A SUPERIOR COUPE

Subtract some usefulness, add some to the price; this is the cruel but concise summary of the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe. Built in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, as with all GLEs, the new Coupe is due in Australia in about August next year.

Mercedes decided to make the coming GLE Coupe even more different, starting with less distance between its front and rear axles than the 2019 GLE wagon. The 60mm shorter wheelbase makes the Coupe feel a fraction more agile but it also cuts into interior space.

Inside, the Coupe is only slightly more roomy than the outgoing model. Cargo capacity is similar but the compartment gets lower load height, extra length and more width between wheel arches.

For Australia the likely bestselling AMG GLE53 Coupe gets a twin-turbo 3.0-litre in-line six with mild electrification. The companion GLE450 Coupe gets a less powerful version of the six.

Not yet officially confirmed, a GLE63 Coupe with AMG’s firebreathing twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8, is a sure bet to top the range.

The GLE53 Coupe was the only Australia-bound variant brought to snowy Austria for the international media presentation so that’s what we drove. Its engine is a cracker, with a turbo-like electric compressor to deliver instant boost and surging power from low revs, while the second exhaust-driven turbo is building up speed.

Between the engine and transmission is an integrated 48V starter-alternator that can briefly add a 16kW boost, making the GLE53 Coupe a hybrid. It also delivers smooth and lightning-fast idle-stop restarts and, in alternator mode, powers the 48V electrics.

With its plentiful power, eagerness to please and rich exhaust note, there’s a lot to like beneath the GLE53’s bonnet. The AMGupgraded nine-speed auto and all-wheel drive make sure the six’s talent isn’t wasted. This is a superior set-up indeed.

Handling is truly impressive in the Coupe, even at a tubby 2000kg-plus. Mercedes-AMG adds air suspension, adaptive shock