Sub-$80k pricing for new Mercedes E200

MERCEDES-BENZ Australia has introduced a new entry level variant to its E-Class sedan range, lowering the price of entry to below $80,000.

At $79,900 plus on-road costs, the new E200 BlueEfficiency undercuts the previous range-opener – the E220 CDI diesel sedan – by $4900, and the next-least-expensive petrol – the E250 CGI – by a substantial $17,880.

The new entry price gives Benz a price point rival to the four-pot turbo-petrol BMW 520i and Audi A6 2.0 TFSI, plus the new Lexus GS250 V6 – all of which retail for $77,900.

Like the E250 BlueEfficiency, the E200 is powered by a turbocharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which in this iteration produces 135kW at 5250rpm and 270Nm between 1800 and 4600rpm using 98 RON premium unleaded.

This engine is also used in the smaller C200 BlueEfficiency, which retails from $58,600.

Despite being larger, the E200 returns slightly better fuel consumption (6.6 litres per 100km compared to 6.8L/100km in the C-Class).

The E200 has a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 7.9 seconds – just 0.2s slower than the more powerful 150kW/310Nm E250.

In the E200, power is delivered to the rear wheels through the same seven-speed 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission fitted as standard to all E-Class models apart from the E63 AMG flagship.

Standard equipment – including 17-inch alloy wheels, COMAND infotainment system, TFT information display with media interface, Artico artificial leather, Parktronic park assist, and Attention Assist – is the same as that of the E220 diesel.

Benz offered an E200 variant in its previous-generation model Down Under in the form of the E200K, priced at $84,500 when it received a facelift in September 2006.

Mercedes-Benz Australia manager of corporate communications Jerry Stamoulis told GoAuto that the decision to import the E200 had been “on the cards for a while” and was not a reaction to the market.

He said the latest E200 should prove popular with buyers as the company had “seen a shift towards four-cylinder engines being the most popular choice in our E-Class range”.

Mr Stamoulis would not predict if the new base model would outsell the E250 petrol and E220 diesel, but conceded the E200 could potentially steal sales from high-end variants of the smaller C-Class sedan.

“There may be crossover for some who are looking for the space,” he said. “It’s not so much a concern, but it’s just another option for our customers.”

Mr Stamoulis said there are no plans to add the engine to the E-Class wagon, coupe or cabriolet range “at this stage”.

Sales of the E-class sedan and wagon range are down 33.3 per cent this year to 333 units, but it remains second in its segment to the BMW 5 Series (361).