1999 Mercedes-Benz E430...Continued

Safety Features: Innovative safety features are among today's hottest "news flashes" from Mercedes-Benz. All 1999 E-Class sedans have a curtain side airbag which is designed to keep both front and rear occupants from hitting their heads against the side windows or roof pillars in a severe collision, and to block entry of glass splinters and other objects. Over six feet long, 14 inches tall and about two inches thick, each curtain deploys from the ceiling directly above the side windows in about 25 milliseconds and extends across the front and rear windows. In addition, all 1999 Mercedes-Benz vehicles come equipped with anti-lock brakes, driver and front passenger airbags, door-mounted side airbags, Brake Assist and BabySmart automatic child seat recognition system.

To aid in accident prevention, Mercedes provides ASR (Automatic Slip Control) traction control as a standard feature on the E-Class. This system knows if one wheel is spinning faster than the other, and applies the brakes to that wheel. If braking is not enough, ASR will reduce engine power by backing off the electronic throttle. This advanced traction control system significantly helps to keep the car going in a straight line on slippery surfaces. Working in conjunction with ASR is Mercedes' Electronic Stability Program (ESP). Standard on the E430 and optional on other models, ESP detects an impending spin or slide and applies selective braking to keep the car going where the driver is pointing it.

Standard Features: Standard features are abundant on the E430. They include air conditioning, alloy wheels, cruise control, rear defogger, keyless entry unlock, fog lamps, power brakes, locks, windows and mirrors, heated side mirror, anti-theft radio, power leather seats, tachometer, tilt steering.

Special Features: An innovative security feature developed by Mercedes-Benz is the infrared key fob that replaces the traditional metal ignition key and remote keyless entry fob with one mechanism. Named SmartKey, the plastic snub-nosed device contains a radio-frequency unit to lock and unlock the doors and a separate system to start the car. When inserted into the ignition, the fob sends a unique signal to the car, unlocking the steering column and starting the engine. For extra security, after each use, the key reprograms itself with a different code.