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The much-anticipated 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupé has taken the recently held Detroit Motor Show by storm with its debut a month after order books opened in the UK.
The price of the luxury two-door model currently starts from £40,135, and initial deliveries are anticipated to arrive in April. It is offered in the country exclusively in AMG Line trim, which means even the basic models will have a long list of kit and 19-inch wheels as standard.
The car launched at the gigantic show is an E 400 4Matic, but that model will pass the spot to an AMG-engineered E 50 4Matic mild hybrid model, which is slated to debut in the latter half of the year.
To be unveiled as part of 2017's 50th anniversary celebrations organized for Mercedes' AMG performance arm, the coupé will be one of the first models to get the German automaker's new M256 in-line six-cylinder petrol engine that is slated to be launched in the S-Class.
Featuring a standard turbocharger in combination with a 48V electrical system and an electrically driven compressor, the 3.0L unit cranks out 402bhp in standard guise. The good news is that a series of modifications are slated to yield approximately 450bhp for the powertrain's application in the E50 Coupé.
Chassis
The 2017 E-Class has been completely re-engineered for a more upmarket positioning than that of its predecessor. It has grown both in size and positioning due to Mercedes' adoption of the newest MRA platform. Its length is up by 123mm to 4826mm, width has extended by 74mm to 1860mm and height has increased by 32mm to 1430mm. What's more, the wheelbase has been extended by 113mm over that of its predecessor at 2873mm, while the front and rear tracks are up by 67mm and 68mm at 1605mm and 1609mm.
Thanks to the larger footprint, the cabin has become roomier with an extra 18mm of head room, 38mm more elbow room up front and 50mm more shoulder room. The increase in interior space is reflected in the rear, which now has an extra 74mm of knee room, 15mm of head room, 34mm of shoulder room and 13mm more elbow room over the old model, which utilized the same platform as the replaced C-Class saloon.
Technology
The four-seat cabin's design heavily gets inspiration from other E-Class models, but it comes with a number of bespoke touches, including exclusive trim panels, automatically extending feeder arms for the front seatbelts and newly designed air vents.
Included in the key elements are two optional 12.3-inch displays for the infotainment system and instruments, the former being operable either through touchpads on the steering wheel or a rotary control and touchpad on the center console.
In the exterior, distinct design features include frameless doors and twin-blade grille.
Engines and Prices
Currently, three E-Class Coupés are available at launch in the UK, with the choice of either one diesel or two petrol engines, ranging in power from 191bhp to 328bhp.
The line-up begins with the E 220 d Coupé which runs Mercedes' newest aluminum-block 2.0L four-cylinder diesel engine, which cranks out 191bhp. It is joined by the mid-range E 300 Coupé, which is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine cranking out 242bhp. For cars equipped with this engine, the prices start at £41,025.
Topping the regular line-up is the classy E 400 4Matic Coupé, which is powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine cranking out 328bhp and is priced from £50,775.
Another good news for Mercedes lovers is that all models come fitted as standard with the automaker's in-house-produced nine-speed automatic gearbox. The E 220 d Coupé and E 300 Coupé are classified as rear-wheel drive, while the E400 4Matic, as its name suggests, comes as standard with Mercedes’ four-wheel drive system, which gives a 45% front, 55% rear apportioning of drive.
The new two-door comes with a selection of three different suspension set-ups such as an Air Body Control system featuring multi-chamber air springs, a steel-sprung Dynamic Body Control system with adaptive damping, and a base steel-sprung Direct Control system.
In combination with the Air Body Control and Dynamic Body Control suspension, the E-Class Coupé also gets Mercedes’ Dynamic Select system, which enables the driver to alter the characteristics of the car between four modes: Comfort, Eco, Sport and Sport Plus.
Source: http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/2017-mercedes-benz-e-class-coupe-revealed
