Two birds with one stone
With the Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupé, not one, but two discontinued models are consigned to the history books. Was the C Coupé unnecessary, or was the E Coupé unnecessary? Or is the CLE such a jack-of-all-trades?
Replacing two models with one: what kind of nonsense is that?
Nothing new under the sun. Once upon a time there was the CLK, which was in fact little more than a sauce E on a bed of C. In fact, the CLK was also a C and E-class Coupé in one. Only the way the two models were fused together was different. While the CLK was mainly modeled on the then E and underneath it was actually a C, the new CLE Coupé is much more in the middle in terms of design. The technical split is also a lot less challenging, thanks to the modular MRA2 platform from which both the C and the E are built.
Actually the resurrection of the CLK.
What about the dimensions?
the CLE is one and a half centimeters longer than the E-class, which automatically means that it has undergone a huge growth spurt of no less than 164 mm compared to the C-class. The wheelbase shrank slightly (8 mm) compared to the E, but grew by 25 mm compared to the C. Although the wheelbase became slightly smaller compared to the E, but the body was slightly longer, you can only conclude that the proportions are still correct. From the side, the CLE is a graceful, stretched coupe that is rarely seen today. And we bet no one will miss that ugly bar that was just in front of the C-pillar on the E Coupé. In terms of interior dimensions, the CLE is exclusively a win for C Coupé drivers. When you get out of the E Coupé, you get a little more legroom at the front, but less legroom and headroom at the back. The interior width of the rear seat has increased.
More space in the width in the rear.
And the dashboard? C or E?
This has been adopted almost one-to-one from the C-class sedan. So no hyper or even super screen here, but two separate screens, the central part of which is vertical and slightly turned towards the driver. What is on board is the new, third-generation MBUX system that previously debuted in the E-class. It includes many new IA features and connectivity. Music is available on three levels, with the real connoisseur choosing Burmester, with seventeen speakers, including some in the headrests, and Dolby Atmos, which claims to provide a 360-degree experience.
Any other technical news?
A steering rear axle as an option; it makes the car calmer at high speed and a lot more agile at walking pace. Compared to a CLE without four-wheel steering, the turning circle is half a meter shorter. This makes the CLE in that version even a lot more agile than the smaller C-class Coupé. All engine versions are equipped with 48V mild hybrid system, ISG. Compared to previous versions, the CLE has a new battery, which increases the electrical power from 15 to 17 kW. It delivers an additional 205 Nm of torque. This extra boost can be used when driving away from a standstill and to ‘sail’ at a constant speed with the combustion engine stationary, so that consumption is reduced.
The dashboard comes from the C-class.
How does that drive?
The six-cylinder is wonderfully smooth, partly thanks to some help from the mild hybrid technology that almost seamlessly closes possible holes in the power delivery. This also ensures that we ‘sail’ at speed when rolling out. This is of course mainly to reduce consumption, because switching off the six-cylinder hardly contributes to the peace and quiet on board – it is just that quiet. The comfort is well within the limits of what you expect from a Mercedes. It barely transmits any shocks and the steering reaps the benefits of the progressive character and the steering rear wheels. It’s all very soothing at speed. This does not alter the fact that the ADAS interfere too emphatically with your driving style. Even when you are just above the speed limit, the dwarf will bang his gong, so you will soon start throwing rude things at him. On the meandering mountain roads, the CLE behaves mainly undercooled and forgiving. It goes fast, but if you want to be the tough guy, just buy a pure sports car.
Comfort and tranquility, even on back roads.
Which engines will there be?
The entry-level model will be the CLE 200 with 150 kW and 320 Nm. The same two-liter four-cylinder is also available with 190 kW and 400 Nm, then it is called CLE 300 4Matic. Indeed, standard with 4WD, which is an option on the 200. The inline six we drove is called CLE 450 4Matic and has 280 kW and 500 Nm. All have the 9G-Tronic automatic transmission as standard. A plug-in hybrid is on the agenda for next year and the same applies to the CLE Cabriolet. The Coupé will come to Europe in November.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl