While E53 seems logical, for now the E300 keeps passenger car lineage going.

NOW there is one - for now.

Confirmation that the Mercedes Benz E-Class choice is down to just a single petrol model grade and body style has come, with the national distributor confirming the E300 2.0-litre sedan it showed media several weeks ago will be the sole NZ market version out of the latest family, selling for $134,100.

The decision marks a big rationalisation from the previous model range, which ran to three body styles – sedan, coupe and cabriolet – four specification grades and broader technology spread, including a plug-in hybrid.

The E-Class coupe and cabriolet is still alive, but it – and the C-Class coupe and cabriolet – have been merged into a single model for their latest generations, known as the CLE, which is also incoming.

The E300 being the last E standing might be an interim scenario, all the same, as internationally Benz has revealed a replacement for the twin turbo V8 E63, in the form of turbocharged six cylinder plug-in hybrid E53 with eight cylinder-matching grunt. 

New Zealand plans for this car have not been made clear, but even though the most popular AMG sedan has historically been the C63 - which itself has just undergone radical revision, swapping out of a V8 for a high-tech four-cylinder PHEV upgrade - doubtless there will be demand.

Powering the new E53 is a revised version of its predecessor's 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder petrol engine, now developing 330kW/560Nm – up 10kW/40Nm.

But it is now matched with a 120kW/480Nm electric motor integrated in the transmission for system outputs of 430kW/750Nm in normal driving, or 450kW during short bursts of Race Start launch-control mode with the AMG Dynamic Plus pack.

That makes it a match on power for the outgoing 450kW/850Nm E63's twin-turbo V8 – but down on torque – with a nine-speed torque-converter automatic transmission and variable 4Matic+ all-wheel drive.

In respect to the E300, the detail provisioned by Mercedes Benz NZ overnight confirms the MotoringNZ.com story on April 19  that the E300 here is what overseas’ markets call an E350.

Accordingly, it runs a 190kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol, with a 48 volt integrated starter generator that inputs 17kW and 205Nm. 

It’s the same kind of car in general ‘junior S-Class’ presentation as the previous kind, but a whole lot different in detail and the styling is very much in the key of E, but with a bit more drama - big oval air intakes set low into the front bumper are striking and there are the same neatly-done power bulges in the bonnet that the C63 sports. The type achieves the AMG Line exterior package as standard equipment. This package includes AMG Bodystyling.

Technology-wise, it’s another treasure trove. The Digital Vehicle Key lets the driver start and lock the new E-Class simply by carrying a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch. The key can be shared with up to 15 people and the vehicle can recognise several people at once. A network connection is required for the initial one-time set-up and for sharing only. The main user always retains the ability to revoke other users’ access rights.

The projector lamp function of the front LED headlights that has become an international highlight appears not to have come here. This can shine useful warning symbols onto the road in front, warning of an upcoming give way or stop junction, roadworks ahead, or even how close you're coming to a pedestrian walking along the verge.

The new dashboard delivers a full MBUX onslaught. As standard there’s a 14.4-inch touchscreen with haptic technology for the on-screen buttons.

Standard is a ‘Superscreen’, which is not quite the same as the S-Class's 'Hyperscreen' which looks as if all three screens - driver's instrumentation, central infotainment and passenger-side display - are all one big unit. The Superscreen leaves the 12.3-inch driver's instrument screen separate, up behind the wheel, and adds on an extra touchscreen for the front-seat passenger. 

Mercedes has included Zoom and Microsoft Teams conference calling apps in the software, hence one reason why there’s a camera on top of the dash, facing into the cabin. 

Even though Mercedes calls a 'selfie' camera, that's not really its purpose. One function is so the driver can present personally to Zoom or Teams calls (when the E-Class is safely parked up of course). There’s also a safety aspect, in that it is also part of the driver drowsiness and attention monitoring system, and security one. It also serves as one of six interior cameras which have been added for remote security monitoring via the Mercedes phone app. The camera also acts as facial recognition, automatically recalling the driver's preferences and settings.

The E-Class also gets artificial intelligence, of a kind, in that . it is is able to learn a user’s regular habits and patterns. One example: If your daily run takes you to an office car park, and you have to scan an entry tag, it’ll automatically lower the driver's window to help out.