Mercedes has revealed the new E-class Cabriolet ahead of its public debut at the Geneva motor show. The four-seat drop-top model slots into the carmaker’s international line-up between the new C-class Cabriolet and larger S-class Cabriolet.

The 2017-model-year E-class Cabriolet has been thoroughly re-engineered and shares little with the seven-year-old model it replaces. Among its key developments is a new high-strength steel and cast aluminium body structure featuring stiffening measures aimed at providing it with a level of rigidity on par with the E-class Coupé. To keep the weight in check, its outer body also receives fenders, bonnet and boot lid made of aluminium.

The cabriolet model leans heavily on the appearance of the latest E-class Coupé; both cars feature a new restrained design language introduced by Mercedes design boss Gorden Wagener. 

The automatically operated multi-layer fabric roof is similar in design to the closely related structures used by the C-class Cabriolet and S-class Cabriolet and comes in four colours – brown, blue, red and black. It can be opened and closed in 20sec via a button on the centre console, while the car is travelling at speeds of up to 50kph.

The nominal boot capacity of 385 litres is reduced to 310 litres when the roof is stowed. This is 10 litres more than that offered by the old E-class Cabriolet. The car is also 123mm longer than its predecessor. Based on Mercedes’ MRA (modular rear architecture) platform, it also receives a wheelbase which is 113mm longer than before at 2,873mm.

As with its predecessor, the new open top can also be optioned with Mercedes’ Aircap draught-mitigating system incorporated within the upper section of the windscreen header rail, and the Airscarf neck heating ventilation system integrated into the front seat backs.

The interior is the same as that of its coupé sibling. Compared to its predecessor, headroom is up by 15mm up front and 6mm at the rear, shoulder room is increased by 50mm at the front and 14mm at the rear, and elbow room grows by 38mm at the front and 20mm at the rear. The largest increase in interior space, though, is reserved for rear seat legroom, which is up by 102mm at a claimed 866mm.

The E-class Cabriolet is planned to be offered with the same engine line-up as the latest E-class Coupé, with three petrols and a single diesel powerplant ranging in power from 184hp to 333hp. All models come fitted as standard with Mercedes’ nine-speed automatic gearbox. The E 220 d Cabriolet and E 300 Cabriolet are rear-wheel drive, while the E400 4Matic, as its name suggests, comes as standard with Mercedes’ four-wheel-drive system.

Mercedes is offering the car with a combination of wheels ranging in size from 17 to 20inches, depending on the engine and styling. Buyers can choose between three different suspension setups – a base steel-sprung Direct Control system, a steel-sprung Dynamic Body Control system with adaptive damping, and an Air Body Control system with multi-chamber air springs. It also gets the company’s Dynamic Select system, which allows the driver to alter the characteristics of the car between five modes – Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual.

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the first E-class Cabriolet, Mercedes has also announced a special 25th Anniversary Edition of the new model with either a red metallic or silver exterior paint scheme in combination with a red roof, 20-inch wheels and a beige and red interior, among other high-end features.