THE estate version of the new sixth generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class is being hailed as the most intelligent estate model the premium brand has ever built.

The car, due to be served up at the Mercedes Cup tennis tournament in Stuttgart, boasts a cargo volume of up to 1,820litres and despite a much sportier roofline than before, headroom and elbow room in the rear are claimed to be the best in class.

And later this year the estate will be available with a third, folding bench seat for children.

For the UK market launch, the new estate will be available as an E220d featuring a newly developed four-cylinder diesel engine producing 194bhp.

In the fourth quarter of this year, the E350d will follow, which has a six-cylinder diesel engine, and all models will come equipped as standard with the new 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic transmission.