I'm not sure why would you ever compare E class with 3 series in terms of handling and performance. Same way you'd never really want to compare them in terms of fit and finish, completely different cars, designed with totally different buyer in mind.
Not to say you shouldn't be shopping for one, but comparing the two is not exactly "apples to apples".
I haven't tried new one, however to me old E class didn't handle anywhere close as good as 5 series or A6. Fit and finish and comfort were exceptional though. I liked, but didn't love the looks of it comparing to the other two (same is true for new model). I also found that old model also felt more cramped than both Audi and BMW competitors, curious if they improved that ?