Every car maker has a keystone, the model that makes its money or sets its reputation. For Mercedes- Benz, it's the E-Class, the latest version of which is just now going on sale here.
This is the archetypal Mercedes, the saloon for business people who are confident but don't need to show off, the estate car for well-to-do families, and, incongruously for us, the standard taxi in Germany and indeed other countries as well.
The latest E-Class versions are far from Mercedes' most expensive models with prices from €49,880 for the E200 Kompressor but they offer virtually all of the company's latest technology.
The promotional material puts it succinctly: "Everything we know in one car". Greater space has been provided in the rear and boot and there's a mix of new and existing engines: the diesel units have had their bhp increased with greater torque characteristics. Most significant is Sensotronic brake control (SBC), the electro-hydraulic brake-by-wire introduced some months ago on the €143,798 Mercedes SL 500.
SBC, which apportions braking effort to each wheel independently - for stability and maximum efficiency - is standard on the E-Class. So is an intelligent safety system, which has a series of extra sensors to give more precise response in deploying the six airbags and adjusting the force of the seatbelts in a crash.
The air suspension system that gives a magic carpet ride in the big S-Class is available on the E-Class in a new and improved form called Airmatic DC. Electronics constantly adjust the air springs and shock absorbers. This is an option on all models except the top E500, where it is standard.
Then there are the gadgets. The most remarkable is the dynamic multi-contour seat. A computer system pumps air into chambers in the seat to support the occupant against cornering forces. So, as you power through a curve, the seat rapidly pushes your body back to the centre of the seat. It can also give you a kind of vibro-massage.
The glass roof is also new. The sunroof slides under a similar piece of tinted glass over the back seats and a sun blind extends front and back from a central roller.The glass roof also incorporates three solar panels which power the air conditioning fan to cool the car when parked in the sun.
There is much more, but before we all get too carried away with all this stuff, it's right to ask: if you forget all the frills, is the new E-Class a better car than the model it replaces?
It would seem to be, where direct comparisons can be drawn. Although it carries more equipment, the new E-Class weighs no more than its predecessor. That is unusual and is due to the use of lots of aluminium for body panels and suspension assemblies.
The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class is difficult to fault: it is efficiency personified.
Bill Duffy, Mercedes-Benz sales manager says it's value for money, pointing to the fact that the 200 version today is a mere €4,000 more than its equivalent in 1992. He is expecting 2,100 sales next year and 750 for the remainder of this year.