The German automaker Mercedes Benz was gracious enough to grant us with a Palladium Silver 2010 Mercedes Benz E 350 so that we could have a go at it as part of our Top Speed test fleet. Not only has the E-Class been completely redesigned for 2010, but in another step that we like very much, Mercedes has lowered the price for the full size sedan by almost $5,000 compared to the previous generation E. The 2010 E-Class features a restyled front end complete with a squared off split headlamp design as well as a pair of the oh so trendy LED driving lights in the bumper openings on either side of the front end, while out back the new E features a set of stretched taillights.

The 3.5 Liter V6 under the hood is good for 268 HP and 258 lb-ft of torque while consuming just 18 MPG in the city and 26 MPG at highway speeds. The interior is finished with fine leather wrapped seats and door cars, while the darker colored dash is offset by a strip of wood grain that encircles the entire cabin. The wood theme continues into the center console that leads up to the center stack that contains the climate controls, radio and navigation system which is finished off with a rather large LCD display. One of the more interesting features that the German design team incorporated is a pair of storage compartments integrated into the front seats.

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The E 350 retails starting at $49,475 ($4,600 less than the previous E 350) and comes equipped with a host of high tech features like Attention Assist, which detects driver in the event of nodding off; Adaptive Main Beam Assist, which adjusts the angle of the headlights to improve visibility without impeding on oncoming motorists; the LED daytime driving lights, which consume less power and add a bit of style to the car’s front end; Lane Keeping Assist, which uses movements in the steering wheel to inform the driver in the event that they are not staying in their lane and the very cool Speed Limit Assist, which recognizes speed limit signs as the car passes them, then displays the relevant speed limit in the speedometer. With all these gadgets on board we can’t wait to take the 2010 E 350 for a spin.