2017 Mercedes-Benz E 220 d All Terrain - Off-Road Drive. Color: Designo Hyacinth Red Metallic.

Whether on rough tracks, muddy dirt roads or ice-covered highways – the E-Class All-Terrain is able to cope with any type of surface effortlessly thanks to the permanent all-wheel drive 4MATIC. 4MATIC is based on the electronic traction system 4ETS in conjunction with the Electronic Stability Program ESP®. 4ETS distributes the power between the front and rear axle in the ratio of 45:55 (details apply to left-hand-drive vehicle). If one or more wheels lose grip, 4ETS brakes them at lightning speed and automatically diverts the drive power to the wheels offering good traction.

Greater traction and driving stability on slippery surfaces are the key advantages of the all-wheel drive system 4MATIC. With the 4MATIC models of the new E-Class, a design change has taken place: the single-stage transfer case is no longer integrated in the automatic transmission, but is flange-mounted on the 9G‑TRONIC as a separate system. This improves efficiency, reduces friction and saves around 3 kg in weight compared with the previous design. On top of this there is optimum matching of the lubricant properties and avoidance of impurities caused by wear from the transfer case in the 9G-TRONIC thanks to separate oil and hydraulic circuits.

Features which have been retained include the compact design of the 4MATIC, which results in no restrictions in the interior and luggage compartment, as well as the so-called pre-lock feature. As part of this, a double-disc clutch achieving a basic locking torque of approximately 50 Nm between the front and rear axle is fitted to the central differential. The clutch pack is permanently preloaded via a plate spring. In the case of spinning wheels on one of the two axles, friction torque is transmitted to the axle spinning more slowly by relative movement of the discs. A sustained improvement to traction and directional stability of the vehicle are achieved through this principle of variable torque shift. Particularly in the case of low coefficients of friction between the tyres and the road surface, the traction and stabilising effect of this so-called pre-lock clutch is clearly noticeable.