massive and well thought out trunk. Mercedes wagons have always been lauded for their dual role of luxury and lugging ability, and when I saw how much space there is back there and how much crap my friend had piled in there (2 kids car seats, dog stuff, and myriad other objects), I had to admire the Swabian sense of making even the luxurious something practical.

Getting On
OK, this is Germany and diesels are as common as cigarette butts on the street and pork at every meal. So of course this cruiser was outfitted with a 2.2 L diesel, with mucho torque (269 lb/ft) and an acceptable 170 hp. And also because it's Germany, it had a 6-speed manual. Wicked. Wicked as in, it's great to shift, but also as in this mean shifter, as in difficult and nasty. Manuals weren't ever really M-B's strength, and this one is rubbery and like you're shifting through slightly hardened cartilage not through shift gates. But it didn't detract from the car that much, I am just picky. It made getting up to speed easy and downshifting a little more fun.

But it was the Autobahn blast that I will remember. Not because of top speed. I was only going a mild 160 kph, which is peanuts in this car. It was that shove of torque when merging on to the busy A6 Autobahn and the ease it gives you getting into fast-moving traffic. Once we were at warp speed, this car settled down and took a bearing on the horizon. The steering is dead on center but is syrupy smooth. It doesn't let you down and it isn't nervous. This is after all a German high speed cruiser.

But what made me think this car is another in a long line of stress-reducing, excellent German rolling therapy luxury transport devices was when I parked it and talked to my colleague who uses this baby every day. He gets up and 5 AM on the weekends and blasts down the Autobahn to feel some freedom, comes home, piles the kids and the crap that accompanies them and they go to Hans' Schnitzel Barrel for a sodium filled, pork-rich lunch. In style and comfort. All smiles. Therapeutically balanced by a Mercedes E-Class.

I wonder if Mr. Benz was friends with Sigmund Freud and old Ziggy told him about the virtues of therapy...