Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe a World-Class Performer
'World Class' is an overused term, but not in the case of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe.
We've just spent a week behind the wheel of the range-topping AMG-enhanced E500 Coupe and loved every second we shared with this V8-powered German superstar.
What You Get
Take the beautifully styled E-Class, turn it into a superb pillarless coupe, screw a glorious 5.5-litre V8 engine under the bonnet, toss-in a wonderful leather interior and enhancements from AMG and the result is nothing short of spectacular. And that's exactly what the E500 is.
And don't forget a swag of the very latest technology for performance, handling, safety, driver-aids and technology - this is Mercedes-Benz after all.
Under The Hood
Powering the E500 Coupe is a familiar powerplant - the same 5.5-litre V8 is used in Benz' CLK and S-Class. Maximum power is 285kW and peak torque is 530Nm - those figures eclipse Audi's 260kW/440Nm S5 and BMW's 270kW/490Nm 650 (ignoring for one second the price differential - the Audi is cheaper, the BMW more expensive).
It's a superb engine - dynamic in its response through the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission and silky-smooth.
For the E-Class, the V8 did get a workover from the techno guys in Sindelfingen, Germany and they managed a 0.4l/100kms drop in fuel consumption - down to 11.0l/100kms. It complies with EU5 standards, rating exhaust emissions at 256g/km.
The Interior
Open the door of the E500 Coupe and you'll immediately notice this is a true sports coupe - there are four individual superbly sculptured seats and not a massive amount of legroom for those occupying the rear. However the front seat backrests do have an Easy Entry function which provides more straightforward access to those rear seats.
You'll also notice the glorious smell of the abundant leather trim, outstanding colour palette and the trademark Mercedes-Benz quality and workmanship wherever you look.
Push the engine starter button and the automatic seat belt feeder whirrs into action handing both front seat occupants their seat belts and then, after you fasten the buckle, it automatically tensions the belts snugly.
As part of the AMG pack, our test car was fitted with sports front seats, a beautiful, thick 3-spoke sports steering wheel finished in high grade Nappa leather and gearshift paddles, brushed aluminium pedals, a black interior roof lining and AMG-branded floor mats.
Combine the electronic adjustment of those with the usual Mercedes-Benz electronic adjustment for the steering wheel and the driver very quickly feels bubble-wrapped by the car and ready for some serious sports driving.
Naturally the Harman/Kardon audio system is superb, is compatible with every - including Bluetooth - and has Linguatronic voice control as well as a colour monitor and central console Controller - all very similar to the system fitted to the S-Class sedan. The E500 gets the upgraded sound package with 610watts of output and 14 speakers.
Instrumentation is typical 'Benz - conservative and stylish.
Exterior & Styling
In its latest guise, the E-Class sedan provided a good reference point for the Coupe but in reality, the two-door is remarkably different. For starters the front end, grille and headlights - although big-picture the same as the sedan's two-headlight layout - are actually all-new, sharper and more angled.
The side profile has lots of creases and character lines but is so elegant it's breathtaking. The curved, pillarless windows are beautiful and if you look closely you'll notice there's actually three of them (the tiny third windows are at the rear).
A short rear end accentuates the Coupe's elegance - in a sporty kind of way.
E500s fitted with the AMG kit as tested come with unique AMG bumpers and side skirts for a more racy appearance.
On The Road
You could fill a book with the driver aids, safety and technology incorporated in the E500. Here's a few:
- Nine airbags
- ATTENTION ASSIST driver fatigue detection system
- Intelligent headlight system with five headlight functions
- Adaptive Highbeam assist (a broader spread on country roads)
- DISTRONIC Plus radar-guided cruise control
- PRE-SAFE Brake (autonomous emergency braking)
E500 Coupes with the AMG kit like we tested come with the Mercedes-Benz Dynamic Handling package with electronically controlled dampers which adjust separately according to changing driving environments - these react to data from various sensors and get progressively firmer as demands get more 'sporty'. Additionally the driver can switch between two modes - Comfort and Sport.
The AMG kit also includes 18-inch alloy wheels and drilled brake disc rotors.
Acceleration is startling to say the lest - zero to 100km/h takes just 5.4 seconds (Audi S5 5.1 seconds, BMW 650 5.5 seconds) but just as impressive is the effortless nature of that acceleration and the bullet-like speed of the seven-speed auto shifts. The audio of the 5.5-litre V8 at work is also very special.
Naturally the run over our high speed mountain roads test route brought a smile (okay, okay we did it twice…because we could!). The E500 is no lightweight midget but that responsive engine/transmission, AMG enhanced chassis, speed-sensitive sports-tuned power steering and massive brakes combine to deliver one of the finest drives you can imagine.
Sure the E-Class is not an SLK but nevertheless it turned in positively and was generally well-balanced with nice feedback. And up in the mountains or back in the urban spread the 'Benz Coupe was refined, sophisticated…and certainly turned heads wherever we parked.
Challenges
We remain convinced that steering wheel buttons to operate cruise controls are intuitively better than the stalk-mounted systems favoured by Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and a few others.
We also found navigation of the various systems managed by the centre console Controller (such as switching from audio to navigation) to be a bit slow and overly-complex.
Verdict
Mercedes-Benz hasn't missed a thing with this one. Come to think of it, we can't recall any vehicle with an AMG badge that wasn't brilliant.
And did we mention the looks of the E-Class Coupe? In case you've forgotten, it's absolutely drop-dead gorgeous.
The Competition
Audi's S5 is also brilliant and quite a bit cheaper than the E500 - but perhaps not quite as sharp as the AMG version of the 'Benz we tested. And to be fair, BMW's 6-Series is more of an SL 'Benz rival than an E-Class competitor, but the M3 might be a consideration.
Likes
Wins the beauty contest; superb interior style, glorious drive
Dislikes
Lacks rear seat space; fiddly cruise control and Controller
