The 4MATIC permanent all-wheel-drive is available as an optional extra; it makes it possible to drive off and accelerate powerfully even on poor road surfaces or on wet, icy or snowy road surfaces. The permanent all-wheel drive system is supported by the ESP® Electronic Stability Program as well as by the 4ETS Electronic Traction System, which applies the brakes in a targeted manner on wheels that are about to spin, thus being able to direct the drive torque to the wheels with good traction.

In addition to this, 4MATIC makes conventional differentials superfluous: the targeted braking impulses can improve pulling-away behaviour on low-grip surfaces and enhance stability during critical driving manoeuvres.

4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive is available in conjunction with 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission and V6 engines (E 350 CDI 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY and E 350 4MATIC).