Mercedes has announced the GLE Coupe. The new model will be with us in the summer of 2015, complete with polarising looks and four-wheel drive.
The Mercedes GLE Coupe is a mixture of coupe and sports utility vehicle, just like the BMW X4 and X6 already on sale. It has a high-up seating position and a sloping roofline that tries to disguise the increased ride height. Imagine an S Class with a lot more ground clearance and you’re on the money.
It should make for an awkward mix, but somehow the GLE Coupe and its 22-inch alloy wheels looks half decent, even if the side profile is unflattering. Admittedly Merc’s aggressive front bumper plays a role in avoiding total eyesore territory.
A 3.0-litre V6 ‘GLE 350’ turbodiesel that produces 254bhp and 457lb/ft of torque will be available at launch. There will also be two petrol engines, both of which use a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6. The mid-range GLE 400 has 333bhp and 354lb/ft, while the GLE 450 AMG Sport has 362bhp and 384lb/ft.
A nine-speed automatic gearbox will be standard across the range, according to reports, as is four-wheel drive. This is, after all, a sporty SUV with coupe-esque looks and not the other way around. The underlying platform is the ML SUV, which is now known as GLE.
Other key features of the Mercedes GLE Coupe include a class-leading 1,650-litre boot with the rear seats folded flat, five driving modes (Comfort, Slippery, Sport, Sport+ and Individual) to change how the driving characteristics, Merc’s Comand infotainment system, front sport seats and three proper rear seats.
Although there’s no official price just yet, somewhere in the region of £50,000 for the entry-level GLE 350 rising to £70,000 for the GLE 450 AMG model is likely.
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