The game is back on between import vehicle archrivals, intensified by Mercedes-Benz Korea’s release of the newest E-Class this week.

To drive away the enthusiastic runner up BMW and to maintain its position as Korea’s favorite imported car brand, Mercedes-Benz has returned with a revamped version of the best-selling model Tuesday.

The new E-Class is a revamped version of the 10th-generation model, which the automaker hailed for having achieved a “monumental milestone” of 100,000 units sold in July 2019 after its official debut in the Korean market in June 2016.

Adding to that, the E-Class topped in sales among all imported cars in the first half of 2020, the company said.

The E-Class model has sold more than 14 million units worldwide since it was first released in 1947, according to Mercedes-Benz.

The new E-Class has undergone major facelifts, in its design, the powertrain and driving assistance system, and for this, Mercedes-Benz said, the company anticipates the new model to surpass all the records that previous E-Class generations have made here.

Unveiling the new models via a digital launch on its official YouTube channel, Mark Raine, the vice president product and marketing at Mercedes-Benz Korea said, “The E-Class is the definitive luxury sedan and a testimony to automotive excellence with a proud legacy.”

“The completely new and enhanced E-Class stands for class-leading innovation, state-of-the-art safety and assistance systems, superior comfort, impeccable luxury and a striking design,” he added.

Key changes are seen in the exterior design. In the front, the newly designed multibeam LED headlamps, which support the ultra-range high beam feature, has been introduced, and the split tail lamp in the rear that stretches to the inside of the trunk highlights the shape of the premium sports sedan.

The new E-Class also adopted technologies that it introduced for the first time to the brand, such as an intelligent steering wheel.

According to the automaker, the new model has sensor pads attached to the front and rear sides of the wheel to deliver hands-free capabilities.

The new E-Class offers a widescreen cockpit display consisting of two 12.3-inch display screens and the latest MBUX infotainment system with a touch screen multimedia display as standard for all E-Class lineup.

In addition, an augmented reality navigation system, and What3Word voice control functions have been introduced for the first time to aid driving in difficult conditions, the company said.

Mercedes-Benz said all models in the new E-Class lineup come with the latest version of its driving assistance package as default functions.

The new E-Class also includes a new technology developed for the Korean market that constantly monitors the concentration of ultrafine particles to keep the interior air quality at a pleasant level, the automaker said.

The feature is only available in the new E-Class in Korea and China.

The new E-Class offers a lineup of six engine variants, including petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and high-performance Mercedes-AMG. The new E-Class models exert between 195 horsepower and 435 horsepower, depending on the engine.

Prices start at 64.5 million won ($56,249) for the new E 250 Avantgarde model and 119.4 million for the new Mercedes-AMG E53 4MATIC+.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)