2018 Mercedes E400 Coupe perfect ride for those who want to turn heads
Mercedes has four two-door coupes on offer (C Coupe, E Coupe, S Coupe and GT Coupe), ranging in price from $48,300 GLC to $152,000.
To these eyes, the E-Class is the best of the bunch, visually.
It’s all about proportions. From the low roofline, long wheelbase and wheels way out at the edges, to the threedimensional grill and taillights that wrap around the smooth flanks, the lines blend seamlessly into one complete and gorgeous unit.
While the coupe wears the EClass name, it shares little with its four-door siblings.
The two share virtually no body panels, the coupe gets a completely different set of clothes. It rides on a shortened version of the same platform. The wheelbase is 66 mm shorter than the sedan but 112 mm longer than the outgoing coupe.
Overall length is up 123 mm and both front and rear tracks are 70 mm wider, adding to the overall hunkered down impression,
The designers didn’t stop there. The interior is similarly stunning with acres of smooth leather interspersed with real wood (open pore dark ash in this case) and metal. From the time you open the long doors and are presented with the seat belt as you sit, you know you are in a different atmosphere. Not only can the seat be heated, so can the steering wheel and even the armrests. A quick glance over your shoulder with the windows down, reveals the lack of a bpillar.
That wide-open space, combined with the standard panoramic sunroof comes close to simulating a convertible.
The front seats are spacious, infinitely adjustable and the driver can enjoy a massage while underway.
Rear seat space, with five centimetres more legroom than the outgoing coupe, is fairly accommodating for a pair of adults.
Trunk space is more than capable of carrying several sets of golf clubs or the largest suitcases.
The driver faces a pair of digital screens that stretch an industry leading 62 cm from one side to the other.
The centre one displays navigation, infotainment and a variety of vehicle settings, easily accessed via a console-mounted touch pad.
The second one, optional in some cases, replaces the usual analogue instruments in front of the driver.
Both are configurable in a dizzying array of choices and remain brilliantly visible in any ambient light conditions.
Lights were an integral part of the development of this new coupe. Regular readers will know of my appreciation of advanced headlight systems — Mercedes has taken that to a new level.
There are 64 colour choices for ambient lighting and the instrument panel welcomes your arrival with a wake up display.
But it is the headlights that are so special. The high beams can be left on, relieving the burden on the driver when driving at night, without disturbing other road users.
In addition to the high beam module, the system comprises a quartet of LED units for low beam. They turn up to 12 degrees in either direction based on information from that same camera. It scans the scene ahead and determines the ideal focal point for the lights.
The anticipatory system actually starts to turn the lighting as you approach a corner, before you even have a chance to turn the steering wheel, returning to the straight ahead position before you finish the turn.
Suffice it to say this is the new state-of-the-art in headlight technology and safe driving at night.
The E400 coupe is loaded with other high tech features, too numerous to get into in the space allotted here.
For example, radar and other sensors monitor the path ahead — or behind, for vehicles, pedestrians and obstacles when driving, reversing or parking.
There is even a unit that can detect an impending crash and ‘pre-trigger your ears’ natural defence against loud noises.”
The hood of the coupe is different than that of the sedan, as does what lies beneath. While the E400 sedan comes with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the coupe gets a twin-turbo V6.
It sends a hefty 329 horse power to all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic and 4Matic all-wheel-drive system.
Performance is more than adequate, with a seamless delivery of torque from very low revs to redline. Rest to 100 km/h takes less than six seconds.
The coupe also boasts a nicely sorted suspension system that absorbs all but the most extreme road blemish with aplomb, leaving occupants unaware of its presence.
The supple ride does not come at the cost of handling. The driver can select from Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ modes
While buyers often try to justify the purchase of a coupe by the fact it has a rear seat, the truth is they are an emotional purchase.
You buy one because you like the way it looks and the way you look in it.