Mercedes E-Class Images "Leak"

I own a 335i sedan which I bought in spite of its appearance as much of the detailing on the car is inferior to the E46 model which it replaced. The use of styling gimmicks by Chris Bangle specifically has in my view pushed elegance to the back seat (and I'm not talking about the "bustle" stolen from 1979 Cadillac, but the godawful and cutesy cut lines and extraneous body flourishes.) Those who argue that the current MB or BMW models are better looking than their predecessors would also be arguing that the Nissan GTR is a better looking car than an Aston Martin were the Nissan only built in Germany. I have a friend who recently bought a C class for his wife; he is a long time Mercedes owner who bought the C over the 3-series only because MB offered a vastly superior lease deal, and not because he liked the car. Audi has been the least affected of the three premium German cars, and their interiors remain the classiest in the industry. The fish-mouth has set a poor precedent, IMHO.

As an E500 owner whose lease expires a year from now I'm very interested in what the new E class is going to look like. The current car is pretty nice, without any of the silly S-clsss bulges but this new one seems to have borrowed rear wheel swellings from the S. The bulges over the rear wheels have no reason to be there. I also think the new car is raked far too much forward, with its rump way up in the air. I hate that look. I'm giving strong consideration to picking up one of the last 09 E class cars, maybe an E550, before the new 2010s arrive or else just forgetting Mercedes completely and looking at either a Lexus ES350 or a Hyundai Genesis. I want a car that I can get into without bumping my head and that I can sit in without rubbing my head against the headliner. Max