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"Was it intentional that Mercedes-Benz chose the usually-cold, quite often snowy, Detroit Auto Show to debut its all-new 2011 E-Class Cabriolet? Quite possibly, as due to a neat gizmo called the Aircap, the E-Class Cabrio backs up Mercedes&amp;#039; claim that it is genuinely a convertible for all seasons. How so? Because the E-Class Cabriolet&amp;#039;s Aircap, along with the company&amp;#039;s earlier introduced Airscarf, make its cabin most habitable regardless of ambient temperature or disposition of its soft top. This top, by the way, has elaborate multi-layering, each ply aligned for a particular enhancement of sealing and isolation. And unlike so many retractable hardtops that come to mind, this soft top&amp;#039;s electrically actuated stowage doesn&amp;#039;t utterly destroy trunk volume. Prior to the car&amp;#039;s Detroit Show introduction, I experienced its uncanny top-down efficacy in an 87-mph virtual trip (courtesy of Mercedes&amp;#039; Unterturkheim wind tunnel). The E-Class Cabriolet&amp;#039;s extendable Aircap rises from the windshield header to divert the airflow over the cabin. A screen extending between the two rear seats defeats annoying back drafts. And, if you&amp;#039;re seated up front in the Cabriolet, its Airscarf (already a popular option on SLK and SL models) offers heat flow adjustable to neck level. Both Aircap and Airscarf are standard features of the E-Class Cabriolet. Styling of the Cabriolet echoes that of its recently introduced Coupe sibling. Especially noteworthy are aerodynamic efficiencies of these two. The Coupe&amp;#039;s coefficient of drag is 0.24, for the moment at least, a world&amp;#039;s lowest among production machines. The Cabriolet&amp;#039;s slightly less slippery soft top adds only a tad; its coefficient of drag, a commendable 0.28. The E-Class sedan&amp;#039;s is also impressive at 0.25. The E-Class Cabriolet goes on sale in the spring. Like the Coupe, it&amp;#039;ll be available as either a 268-bhp V-6 E350 or 382-bhp V-8 E550. Pricing hasn&amp;#039;t been fixed as yet, but figure it as a bit more expensive than the $56,000 CLK it replaces. Add maybe another $7000 for the E550. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-shows/detroit-auto-show/news/a15345/2011-mercedes-benz-e-class-cabriolet-1/>