You've got to admit that Mercedes-Benz knows its pumpernickel. I've yet to drive a Merc I haven't loved and, after a week with the E350 convertible, the bond between us is even tighter!
The E350 is divine. Exquisite to look at and drive, pure poetry in motion on the road and comfortable enough to live in in fact, at R770 600, it's probably worth more than my house. To really experience its soul, however, you need to drop the top and smell the roses - if you can drive slowly enough!
Topless or not, the car is a head-turner. Its elegant topless silhouette and classic ragtop exude refinement and sportiness, and the arrow-shaped front, rising waistline and striking butt with diffuser and LED tail lights add to the allure.
The fabric top, incidentally, can be opened or closed in a quick 20sec at speeds as high as 40km/h. It can even be operated via the radio remote-control in the key, from a short distance away.
The E350 has a wonderfully efficient3.5 litre V6 (350Nm of torque from 2400-5000rpm and 200kW) that blasts you from 0-100km/h in only 6.9sec. Blow-your-hair-back stuff, moms!
The interior, as you'd expect from Mercedes, is typically stylish and über-luxurious: swish leather everywhere, space-age buttons and dials but all, actually, quite easy to operate and surprisingly simple to understand.
You'll love the electric arm that comes forward to deliver your seatbelt to you, à la British butler, and the innovative AirScarf system that blows hot air out of the headrest and on to the back of your neck to keep you warm when you driving topless in chilly weather.
There's a long list of cutting-edge options available for the E350, such as the rear-view camera or distronic-plus, which uses short-range and long-range sensors to maintain the desired safe distance from the car in front of you.
The system operates at speeds from 0-200km/h and is great for city driving or stop-start traffic as the sensors allow for a following distance of between 0.5 and two seconds, which can be set by the driver.
Another terrific standard feature assesses the road ahead and monitors the vehicle's environment. If it registers a critical situation, such as you being too close to the vehicle in front, it'll warn you.
The car's attributes, if I listed them all, would run more than six pages, so I'll just say the E350 blew me away. I loved the colour (some brilliant choices), the drive, the plushness, the comfort and the technology. And, let's face it, not much can match the feeling of subtle opulence and class you get from driving a Mercedes.