Braking, acceleration and cornering also create additional forces that the chassis must cope with. This is only possible if all of its components are optimally adjusted to each other. The chassis includes springs and shock absorbers, front and rear axle suspension, steering, as well as wheels and tires. The braking system, which is also generally part of the chassis, is presented in a separate section.
Chassis parameters
Dynamic or comfortable? When developing the E-Class, Mercedes engineers also faced this technical dilemma. However, they managed not only to find a compromise between dynamism and comfort, but also to achieve progress in the field of active safety.
Optimal wheel suspension design is a whole science. Every road bump or fast turn changes the precise geometry of the wheels, which are mounted at strictly defined angles to the vehicle's axles. However, the tires must not lose contact with the road surface, as they will then be unable to perform the braking and steering functions. To prevent contact loss, the suspension comes into play. It absorbs impacts and smooths out road irregularities, while shock absorbers prevent unwanted spring swaying.
Steering and active safety
The basic principles of suspension and damping remain unchanged: coil springs at the front and rear, gas shock absorbers and torsion bar stabilizers at the front and rear, which are absent only on the E200. The E-Class vehicles continue to use springs with a long compression stroke, but thanks to the new settings they work more rigidly than those of the previous model series. This reduces body vibrations when cornering and on uneven roads, and the turning ability within the entire lateral acceleration range remains within narrow, controllable limits. However, this high standard of dynamics and active safety does not come at the expense of comfort. On the contrary: thanks to the twin-piston gas shock absorbers used for the first time on a Mercedes E-Class, suspension and damping are perfectly combined. The shock absorbers have a degressive (decreasing) operating characteristic and ensure an exact match to the damping characteristic.
New chassis characteristics
Numerous developments and modifications create the preconditions for the development of dynamics. The most important of these are, of course, the increased wheelbase and the wider track. The positive influence of both parameters in terms of straightness of movement, lateral vibrations and lateral stability can be noted. Changes compared to the previous E-Class model:
- 1. Increase the wheelbase by 33 mm to a total of 2833 mm.
- 2. Increase in front track by 34 mm to a total of 1535 mm.
- 3. Increase in rear track by 54 mm to a total of 1534 mm.