Four versions of the new E-Class Coupé

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open-pore or bright gloss finish, while the AMG line is trimmed in either black and red or black and white, together with deeper bumpers at both ends, special exterior trim, bigger rims, and an AMG sports steering wheel.

As you’d expect, the Coupé has all the gizmotronics of its four-door sedan sibling, including wireless smartphone connection and charging, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and live traffic information.

Driver aids include Drive Pilot, an active cruise control that’ll maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you at up to 210km/h, automatic braking for slow traffic or pedestrians, and remote parking via a smartphone app.

Also available as options are multibeam headlights, each with 84 individual LEDs, directly water fed windscreen wiper blades, and a concierge service.

The tail lights say “hello” and “goodbye” in an appealing light show. When the vehicle is opened, the tail light LEDs illuminate successively from the centre of the vehicle outwards. On locking the vehicle, the light sequence runs in the opposite direction. The tail lamps also have a brilliant appearance reminiscent of the glow of a jet engine.

The standard issue steel-spring suspension with amplitude-dependent damping runs 15mm lower than that of the sedan, and it’s tuned for comfort.

If Sir wishes to drive in a more spirited manner, Sir should choose the dynamic body control suspension with adjustable damping, offering “Comfort”, “Sport” and “Sport+” settings, or the Air Body Control multi-chamber air suspension with continuous, electronically controlled adaptive damping at each individual wheel.

The E-Class Coupé is available at launch with a choice of one diesel and three petrol engines, each driving via a ninespeed 9GTronic automatic transmission – but we’ve been promised more engine choices and all-wheel drive versions down the road.

The E 220d has a new all-aluminum 1950cc turbodiesel four-cylinder engine, with single-stage turbocharger and variable turbine geometry.

It’s rated for 143kW at 3800 rpm and 400Nm from 1600-2800rpm. The 0-100km/h sprint takes a claimed 7.4 seconds and top whack is 242km/h, at a factory-quoted fuel consumption of four litres per 100km.

The two-litre E 200 turbopetrol four-cylinder delivers a quoted 135kW at 5500rpm and 300Nm from 12004000rpm, hits a hundred in 7.8 seconds and 240km/h flat out, at a fuel cost of six litres per 100km.

The E 300 has the same engine, but tuned for 180kW at 5500rpm and 370Nm from 14004000rpm, launches to 100km/h in 6.4 seconds and is limited to 250km/h, while slurping 6.4 litres per 100km.

Topping the range at launch is the three-litre, V6 turbopetrol E 400 with 4Matic all-wheel drive, boasting 245kW from 5250-6000rpm and 480Nm from 1600 – 4000, sprinting from 0-100 in 5.3s and limited to 250km/h, at a cost of 8.1 litres per 100km.

MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS COUPÉ PRICES E 200 - 135kW/300Nm R754 500 E 220d - 143kW/400Nm R806 500 E.300 - 180kW/370Nm R842 500 E400 4Matic R1 021 500

These include a six year or 100 000km maintenance plan.