Skip advert
Advertisement

Mercedes E-class Coupe

Change of name and change of style for the Mercedes-Benz CLK replacement

It’s time to say goodbye to the Mercedes CLK and welcome back an old name. This is the Mercedes E-class Coupe, the German brand’s big debutant at the Geneva motor show.

And unlike the old two-door E-class, this one seems to have a healthy dose of sporting intent to it. For starters it’s the most aerodynamically slick production car with a drag coefficient figure of 0.24 Cd. There’s also a new Agility Control setup, which adjusts the suspension automatically to cope with differing driving conditions. It aims to make the E coupe a more dynamic drive than its CLK predessor.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Engine-wise, the big news centres around efficiency. Fear not, though, because power and torque don’t suffer in the process. Perhaps the biggest seller will be the four-cylinder E250 CDI. It’s a 201bhp, 369lb ft diesel that also manages a claimed 53.3mpg while emitting 139g of carbon dioxide per kilometre. Put it along side a comparative engine in the CLK that’s a 36 per cent rise in power coupled with a 17 per cent drop in fuel consumption – not bad going at all.

Topping the range until AMG has its way is the E500, which does without boasts of extra efficiency (25.9mpg claimed) and is simply a hefty V8 boasting 383bhp and 391lb ft. It’s the same unit as the Mercedes CLK500, a car it shifts to 62mph in 5.2sec. Expect similar stuff in the E500 coupe, with an identical and electronically governed 155mph maximum.

In between the two there’s an E350 CDI diesel (228bhp, 398lb ft, 41.5mph), E250 CGI petrol (201bhp, 229lb ft, 40.3mpg) and E350 CGI petrol (288bhp, 269lb ft, 32.5mpg). All engines except the E500 get Merc’s environmentally aware Blue Efficiency package.

Brake Assist Plus is on the options list, a system that was perhaps made famous on the S-class. It senses the car heading to quickly towards a car or object in front and applies the brakes accordingly. There’s a range of other safety gizmos too, in the shape of pedestrian-friendly Active Bonnet and Attention Assist, which detects via a dizzying array of signals whether the driver is in need of a rest.

UK sales of the CLK replacement begin in June. It goes on sale with two spec levels, SE (grey car, pictured) and Sport (white car), the latter benefiting from an AMG bodykit and 18in alloys. Prices will be announced nearer the summer.

The new E-class Coupe will be one of the highlights of the 2009 Geneva motor show. It will be unveiled on March 3, when evo.co.uk will be reporting live from the show floor. In the meantime read our show news and previews.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Ford Focus ST (Mk3) – the car world's greatest misses
Ford Focus ST Mk3
Features

Ford Focus ST (Mk3) – the car world's greatest misses

We’d hoped the 2015 Focus ST would share a good dose of its little brother’s magic. Sadly, it didn’t
28 Apr 2025
The Ferrari 296 Speciale has arrived, and it could be the most thrilling Ferrari ever
Ferrari 296 Speciale – front
News

The Ferrari 296 Speciale has arrived, and it could be the most thrilling Ferrari ever

The 296 Speciale is the latest in Ferrari's line of mid-engined road racers, packing 868bhp and LaFerrari-beating pace on track
29 Apr 2025
Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 2025 review – the ultimate analogue hypercar
GMA T.50 front
Reviews

Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 2025 review – the ultimate analogue hypercar

The GMA T.50 is the car we thought would never come: Gordon Murray's sequel to the ultimate hypercar, the McLaren F1
26 Apr 2025