Mercedes-Benz is famed above all for its luxury sedans and roadsters; comprising an interesting intersection of these categories are its luxury coupes. These two-doors merge the comfort and unflappability of a Mercedes sedan with some of the style of a sports car.
The latest in that tradition was launched by CATS Motors on October 8: the new E-Class Coupe. The last time we caught sight of a new-model E-Class coupe, Tom Cruise was rolling around in a convertible version, courtesy of a big bonus from The Firm. That gorgeous and now-classic W124 coupe was supplanted by two generations of CLK, but now the E-Class Coupe nameplate is back.
Fittingly, Mercedes brought back the name just as the E-Class began sporting a sleeker, sportier look. The E coupe takes the raked-back styling a step further. Most obvious is the deletion of two doors and the reshaping of the roofline into a boomerang profile, with a sharply-raked rear section. The pillarless look of the CLK has been maintained, albeit with the help of a tiny sliver of fixed glass that allows the rear windows to lower all the way.
The front features the new angular face of the E-Class, with a prominent Mercedes tri-star embedded in the grille. The upward-swept door creases found in the E sedan also make their way here, matching well with the sleek roofline. The launch car included the AMG sports package, including body kit, sports suspension, power seats, and 18-inch twin-spoke wheels with mixed-size tires. Germany’s Auto Bild magazine, following a readers’ poll, declared the E-Class as the “best-looking car in the world.”
Power is supplied by the popular 3.5-liter V6, pumping out 272 hp and 350 Nm of torque. It mates to a seven-speed automatic with paddle-shift controls.
The interior features premium materials like leather and polished metal. The E borrows the S-Class’
To make entry and exit easier for rear passengers, the front seats motor forward and return to their original position. At a cool P5,980,000, the E 350 Coupe AMG Sport equipped to the gunwales, including a DVD changer, Harman/kardon audio system with iPod kit, electric rear blinds, Keyless Go system, and a huge sunroof.
The E includes Mercedes’ Pre-safe system, which anticipates a potential crash and prepares for it by tightening seatbelts, closing the sunroof, etc. ABS and ESP are of course standard. Xenon headlamps with adaptive assist are also part of the package.
CATS Motors’ Bobby Shaw explained that the E Coupe has its own unique platform, although the coupe is widely known to ride on a modified C-Class platform but with E-Class styling and interior.
The E Coupe has a strong heritage to live up to, from the classic 1950s two-doors to the 1990s W124 to the first and second-generation CLK. With its swoopy new look and sumptuous interior, the new E Coupe is off to a good start.
By Jason K. Ang | Photos By Manufacturer
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