Mercedes' newest model marks a return to glory for the German luxury marque, and is more eco-friendly than ever, writes MICHAEL McALEER, Motoring Editor
REVIEWING THE E-Class coupé a week after its saloon sibling wins our twin test against BMW’s 5 Series may smack a little of over-indulgence with the three-pointed star.
We usually try to avoid spending too much time in the same brand of cars, for fear the jolt back to reality and the world of the Chevrolet Matiz or Tata Safari might send us spiralling into a fit of depression.
But in our defence, this is not just an E-Class with the back doors sealed up. Yet again when it comes to model iterations, all is not as it seems.
This car may carry the E-Class tag, but the relationship with the recently-launched saloon is not that clear-cut. For a start, underneath the shining metal lie many of the underpinnings of the recently launched C-Class. In many ways this is a more aggressive take on the softer CLK range it replaces.
In that regard it’s no different to many of its confusing array of competitors. The BMW 325d is powered by a 3-litre engine, the Audi A5 is the coupé version of the A4, the Volvo C70 has the Ford Focus to thank for many of its underpinnings, while the Lexus IS250C is, well, powered by a big petrol engine in a market dominated by diesel and will struggle to offer a strong challenge in terms of sales.
So the E-Class coupé enters a segment that’s been given a new lease of life, thanks to the arrival of the Audi A5. Yet Mercedes is doing more than simply following the lead of its German neighbours.
This car is an amalgam of several models. For a start the design owes as much to the success of the sleek CLS four-door coupé as it does to the more limousine-looks of the saloon with which it shares its name.
In many ways it’s actually a more attractive proposition – less boxy and sharp-edged than the new E-Class. And the good news on the design front doesn’t end there.
Mercedes managed something of a coup with this coupé, certainly causing a few blushes over at Toyota. The Japanese car firm was busy finalising the presentation of its new ever-green Prius when word spread that the car’s record as the world’s most aerodynamically efficient production car had been matched – not by some eco-friendly brand or sleek, electric, city car. The new aerodynamic record for production cars went to this E-Class coupé.
Now to lose out to another eco-car or some road-hugging sports car is embarrassing enough, but to be beaten by a luxury coupé? That must have caused no end of consternation in Japan – and no end of giggles in Stuttgart. Hybrid and eco-friendly designers take note; aerodynamic, eco-friendly cars don’t have to look like they’ve just dropped down from Mars.
The efficiency end of the offering doesn’t end with its sleek lines. As with the other new models in the Mercedes range, the firm’s BlueEfficiency diesel engines manage very competent emissions, with impressive performance output.
The 2-litre 201bhp four-cylinder in our test car never once felt like it was running out of puff and the transmission seemed eager to keep power on tap in case we wanted to kick down during overtaking. That’s all the more impressive, for in the past Mercedes’ automatic transmissions and smaller diesel engines sometimes seemed to speak different languages.
The power and performance of this engine are hardly surprising, given that it boasts a very impressive 500Nm of torque that really comes to the fore when ambling through traffic.
All the German premium marques are busily shaving grammes off emissions figures. While the model we tested came with AMG-styled 18” alloys, you can get a manual version with 16” alloys and 138g/km – meaning just €156 a year in motor tax.
Frankly, the few hundred euro you’ll save on tax will quickly be lost when you try to sell a manual with 16” alloys, but some people are simply fixated by tax and emissions figures. More sensible readers will know automatic is the only way to go to ensure a decent resale value, particularly for a Mercedes. The star on the bonnet goes some way to offering stronger resale values than many rivals, but it can’t cover up fundamental mistakes.
In keeping with the desires of the majority of its potential owners in the US and continental Europe, this car is most comfortable on motorway stretches. Engine noise is negligible and when you kick down there’s a decent rumble from the exhausts.
As with most of the Mercedes range these days, the new coupé features selective damping, as standard, that constantly adjusts ride and impact on individual wheels. While it’s a well-proven system, it doesn’t always counteract the excesses of Irish roads and the rear in particular can be caught out with some of our cavernous potholes.
Our biggest gripe would be that the rear never feels as agile as the rest of the car on twisting stretches, and you don’t feel as totally in control as you might hope. The coupé’s turning circle is remarkably tight but the back end just seems to tag along.
Mercedes has been working hard on its safety technology, and several new features make it into the E-Class coupé. There’s the Attention Assist system that uses sensors to analyse driving behaviour over long journeys and between speeds of 80km/h and 180km/h. When it detects any changes in reaction times compared to earlier in the drive, it sounds an alarm for the driver to take a break.
It’s not the greatest lifesaving technology, and something of a gimmick, but it’s a talking point down at the golf club – the sort of gadget premium car buyers really admire.
The interior is very much to E-Class standard. Controls and tactile surfaces are all high quality and sitting in the two seats in the back is as adequate – or miserable – as in any competitors.
The lack of a centre armrest in the back and the austere plastics as a central divider between seats seem to suggest designers and engineers didn’t really spend much effort on this area.
Nevertheless, this coupé reiterates the return to glory of Mercedes’ fortunes, replacing the rather lacklustre CLK with a real challenge – and pricing makes it seriously competitive.
The Audi A5 might be attracting a lot of attention at present, but this Mercedes will have a guaranteed market. For all the strength of its competitors, the three-pointed star remains a potent draw for Irish buyers.
Mercedes E-Class coupé
Engine
: 2,143cc four-cylinder, in-line turbocharged diesel engine putting out 201bhp @ 4,200rpm and 500Nm of torque @ 1,600rpm
Specification: Mercedes Pre-Safe system, front side and window airbags along with driver kneebag, ABS with brake assist, Attention Assist system, intelligent light system, Audio CD, neck-pro head restraints, seatbelt feeder, rain sensing wipers, tyre pressure warning system, multi-function steering wheel in Nappa leather, Thermatic auto climate control, active bonnet that pops up for pedestrian protection, cruise control with speed limit assist, selective damping system with sports suspension featuring speed sensitive power steering on AMG sports package
L/100km (mpg): urban – 8.1, extra-urban – 4.5, combined – 5.8
CO2: 168g/km for auto version tested (138g/km for manual with 16" alloys)
Price: €55,170 (starts at €47,700)
Competition: The Alternatives
BMW 325d SE (auto)
CC: 2,993
BHP: 197
0-100km/h: 7.5 secs
L/100km: 6.2
CO2: 164g/km
Motor tax: €447
Torque: 400Nm
Price: €57,311
Volvo C70 2.0D SE Powershift
CC: 1,987
BHP: 136
0-100km/h: 11.1 secs
L/100km: 6.3
CO2: 167g/km
Motor tax: €447
Torque: 320Nm
Price: €53,610
Audi A5 2.7 TDI multitronic SE
CC: 2,698
BHP: 190
0-100km/h: 7.6 secs
L/100km: 6.4
CO2: 167g/km
Motor tax: €447
Torque: 400Nm
Price: €58,690
Lexus IS 250C
CC :2,499
BHP: 208
0- 100km/h: 9 secs
L/100km: 9.3
CO2: 219g/km
Motor tax: €1,050
Torque: 252Nm
Price: €61,400