First Drive Review
In car-speak, acronyms have their pros and cons. Alphanumeric, gobbledygook names force customers to use the parent company’s name every time they identify a car, casting a halo effect for the brand. “I drive a Legend,” for example, did less for Acura than, “I drive an Acura.” And so the RL was born.
Now apply that thinking to Mercedes-Benz, which, to be fair, has always used alphanumeric names. But as the company expanded its lineup to some 15 separate nameplates—not counting the AMG models—it resulted in confusion on the showroom floor and significant marketing challenges in promoting individual models. Things needed to get simpler, and they have. The replacements for Mercedes’ mid-size CLK-class coupe and cabriolet models will henceforth be identified as part of the E-class family. (The CL coupes will become part of the S-class lineup.)
E-class Innards, C-class Dimensions
Unlike the last C124 E-class coupe from the mid-1990s, as well as most of the E-class coupes before it, the 2010 E coupe is not simply a two-door version of the 2010 E-class sedan. Rather, as with the CLK, it is more or less a blend of C-class and E-class components under the skin. But whereas the CLK was more C-class than E-class, the new E coupe has more suspension and powertrain bits in common with the E than the C, according to Mercedes-Benz USA product manager Bernhard Glaser. Dimensionally, however, the E coupe is much closer to the compact C than the mid-size E, sharing the C-class’s 108.7-inch wheelbase, and the exterior dimensions remain within an inch or two of the C’s, even given the wider, longer, and lower bodywork. Compared with the E-class sedan, however, the E coupe has a three-inch-lower roof and five fewer inches of wheelbase and is about 200 pounds lighter, seven inches shorter, and a whopping five-and-a-half inches narrower.
E-class Style Inside and Out
Mercedes clearly wants the E coupe to be seen as an E, and so it adopts the sedan’s design cues, including quad headlamps and the Ponton-inspired rear quarters. Few pieces are actually shared, however. Look closer, and you’ll notice that the fender contours are ever so slightly exaggerated compared with those of the sedan and that the low-beam headlamps are unique. Unique also describes the grille treatment—here, it features two bars bracketing the three-pointed star, whereas the sedan has three or four grille slats with a vertical hood ornament. Most distinct, however, is the roofline, which, like that of the CLK, remains pillarless (that is, if you don’t count the mullion that forms the little rear quarter-window). Wheels start at 17 inches in diameter, with 18s optional on the E350 and standard on the E550. All E coupes get a full-length, partly retractable sunroof as standard equipment, the light from which is particularly appreciable from the snug rear bucket seats.
In the front row, the low-mounted seats ensure a sporty driving position, and settling in is made easier as the seatbelts are presented on startup by motorized arms. The driver faces a dashboard that recalls the sedan’s retro-inspired, angular cabinetry without copying it outright. Differences include a subtle V-shape that helps reduce the design’s imposing squareness, and a conventional console-mounted transmission shifter—as found on the C-class—stands in for the sedan’s column-mounted electronic gear stalk.
The driver faces arguably one of Mercedes’ best-ever gauge clusters, which combines five Porsche-like intersecting circles with clear, crisp displays. All E-classes feature Mercedes’ COMAND infotainment system that bundles secondary controls into a reasonably sensible screen-based interface, and E550 coupes add navigation as standard. Other options include front-seat ventilation, pneumatically adjustable seat bolsters, and a five-channel surround-sound stereo. Sadly, there’s nothing on the list capable of adding any visual spice to the conservative burled-wood-trim interior décor, which is as exciting as a bank lobby, especially compared with the intense driving environs of the Audi A5 and the BMW 3-series coupe. It’s reasonable to assume more interesting trim options are forthcoming.
