New Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe and cabriolet
Friday, 4 January 2013 10:15 AM
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class range facelift is now complete with the cabriolet and coupe models now joining the refreshed ranks of the saloon and estate
Adding a dash of 2-door glamour to the recently facelifted Mercedes-Benz E-Class saloon and estate models is this pairing of E-Class coupe and cabriolet variants; rounding off the heavily refreshed Merc midsizers range. The full E-Class range pricing structure is yet to be confirmed, but it looks likely that we’ll see an entry-level coupe coming in at around the early £30k mark.
The biggest deal for the new E-Class styling package are the new headlights set in a revisied front end. Gone is the double lens style of the old E-Class cars; in now with new single headlight units, with full LED technology now available for the first time in this class as an option. One lens but with light elements inside the units that nod back to the twin-headlight look of the old E-Class.
We also see new front bumper styling with a more pronounced V-shape and large air intakes in a bid for a touch extra sporty look and feel for the new E-Class coupe and cabriolet, while new taillights and a ‘wide-effect’ rear bumper with lower ‘wing design’ and chrome-look trim sharpens the rear end.
There’s been a big push on the safety side of things, too. As standard in the UK, both the new E-Class coupe and cabriolet models are fitted with COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST, a radar-based collision warning system with adaptive brake assist systems that helps to reduce the risk of a rear-end collision. Also standard for the new E-Class models is ATTENTION ASSIST which detects and warns of inattentiveness and drowsiness across a wider speed range, and informs the driver about their level of tiredness and the amount of driving time since their last break.
Engines-wise, we see the same range as offered in the saloon and estate cars with motors carried over from the previous E-Class cars – one petrol and two diesels; with varying outputs – but with internal eco-tweaks to squeeze out some extra mileage between fill ups.
The entry-level petrol engine is a 4-cylinder, 2-litre turbocharged unit making 181bhp (E200) and 208bhp (E250), while the next along diesel motor gets 2.1 litres and four cylinders with either 168bhp (E220 CDI) and 201bhp (E250 CDI). There’s a 3-litre V6 twin-turbo range-topper that’s good for nearly 350bhp in the E350. Transmission duties for the new E-Class cars are dealt with by either a 6-speed manual or a 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic.
By Daniel Anslow
