Mercedes-Benz officially unveils the new E-Class Estate

The E-Class Estate uses long horizontal lines to emphasize the car's practicality and sportiness, while other design features include black B and C-pillars which are hidden by the black privacy glass, prominent wheel arches, and new LED taillights.

The E-Class Estate boasts supreme practicality, and features seating for up to seven people, as well as an "easy-pack" automatic tailgate, and a "quick-fold" rear seat that can be lowered from the cargo compartment. Overall boot capacity measures in at 1950 litres, 266 litres more than the BMW 5-Series GT.

As is typical of Mercedes-Benz, the E-Class Estate will have a whole host of safety equipment, including a 'direct control' suspension with adaptive damping, nine airbags, and four belt tensioners. Additionally, there is also Attention Assist, which is a drowsiness detection system, Distronic Plus advanced cruise control system, Pre-Safe braking for automatic braking in emergencies, rear seat airbags, and self-adaptive belt force limiters.

The E-Class Estate will be available with three diesel and two petrol engines at the start, with the petrol models being the 292bhp E350CGI BlueEfficiency and the E500 with 388bhp. Diesel models include the E220CDI BlueEfficiency with 170bhp, the E250CDI BlueEfficiency with 204bhp, and the E350CDI BlueEfficiency boasting 231bhp.

Mercedes-Benz will introduce additional engines for the E-Class Estate range in 2010, including a base E200CDI BlueEfficiency model with 136bhp, an E350CDI 4Matic BlueEfficiency with 231bhp, an E200CGI BlueEfficiency with 183bhp, and an E250CGI BlueEfficiency with 204bhp.