Compared to the C207 E-Class Coupe, which is derived from the C-Class W204, the all-new C238 E-Class Coupe made amends by borrowing the chassis and powertrains from the W213 E-Class Sedan. To boot, it also looks miles better than the model it replaces.
I’ll give it to the three-pointed star’s designers for doing their best to make the C238 as alluring as possible. While some may say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it’s the E-Class Coupe’s proportions that won me over more than the details. Admired from up close, the most thought-provoking thing about the all-new grand touring machine are the taillights. Seriously.
“World premiere: welcome feature of tail lamp,” is how Mercedes-Benz describes the LED-accented clusters that put on a light show when the driver opens or locks the vehicle. How Germanic is that? The C238’s excessiveness doesn’t end here, though. Inside, you’re cocooned by a well-appointed cabin that is strikingly similar to that of the W213. Beyond the turbine engine-inspired air vents, the other trick the all-new E-Class Coupe has up its sleeve is [wait for it] an ambient lighting system with 64 colors. And on that bombshell, the human eye can distinguish roughly 10 million different colors.
Longer (4,826 mm), wider (1,860 mm), and more spacious thanks to a more generous wheelbase (2,873 mm), the C238 E-Class Coupe bristles with technology. Coming as standard with Direct Control suspension, the 2-door coupe is available with Dynamic Body Control adjustable damping, plus the carpet-like Air Body Control air suspension system. The techy stuff extends to safety, with Active Brake Assist coming as standard even on the entry-level Avantgarde grade. Artico/Dinamica leather seats are also standard.
From the standpoint of the oily bits, the C238 E-Class Coupe for Europe will be available with four engines at launch. The only diesel-powered mill is the 2.0-liter of the E 220 d, which is capable of 194 PS, 400 Nm, 4 liters/100 km on the combined cycle, and a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint of 7.4 seconds. On the turbo gasoline front, the E 200 (184 PS, 300 Nm, 7.8 seconds), E 300 (245 PS, 370 Nm, 6.4 seconds), and E 400 4Matic (333 PS, 480 Nm, 5.3 seconds) will have to suffice for now. Regardless of engine choice, the 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic transmission is thrown in from the get-go.
Later on, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe is expected to gain AMG versions, including a bi-turbo inline-6-powered E50 Coupe 4Matic.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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