Spy Shots: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

It was another fruitful trip to the California desert last Friday. I used the opportunity to get some serious miles on a 4-cylinder Nissan Altima Coupe test vehicle, and also managed to get up close and personal with the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. It’s currently due to be unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show next September, and while it’s just a mid-cycle refresh on the outside—a nip and tuck here and there, plus updated front and rear fascias—the real changes will be under the hood. No concrete details are available yet, but the word on the street is that Mercedes-Benz is looking to make its volume seller more relevant in the world of $4.00/gallon gasoline. The biggest news for the E-Class is expected to come in 2011, when it’s rumored that Stuttgart will offer a 50-state diesel/electric hybrid E-Class, and there may be a supercharged 4-cylinder—its engine donated by the C230—coming our way as well. Two more pics after the jump.

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