Mercedes-Benz E220d To Be Launched In India Next Month

The new generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class went on sale in India earlier this year in both petrol and diesel variants. It is a one-of-its-kind model globally being a RHD long wheelbase (LWB) model and is all set to get a new variant added to the E-Class line-up. Currently available in the E200 petrol and E350d diesel variants, Mercedes-Benz India has announced that it will be launching the new E220d trim on 2nd June 2017. The new E220d replaces the E250d variant that was seen on the previous generation E-Class, and will be the sedan's new entry-level diesel model.

The Mercedes E220d LWB will be carrying most of the design and features from the E350d, but will be downsized in terms of power, performance and create comfort. Unlike the 350d's 3-litre V6, the E220d will be using a new 2-litre diesel motor capable of churning out 191 bhp and 400 Nm of torque. The oil burner will come paired to the 9G-Tronic automatic transmission.

The new Mercedes-Benz E220d will also be offered in the LWB edition

The Mercedes-Benz E220d will act as a more affordable version of the E-Class and much like the E250d, is likely to bring in more customers to the automaker. Since a major chunk of the buyers are chauffeur driven in India, power does not emerge as a priority. The new four-cylinder E220d will not only be more fuel efficient given the smaller engine, but also more affordable as well. That said, the E220d could see a few features being omitted over the E350d. We do hope Mercedes retains the Chauffeur package on the new base diesel though.

Coming to pricing, the Mercedes-Benz E220d is expected to be a couple of lakh cheaper than the range-topping E350d. The latter was introduced at Rs. 69.47 lakh, and you can expect the E220d to start between Rs. 60-62 lakh. The E200 petrol, however, remains the most affordable variant in the E-Class line-up starting at Rs. 56 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi).

The Mercedes-Benz E220d will be locally assembled at the automaker's Chakan plant

The fifth generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the most advanced version of the sedan to ever be made and packs in a host of intelligent features including driver assistance systems. While commanding a premium over rivals like the Volvo S90, Audi A6, Jaguar XF and the upcoming new gen BMW 5 Series, the new E-Class offers more spacious rear, which should bode well with the target audience. Like the other trims, the E220d will also be locally assembled at Mercedes' Chakan facility.