Autoexpress: Mercedes-Benz E250 CDI Coupe SE

[cawimmer430]

Mercedes E250 CDI Coupe SE

Can two-door version of latest E-Class mirror success of CLK it replaces? We hit the road to reveal all...



The long-lived and much-loved Mercedes CLK is no more. In its place comes the E-Class Coup?, which gets the spectacular look of the new saloon, but puts its practicality on the back burner.

So, is this machine as good to drive as it is to look at? We hit the road to find out. In the flesh, the design turns heads. Immediately recognisable are the twin rectangular lights from the saloon ? they give the Coup? real presence when it?s lurking in your rear view mirror. The profile blends the low arc of the roof and the pillarless glass area, both of which help create a classic coup? design, while a bold crease hovers above the rear wheelarch.

And that low and lithe shape isn?t only for show ? with a drag co-efficient of only 0.24, the new Coup? is the world?s most aerodynamically efficient car.

Climb inside and the interior is as beautiful as the exterior. A new dash shares components and electrics with the saloon, but it?s reshaped and set lower to complement the cosseting, sunken sports seats.

You?d expect the Coup? to be sharper to drive, too, and it is, thanks in part to a shorter wheelbase, developed from the C-Class. It feels more agile and keener to turn in, and has huge reserves of front-end grip.

It rides with a grace and composure that?s reminiscent of Mercedes models of old. Body control is superb, without having to resort to rock-solid suspension. We drove the SE ? this has the softer of the two suspension set-ups, and it fits the car?s character better.

The other option is the Sport model, which feels much firmer and gets flustered on anything other than immaculately smooth surfaces. Our E-Class Coup? was equipped with the potent 2.2-litre turbodiesel, producing 201bhp and 500Nm of torque. But thanks to the BlueEFFICIENCY tweaks it will still return 55mpg and emit only 135g/km of CO2.

Mated to the super-smooth 7G-TRONIC auto gearbox, which can jump two cogs at a time in search for the perfect ratio, the unit offers surging acceleration from anywhere in the rev range.

But in squeezing so much from such a small-capacity motor, refinement has been sacrificed when compared to the silky six-cylinder units. From launch in June, only the E350 CDI and E350 CGI petrol will be offered, alongside the V8 E500 ? this four-cylinder E250 CDI arrives with the E250 CGI in September.

Regardless of the engine, the two-door offers the passion and personality that?s lacking from the clinical saloon ? and it takes Mercedes back into
contention in the coup? class.

Rival: Audi A5
it can?t deliver the same level of driver involvement as the BMW 3-Series, or compete with the Mercedes for refinement. But with huge reserves of grip and balance, the A5 is a good compromise between the two.





FIRST OPINION: "Mercedes has distilled the latest E-Class saloon?s styling into a lower, wider and sleeker shape with great success. The interior is luxurious, while the sculpted seats and steeply raked dash are pure coup?. The dynamics are sharper, too, yet the four-door?s superb ride remains. Add a strong line-up of efficient engines, and the E-Class Coup? shows Mercedes is back to its best"


      Price: ?30,300

      Engine: 2.2-litre 4cyl, 201bhp

      Torque: 500Nm

      0-62mph: 7.4 seconds

      Top speed: 155mph

      Economy: 55.4mpg

      CO2: 135g/km

      Equipment: Leather, heated seats, cruise control, 17-inch alloys, parking sensors, eight-speaker stereo with Bluetooth

      On sale: Sept

 

[Submariner]

Sounds like a winner. 

[Galaxy]

Mated to the super-smooth 7G-TRONIC auto gearbox, which can jump two cogs at a time in search for the perfect ratio, the unit offers surging acceleration from anywhere in the rev range.

But in squeezing so much from such a small-capacity motor, refinement has been sacrificed when compared to the silky six-cylinder units. From launch in June, only the E350 CDI and E350 CGI petrol will be offered, alongside the V8 E500 ? this four-cylinder E250 CDI arrives with the E250 CGI in September.

So the coup? gets the 7G instead of the 5G in the sedan, or is this a mistake by the reviewer?

Every test I have read of the new Mercedes 4 cylinder laments the refinement. The problem is not so much that it is less refined then a V6, the problem is that it is less refined then the competitions I4s.

[Galaxy]

So the coup? gets the 7G instead of the 5G in the sedan, or is this a mistake by the reviewer?

Found the answer myself. The coup? also has the 5G.

[YO]

Can't wait for this car... I'm driving a CLK550 right now and this thing is damn scary for $65k

[cawimmer430]

They should be at the MB dealer tomorrow or even tonight. Maybe I'll stop by sometime to check them out. 

[cawimmer430]

[Hachee]

No question that the new E Coupe looks hot, especially in that color, but I just can't get over certain styling elements, such as the fussy character lines on the rear fender....just too much.  I'd also like to see a cleaner, simpler front bumper.  And I love those new seats!  But for sheer beauty, the A5 has it beat, IMHO!

[J86]

No question that the new E Coupe looks hot, especially in that color, but I just can't get over certain styling elements, such as the fussy character lines on the rear fender....just too much.  I'd also like to see a cleaner, simpler front bumper.  And I love those new seats!  But for sheer beauty, the A5 has it beat, IMHO!

I'm with ya.

[Raza]

Those are very unflattering shots of the E class.  Maybe for the next photoshoot, they should put it next to something like the Aztek, so the E class looks better!



I especially don't like the way the back end seems to droop in that angle.

[omicron]

I'm surprisingly underwhelmed by both cars. Give me a 159 Ti!

[CALL_911]

Wow, the MB looks freaking ugly next to the A5.

[Raza]

I'm surprisingly underwhelmed by both cars. Give me a 159 Ti!

I like that line of thinking.  I'll have this though:

[CALL_911]

Can't wait for this car... I'm driving a CLK550 right now and this thing is damn scary for $65k

Scary good, or scary bad?

[AltinD]

I've seen one in a TV report/test and it looked like no difference then the CLK it replaced. I don't mean the design details, but the road presence and the overall stance.

[CALL_911]

I've seen one in a TV report/test and it looked like no difference then the CLK it replaced. I don't mean the design details, but the road presence and the overall stance.

The CLK has like no presence at all.

[Raza]

It's certainly not imposing.  The CLK's graceful and elegant.  Two things this car is not.  Nor is it aggressive. 

[YO]

scary bad... I know I'm a honda fanboy, but this crazy 18 months have had me working for Cadillac/Saab, Acura/BMW and now Mercedes Benz... and I'm simply not impressed....

the CLK is just horrible...

Scary good, or scary bad?

[nickdrinkwater]

Looks like a car for older buyers...

[cawimmer430]

Looks like a car for older buyers...

The C209 CLK looked like a car for older buyers, not this. This has dynamic design cues and "youth appeal" in some ways. And in case you have not noticed, most customers of A5, CLK and 3er coupe cars are "older".

[Raza]

The C209 CLK looked like a car for older buyers, not this. This has dynamic design cues and "youth appeal" in some ways. And in case you have not noticed, most customers of A5, CLK and 3er coupe cars are "older".

Wimmer, you buy every Merc press release, hook, line, and sinker. 

I don't think you'll find 30somethings clamoring for the E coupe either. 

[CALL_911]

scary bad... I know I'm a honda fanboy, but this crazy 18 months have had me working for Cadillac/Saab, Acura/BMW and now Mercedes Benz... and I'm simply not impressed....

the CLK is just horrible...

Isn't the CLK on the W203 platform? Yeah, for $65k, I can see where you're coming from.

[Xer0]

I really like the E coupe, it looks good unlike the sedan.  Isn't it still based off of the C-class though?

[cawimmer430]

I really like the E coupe, it looks good unlike the sedan.  Isn't it still based off of the C-class though?

The chassis was borrowed from the W204 C-Class but heavily modified. 

[cawimmer430]

Wimmer, you buy every Merc press release, hook, line, and sinker. 

No I don't. 

I don't think you'll find 30somethings clamoring for the E coupe either. 

Says who? Take a glance at the people driving the A5, 3er Coupe and CLK - it's a healthy mixture of all age groups. The vast majority of A5 and 3er coupe/convertibles and CLK products are bought by older people for the sole reason that they have the money to afford them in the first place. In terms of youth appeal the A5 and 3er are definitely ahead of the CLK though.

[hounddog]

No question that the new E Coupe looks hot, especially in that color, but I just can't get over certain styling elements, such as the fussy character lines on the rear fender....just too much.  I'd also like to see a cleaner, simpler front bumper.  And I love those new seats!  But for sheer beauty, the A5 has it beat, IMHO!

Yup.  +155

That Impala swoop on the back quarter panel is just plain horrid-able-acious.  Not going to even go into the cartoon-eque hood seperation lines.  Overall, it could have been so much, well, more.  It is a magnificent example of falling short and over doing it at the same time.

I much prefer the Audi in every aspect.

[CALL_911]

Wimmer, why doesn't MB ever base its intermediate coupes (CLK, etc.) on the E-class?

[Submariner]

Wimmer, why doesn't MB ever base its intermediate coupes (CLK, etc.) on the E-class?

They did - The car in my sig, and models before it as well. 

I suspect they do it so it doesn't compete too closely to the CL.  The 124 was fairly large inside, and although the W140 CL was a massive automobile, didn't have a great deal more interior room.

An E-coupe would also cost more than a C-coupe, again, putting it closer to CL territory, or square in CLS territory.

Mercedes is really starting to congest their model lineup.  Lexus was pushing it when they had three SUV's...now Merc has four.  Now they have three coupes (the CLS, if you count it as a coupe - and four in Europe including the C coupe) I really like the E coupe, I think it looks fantastic.  However, it's getting to be too much.

[CALL_911]

They did - The car in my sig, and models before it as well. 

I suspect they do it so it doesn't compete too closely to the CL.  The 124 was fairly large inside, and although the W140 CL was a massive automobile, didn't have a great deal more interior room.

An E-coupe would also cost more than a C-coupe, again, putting it closer to CL territory, or square in CLS territory.

Mercedes is really starting to congest their model lineup.  Lexus was pushing it when they had three SUV's...now Merc has four.  Now they have three coupes (the CLS, if you count it as a coupe - and four in Europe including the C coupe) I really like the E coupe, I think it looks fantastic.  However, it's getting to be too much.

Actually, yeah. It's a 3er competitor, rather than a 6er competitor. Makes sense, I guess.

[cawimmer430]

Wimmer, why doesn't MB ever base its intermediate coupes (CLK, etc.) on the E-class?

Probably because of costs and because the C-Class chassis was good enough for the CLK/E-Class Coupe. A few modifications here and there and the car using the C-Class chassis will feel and drive completely different.