Mercedes-Benz has extendedits E-Class,added some offroad goodies– including an all-wheel drivetrain – and named its newcomer the E-Class All-Terrain.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been well received globally and the brand has expandedthe range to include this new All-Terrain version. It's essentially an E-Class estate, but Mercedes-Benz has jacked the car up to add credible ground clearance, fitted its well-proven 4Matic all-wheel drive setup and added some offroad exterior paraphernalia. Mercedes-Benz has fitted a plate underneath the vehicle to protect it from rocks and there's also load-sill protection. The wheels may be on the larger side, but these tyres will come with high sidewalls, which is necessary if you want to take it off the beaten track.

Powering the Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain is the new 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel motor, which has outputs of 143 kW and 400 Nm. For those craving more power, there'll be a 6-cylinder turbodiesel motor to follow. Power is transmitted to all four wheels through a 9-speed automatic transmission and Benz's Dynamic Select features an offroad mode, which will lift the air suspension up by an extra 20 mm to cope with serious off-road obstacles.

This is a unique segment of the market and rivals are an eclectic bunch. You can get a Subaru Outback for example, and the Mercedes-Benz All-Terrain announcement follows the recent news that Volvo has made a V90 Cross Country. At this stage we're unsure if Mercedes-Benz SA plans to bring this vehicle to our market, but we'll know more once this car has been unveiled at the forthcoming Paris Motor Show.

Watch the Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain in action

Related content:

Mercedes-Benz Expands E-Class range in SA

Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2016) South African Launch

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