Fork-bearing body structure
Due to the fact that frontal collisions are very common, Mercedes-Benz engineers developed as a conceptual solution the so-called fork-type body structure, in which the front side members form a fork in front of the front wall of the body in the direction of the middle tunnel and sills. Thus, in the event of an accident, the main impact force falls on the tunnel, floor and side parts of the car, and the passenger compartment remains practically undamaged. The transverse connection of the side members, in addition, allows the undeformed side of the car to take on some of the impact energy in a collision.
The Mercedes E-class is additionally equipped with a bending-resistant transverse support beam located in the front of the front end and connecting both side members. The spars are brought far forward, which creates an additional distribution of energy upon impact. In a head-on collision, the transverse carrier beam works in tension and connects both spars of the fork structure, redistributing the deformation energy to them. The fork structure with a cross beam in front of the front wall of the body goes down in a frontal impact. The changes that occur in this case in the middle part of the front wall of the body are not dangerous for the driver and passengers.