How's this for your last ride?

Published Jul 20, 2012

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Whether this is the coolest thing in ski-lifts or a New Orleans hearse (if you've ever seen a Bourbon Street funeral you'll know what we mean) this extended E-Class Estate by stretch-Merc specialist Binz Limousine certainly makes a statement.

It's called the X-Orange. It's derived from their slinky white 2010 XTend show car and it's been stretched by a whopping 800mm to an overall length of 5.7 metres.

While we have nothing but respect for Binz, makers of some of the most professionally-engineered stretched vehicles on the planet (they even retain their Mercedes-Benz factory warranty) it took us a while to figure out just exactly what was wrong with the proportions of this one.

All the extra length is between the axles.

That makes good sense from an engineering and cost point of view, but it places the rear wheels too far back on the car for aesthetic perfection.

Had the wheelbase been stretched 400mm, and another 400mm added behind the rear axle, it would be the slinkiest wagon on the planet - and experience on the road with the Australian-built Ford Futura wagon suggests it would have improved the steering as well.

But it would very nearly double the cost of the conversion, which is most likely why it is the way it is - gorgeous, but not quite perfect.

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