Stretching the term ‘coupe’ to new limits
Mercedes-Benz introduces new GLE lineup of mid-size luxury SUVs
KITZBUHEL, Austria — It’s a gloomy morning ripped straight from the pages of Tolkien’s Middle Earth. Looming overhead, the Tyrolean peaks are reduced to mere outlines by skeins of grey mist; the twisted pine trunks alongside us are slick and black with dew.
Shivering, I press the seat heater button, noting the cup holders also feature a heat/chill function. I wish I’d grabbed a java to go. Nevertheless, the warm confines of the MercedesBenz GLE’s cabin are an ideal place from which to view the Austrian countryside on this chilly wet morning.
The GLE is the latest step in Mercedes-Benz’s new naming strategy, which neatly aligns its sport-utility lineup with its equivalent passenger-car counterpart. Thus, the GLE has the same level of technology and interior features as the E-Class; the recently debuted GLC slots in beside the C-Class, and coming soon will be a GLS sport utility with all the swank of an S-Class sedan.
Essentially a reworked M-Class — which sold more than 1.6 million units since its introduction — the GLE wears a fresh new face and offers more interior trim choices. More importantly, it introduces a new variant for the sporting driver: the GLE Coupe.
The word “coupe” (originally defined as a two-door vehicle seating two passengers) has gradually become one of the more annoying automotive misnomers. Applied rather coyly at first to sportier sedans, “coupe” can apparently now describe a 2,300-kilogram, all-wheel-drive sport utility vehicle.
The GLE Coupe bears more than a passing resemblance to BMW’s X6, whose 2008 debut drew some criticism. Mercedes- Benz claims it had been kicking the crossover-coupe idea around since the early 2000s, but it was put aside while the company concentrated on developing its new front wheel-drive entrylevel vehicles.
Like the X6, the GLE Coupe wears oversized wheels within bulging fenders and has the distinctive, bubble-shaped sloping roofline. Although the wheelbase is the same as the regular GLE, the body is 127 millimetres narrower and 102 mm longer. The overall effect is somewhat cartoonish, with its gigantic wheels and hunkered stance.
Myriad powertrain choices are available across two configurations, including three diesel options (two of which are likely to be Europe-only) a plug-in hybrid and five gasoline engines.
Our time in the Coupe was divided between the GLE 450 AMG 4Matic and the MercedesAMG GLE 63 S 4Matic. The GLE 450 is a slightly more potent version of the base 400 4Matic with an AMG package. Powered by a 367-horsepower turbocharged V6, it features the new ninespeed 9G-Tronic transmission.
Standard 4Matic permanent all-wheel drive has a 40:60 front-to-rear torque split. Over the narrow ribbons of tarmac looping through Austrian forest, the GLE 450 proved to be stable and comfortable, if not exactly thrilling.
It’s a serene and well-insulated environment, with nary a sound penetrating its vault-like cabin. Plump seats are contoured and upholstered in stitched leather, which is repeated on most surfaces throughout the cabin. Wood trim has a tasteful matte surface, etched with whorls and grains. There are many options available, including the Designo Exclusive line, which features diamond-stitched leather.
While there’s plenty of legroom fore and aft, rear passenger headroom is more compromised by the coupe’s raked roofline than it is in the regular GLE. Standard on all GLEs is a Dynamic Select controller that lets the driver toggle through a variety of modes that alter steering, throttle, transmission and suspension settings. These include Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus, Slippery and Individual, which the driver can customize by setting steering and suspension parameters to their liking.
While the GLE is equipped with a steel suspension as standard, there’s an optional Airmatic air suspension with an adaptive damping system called ADS Plus. The automatic damping adapts to road conditions and, with the self-levelling system, ensures the GLE’s body remains flat regardless of speed or road conditions.
Hopping into the AMG GLE 63 S Coupe, we’re almost immediately aware of its more potent character. If the red calipers behind 22-inch multi-spoke rims aren’t enough evidence, its exhaust sure is, firing to life with a gruff bark. The bi-turbo V8 puts out 577 hp and 561 lb-ft of torque. Unlike other trims, the AMG GLE 63 and 63 S use the 7G-Tronic Plus transmission instead of the new nine-speed. It’s far livelier and robust than the lesser variants and the pops and grunts on downshift only add to the enjoyment.
All of the technology and safety systems of the E-Class are now available on the GLE, including Collision Prevention Assist Plus, Distronic Plus with Steering Assist, ESP Curve Dynamic Assist, Crosswind Assist, CrossTraffic Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Pre-Safe Plus and Active Parking Assist with Parktronic.
For an off-road excursion, we’re given a GLE 400 4Matic in the more traditional SUV style. In addition to the Airmatic Suspension and the ADS Plus automatic damping system, it’s equipped with an optional OffRoad Engineering Package with differential lock, underbody cladding, and the ability to lift 80 mm for extra clearance.
We clamber effortlessly up the steep, rocky slope, the 360-degree camera showing us rocks and logs to avoid. At the precipice of a sheer, boulderstrewn drop-off, the off-road instructor suggests we activate the Hill Descent system, which allows the vehicle to choose its own pace while going down.
Nose straight down, rump in the air, we laboriously picked our way down the slope, at times cresting off-camber banks greater than 20 degrees. Phew.
The GLE will be built in Mercedes-Benz’s Alabama plant, and should arrive in dealerships this summer. While pricing has yet to be released, it is expected to range from about $70,000 to approximately $107,000 for the AMG GLE 63.