Longroof versions of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class have never been volume sellers, at least here in the United States. But their blend of elegance and practicality have helped them carve out their own little niche in the American market, and as the German automaker notes, American E-Class Wagon buyers represent "one of the most affluent customer profiles of any vehicle in the Mercedes-Benz portfolio."

So it's not exactly a surprise that the estate-ized version of the brand new E-Class -- the 2017 E400 4MATIC Wagon, according to official Benz nomenclature -- is headed to our shores to do battle with the likes of the upcoming Volvo V90 and Porsche Panamera Shooting Brake.

Also not a surprise? The slate of features it will offer discerning wagon-shoppers. Basically, according to Mercedes, everything we encountered on the sedan will carry over here: a quiet cabin with lots of luxury appointments, up to and including heated armrests, should you want them, plus a wagonload of technology. Yes, that does include the semi-autonomous Drive Pilot feature.

The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon will go on sale in the United States. For now, it will only be available in E400 4Matic trim with a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 under the hood. Mercedes-Benz

Just about the only thing that doesn't carry over is the 2.0-liter inline-four found under the hood of the E300 sedan. For now, the United States only gets one wagon flavor: the E400, which comes equipped with a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 producing 329 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque -- probably necessary to get the 4,497-lb (!) vehicle moving with some sense of purpose. 4Matic all-wheel drive and a nine-speed automatic transmission are standard -- and mandatory.

Also standard is a third-row bench seat, giving the wagon room for up to seven occupants; when folded, we assume there will be plenty of room for your pair of suitably preppy dogs, Pendleton blankets and a picnic lunch.

If you're anything like us, you're probably wondering if there's a new version of the excellent E63 AMG Wagon on the way. Sadly, the answer seems to be no -- for now. We've been told not to rule out an AMG variant down the road, but until that day, you'll have to make due with the E400's 130-mph electronically limited top speed or abandon the wagon formula entirely and go with an AMG-tuned E43 sedan instead.

The 2017 E400 Wagon will arrive in dealerships early next year. Pricing will be announced before then, but for comparison's sake, the 2016 E350 starts at roughly $60,000; we'd expect a moderate bump up from there. Not that it will matter all that much to its well-heeled buyers.

The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon will go on sale in the United States. For now, it will only be available in E400 4Matic trim with a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 under the hood. Mercedes-Benz

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io