It was in May last year when Mercedes-Benz India introduced the BS6-compliant (Bharat Stage 6) E-Class range. Back then and until recently, only the 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines which power the E200 and E220 d variants met the stricter emission norms. For some, the exclusion of the E350 d derivative from that list was heartbreaking as they thought Mercedes-Benz would stop selling it for good.

Well, as it turns out, that wasn’t Mercedes’ plan. The E350 d variant lives on as it has gained the crucial compliance certificate. Available only in the Elite form, it wears a price tag of Rs 75.29 lakh (excluding taxes). Powering it is a 3.0-litre, 6-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that produces 282bhp/600Nm, while a 9-speed automatic handles transmission duties. As per Mercedes-Benz, the setup is enough for a 0-100kmph sprint time of 5.7 seconds. The top speed is electronically-limited to 250kmph.

In terms of equipment, the E350 d comes loaded to the gills. The list of features includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless mobile charger in the second row, auto-dimming ORVMs, powered seats with memory function, touchscreen control panel for rear passengers, three-zone climate control and Keyless-Go. If all that isn’t enough for you, the sedan also packs stuff like a panoramic sunroof, auto headlamps and wipers, a 13-speaker, 590-watt Burmester sound system and a bunch of safety and assistance systems.

In India, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class competes with the Jaguar XF, BMW 5 Series, Volvo S90 and the Audi A6. If you take the E350 d in particular, it has one direct rival – the BMW 530d (Rs 68.4 lakh). You see, there’s a notable price difference between the two German saloons. Sure, the BMW doesn’t have the power to match, but it produces more torque. What works better for Mercedes-Benz is that the E-Class is in Long Wheelbase form, which attracts more chauffeur-driven buyers.