Four-Eyes: The New E-Class The E-Class will feature refined design and engineering starting in the middle of July 1999. More than 1800 components of the world's segment leader have been either changed or improved. The striking "four-eyes" front end which made the E-Class a design trend-setter in 1995 has been modified, conferring a dynamic look to saloon cars and the T-Model alike. The front end has been lowered approximately two centimeters and the newly designed bonnet, grill and bumper fascia now blend seamlessly into the bodywork. The front wings have also been slightly modified to accommodate a lower, sleeker positioning of the headlights. The outside rear-view mirrors, tail lights and the roof rails on the T-Model have likewise undergone design modifications. New Six-Speed Transmission Mercedes-Benz has developed a new six-speed manual transmission as standard equipment on all diesel and petrol models of up to 2.8 litres displacement. The sixth gear is a type of "overdrive" that markedly lowers engine speeds when driving on the motorway. Depending on driving style, distance and engine type, motorists can save up to 0.5 litres of fuel per every 100 kilometers driven. Gears one to four benefit from a sophisticated bevel-gear synchronisation resulting in ultra-smooth shifting, shifting that requires over 25 percent less effort than the current five-speed transmission. The five-speed automatic transmission now comes equipped with an electronically monitored push-button.