The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet: Four seasons, four passengers - PART XV

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Stuttgart, Germany, Mar 08, 2010

The seats: Sporty design and maximum comfort

As well as giving the newly developed front seats for the E-Class Cabriolet a
unique look, the angular bolsters provide exceptional lateral support and hallmark Mercedes comfort. The standard-fit NECK PRO head restraints, integrated in the raised backrests, come with the option of AIRSCARF� neck-level heating.


A host of individualisation options for the front seats allows both very tall and very short drivers to adjust the seats so that the Cabriolet's functions are within easy reach. Even on the standard seats, the seat cushion height and backrest inclination are electrically adjustable, while the seat cushion fore/aft position and inclination can be adjusted manually.

The seats in the new E-Class Cabriolet have the largest fore/aft adjustment range in this market segment: 273 millimetres. The individual seat position can be adjusted in 4.5-millimetre stages and, therefore, is almost infinitely variable, whereas the backrest inclination is fully infinitely variable. Adjustment ranges of the standard-specification front seats:

Fore/aft adjustment: 273 millimetres
Seat height: 54 millimetres
Seat cushion angle: 8 degrees
Head restraint height: 85 millimetres

Standard equipment for the new Cabriolet includes a mechanical entry and exit aid for the rear passengers, called the EASY-ENTRY system. It is operated using a lever next to the head restraint, which initially tilts the seat backrest forwards. The seat can then be pushed forwards. One particularly ergonomic feature of the partially electrically adjustable seats is the release button for the head restraint, which is positioned right next to this EASY-ENTRY lever. If the head restraint has to be folded down in order to fold the seat forward when the soft top is closed, this release button is within easy reach.

Memory function: comfort-enhancing four-way lumbar support

The fully electrically adjustable seats for the driver and front passenger, which Mercedes-Benz supplies as optional extras, are easier to use. In this case, the fore/aft position, seat cushion angle, head restraint, steering column and exterior mirrors can be adjusted by electric motors in addition to the seat height and backrest angle. What's more, the EASY-ENTRY system is also operated with the assistance of the electric motors: here the head restraint is retracted automatically, before being returned to its programmed original position when the seat is moved back.

If the Memory package (optional) is specified, three individual positions can be stored for the fully electrically adjustable front seats as well as for the steering wheel and the exterior mirrors. In this case, a touch of a button on the inner door lining is all it takes to move the seats, head restraints, steering wheel and exterior mirrors to their programmed positions automatically. When the driver removes the electronic ignition key, the steering wheel can be moved upwards to make it easier to get out of the car. The steering wheel then remains in this position until the ignition key is re-inserted, providing the driver with more legroom when getting back into the car as well.

If the Memory package is specified, the two front seats are also equipped with electropneumatically adjustable four-way lumbar supports, including side-to-side adjustment as well as height and shape adjustment so as to provide ergonomic support for the spinal column.

The foam padding used for the front seat cushions is housed in seat squabs with integral springs. Here a frame made partly of high-strength steel provides a firm base. Special tubular sections and impact-absorbing elements in the seat lining ensure that the seats are able to absorb high impact forces in a side-on collision and transfer them to the other side of the vehicle. The front-seat backrests consist of steel frames with springing and foam pads whose contours, like those of the cushions, have also been designed to provide better lateral support.

Seat climate: four ventilators for active ventilation

When developing seats, the Mercedes specialists look not only at the classic
comfort features like springing and damping but also at occupant wellbeing as a whole, including what is referred to as seat climate. The materials used in a Mercedes seat, and its internal structure, must be designed to ensure comfort under all weather and temperature conditions. In the case of the new Cabriolet seats, this is achieved by using breathable composite seat materials and high-quality fabric or leather surface upholstery.

Climate comfort is likewise enhanced by the optionally available climatised seats with leather upholstery and active ventilation: four ventilators in the seat cushion and in the backrest extract cool air from the floor area of the interior and distribute it evenly through a ventilation tissue beneath the seat surface. The mild airflow can prevent the car's occupants from sweating, even when it is extremely hot outside.

Multicontour seats: air chambers in the backrests and seat cushions

The newly developed multicontour seats allow the driver and front passenger to adapt the contours of the seat to suit their anatomy or personal preferences thanks to inflatable air chambers in the side bolsters of the backrest, in the lumbar region and at the front edge of the seat cushion. One special attribute of the new multicontour seat is the function for pneumatically adjusting the seat cushion length. The front air cushion increases the seat cushion length at the push of a button, allowing occupants to relax their legs.

Rear: comfortable individual seats with standard-fit through-loading feature

For the rear passengers, there are two comfortable individual seats, whose distinctively contoured foam upholstery ensures a high level of comfort and excellent lateral support. Once a rear passenger has taken their seat and belted up, the head restraints are raised automatically. Standard equipment includes a through-loading feature and a fold-out centre armrest as well as a stowage compartment between the individual rear seats featuring a double cup holder and a retractable cover. If the optional AIRCAP� system is specified, the fully automatic draught-stop is located between the rear head restraints.

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