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WHEN IT COMES TO COMBINING LUXURY AND RACING QUALITIES, THE MERCEDES-AMG GLE 43 AMG COUPE IS SIMPLY EXEMPLARY

Tumi’s Creative Director, Victor Sanz joins DA MAN in a seasonal chat about Tumi’s artistry and how travel has changed.

Developed by Mercedes-Benz’ AMG engineers to deliver the visceral experience those three letters stand for, and the performance promise they uphold, the Mercedes-AMG GLE Coupes are a fusion of racing-bred tenacity and finely tailored luxury. Beneath their arching rooflines and muscular shoulders, you’ll find an experience that is a mix of verve and versatility not found in ordinary SUVs and not possible in traditional coupes.

FIRST GLANCE

The Mercedes GLE range offers practicality and luxury in a familiar SUV package. On that note, the Mercedes-AMG GLE 43 AMG Coupe surely knows how to make an entrance. It exudes cultivated tranquility and at the same time embodies powerful dynamism, all while offering an attractive entry point into the exciting world of AMG.

On a more technical side, one thing that the customer will find especially superb is that there will be no mistaking the AMG GLE 43 Coupe for anything else on the road, yet its soul is evident in its body. Starting from its wide mesh grille and central Star to the tensed arch of its roofline and horizontal tail lamps, this car certainly brings the sporting luxury of a Mercedes-Benz coupe to another dimension. The bodywork also reflects its racing roots and the signature double-cross wing grille sweeps into the LED headlamps. Needless to say, its AMG-infused heart is just as clearly evident.

Inside, the hand-finished wood trims, handfitted upholstery and also the subtle metallic details define an interior that’s generous in terms of both room and refinement. From the heated sport front seats to the widest three-passenger rear seat in its class, the GLE Coupe shares its generous space, style and luxury with everyone on board.

Moreover, for maximum driving pleasure, the sport steering wheel features a grippy Nappa leather-wrapped rim and racing-inspired flat-bottom design. To top it all off, there are convenient multifunction controls displaying the most frequently used vehicle functions, along with an illustrated color menu display in the gauge cluster.

RIDING IN STYLE

Without doubt, one thing that stole the spotlight is the twist on the console control that lets you dial in the vehicle’s performance character to suit your needs or your mood. Titled AMG DYNAMIC SELECT, this system offers four preset modes (Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Slippery) plus an Individual mode you can configure a la carte. Several modes even offer the ability to fine-tune the way the exhaust sound and how the instruments respond to your driving inputs.

Performance wise, as a part of the BlueDIRECT engine family from MercedesBenz, the 3.0-Liter V6 Biturbo engine fitted inside this Mercedes allowed the AMG engineers to increase the engine’s power output and torque. The result? A sprint time from zero to 100km/h in a mere 5.7 seconds. Another addition comes in the format of a fuel-saving ECO Start/Stop system, which automatically shuts off the engine at stoplights and other idling situations. Once the driver lifts his foot off the brake, the engine instantly restarts for immediate acceleration response.

Aside from the safety prospects, this car is completed with a radar-based technology that will give you an alert if you’re approaching a vehicle ahead, or even some objects, at a speed and distance that suggests a collision is likely to happen. As soon as the driver starts to brake, Active Brake Assist can automatically provide an appropriate level of braking to help prevent a collision or reduce its severity. Mind you, if you fail to respond, the system can also initiate braking automatically at various driving speeds. FINAL THOUGHTS Mercedes-Benz unites all aspects of performance to engineer something that you can’t get from a spec sheet. With the combination of artistry and engineering to create a car that are visionary from every angle, and completed with technology that helps both protect from and prevent collisions, the Mercedes-AMG GLE 43 AMG Coupe surely meets the expectations that are placed today on a vehicle of its class.

“ONE THING THAT THE CUSTOMER WILL FIND ESPECIALLY SUPERB IS THAT THERE WILL BE NO MISTAKING THE AMG GLE 43 COUPE FOR ANYTHING ELSE ON THE ROAD”