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Theautomot­ivesegment­sareasconv­olutedasev­er. Today, wehave sedans that pose as coupes, hatchbacks that pose as SUVS etc — and every manufactur­er seems to want to invent a new form.

In 2008, BMW brought a new equation to utility vehicles with the launch of the X6 in the socalled ‘ Sports Activity Vehicle’ segment. This pseudo class allowed owners to enjoy two distinct automotive worlds from the same seat. It combined the elevated presence and off- road capabiliti­es of the SUV with the youthful sporting appeal of the coupe. Clearing initial public apprehensi­on, the X6 — being the ‘ lone wolf’ in the segment — became a rainmaker of sorts for the Bavarian company.

But now Mercedes wants a piece of that pie. They too have built a crop- top SUV, with the bulk of its genetic makeup derived from the GLE SUV, for 2016 — previously known as the MLClass. We got to run around the urban wilderness in the 450 AMG Coupe variant… and here is our honest opinion.

DESIGN & AESTHETICS

The GLE 450 Coupe, like the X6, has been created for people who wish to gain identity. It is not just a commuter; it is more of a lifestyle choice, something to parade in, with the added advantage of SUV practicali­ty and ‘ sportscar’ thrill.

They may have chopped the top off of the regular GLE to build this coupe, but it still is a very sizable vehicle, one that will not go unnoticed, thanks to its 4,900mm length, 2,003mm width and proper SUV- like 1,731mm height.

The GLE Coupe’s frontal view is endowed with full- form aggression that makes the X6 look rather tame in comparison. The short, slanted and stubby nose, with three gaping air- intakes and a large grille above them, looks like that of a famished beast, ready to swallow large volumes of air in order to makes some prodigious power. This being the mini- AMG version, it gets the hood vents and single blade on the grille to complete that look. You may also notice that the nicely integrated LED headlamps look like a ‘ plug and play’ element from other models in the current Mercedes range.

Its unique coupe- like dispositio­n becomes evident when you get around to the sides where the raked roofline becomes visible. But it is also here that proportion­s look questionab­le — the GLE Coupe can appear bulky and bulbous, and we often caught ourselves staring at it to find the ‘ beauty angle’… with little success. Its dominant presence cannot be denied, however, mostly due to its coupe- like roofline and the massive steamrolle­r- sized 21- inch wheels that Mercedes- Benz have bolted on as standard. Our test car had the evenlarger optional 22- inch wheels that wore 325mmwide rear tyres — larger than that on a Chevrolet Corvette! The Coupe also pilfers cues from the S Class Coupé to help it play the upmarket card, like the slim band of rear lights with their 3D look. We especially like the chrome strip the goes around the back end, not unlike a ribbon over a gift. As for the AMG- derived quad exhausts, these large outlets can create excitement by themselves.

The idiosyncra­tic exterior styling begs for one to investigat­e the interiors, which are typical of a Mercedes- Benz cabin and a direct import from the regular GLE SUV — with a good level of sophistica­tion and sensible functional­ity. The centre con-

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