Mercedes-Benz CLE Debuts To Keep Coupe Spirit Alive
The time has now come for the automotive fold to bid farewell to the C-Class and E-Class coupes that we once regarded as the epitome of style, just in case you didn’t want to go for the regular sedan models.
The coupes are gone, but Mercedes-Benz isn’t entirely ditching the segment simply because some buyers can still appreciate this type of car. The Stuttgart-based marque has revealed its sleek CLE coupe as a replacement for the C-Class and E-Class coupe variants.
What’s easily noticeable here is that it leans more towards the outgoing E-Class coupe in terms of looks; it comes in with a length of 4,850 mm, making it even longer than the BMW 4 Series, Audi A5 Coupe, and its very own sibling, the C-Class sedan.
So what is this CLE? Well, in a nutshell, it’s simply a coupe version of the C-Class and E-Class models created to keep the coupe spirit alive, and it promises to offer a sporty ride with enough power to give competitors a run for their money.
Speaking of space, the CLE Coupe benefits from 10 mm more headroom, 19 mm more shoulder room, and 72 mm more knee room. Mercedes-Benz doesn’t mention the boot space dimensions but says it can accommodate three golf bags.
Ingress and egress to the rear seats are now easier courtesy of the Easy-Entry function, which uses an elegant loop made of Nappa leather instead of a lever.
It follows the same interior design language as the current C-Class. It features a free-standing 12.3” fully-digital instrument cluster, an 11.9” portrait touchscreen infotainment system, and an optional Burmester 3D surround sound system.
Like most current Mercedes-Benz models, the CLE range is getting some electrification in the form of a 48-volt vehicle electrical system for improved efficiency.
Mercedes-Benz says we can look forward to a plug-in hybrid in the near future that will offer a pure electric driving mode.
The range consists of the CLE 220d, CLE 200, CLE 200 4Matic, CLE 300 4Matic and CLE 450 4Matic.
The base CLE220d packs a 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine with 145 kW and 440 Nm, while the CLE200 uses a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit with 150 kW and 320 Nm. The CLE300, on the other hand, uses a 2.0-litre turbo petrol with 190 kW and 400 Nm.
Sitting at the top of the range, for now, is the CLE450 4Matic which employs a bigger 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol with 280 kW and 500 Nm.
All variants shuffle through an advanced 9-speed automatic transmission.
Unofficial reports suggest that the performance arm is working on the CLE 53 and CLE 63 AMG models. A cabriolet variant is reportedly under review for the global market.
Despite the rising popularity of SUVs, Mercedes-Benz remains dedicated to the coupe segment with its CLE model. It is one of the few models that still primarily offers petrol and diesel powerplants instead of electric options.
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