Spice Girls will love the new one Mercedes-Benz CLEbecause it’s a perfect example of what happens when two become one.
The car now functions as a two-door version of both the C-Class and E-Class rather than separate coupes, leaving a lot of heavy lifting to satisfy fans of the earlier model.
As it happens, this is a beautiful car, so I don’t mind it at all. It is 16.4 centimeters longer than the old C-Class Coupé and just 3.5 centimeters shorter than the current E-Class Coupé, so in that respect it steers even more strongly in the direction of its larger ancestor.
It’s also a fraction lower than the old E-Class, making it look not only longer but also sleeker.
The CLE is available in an Avant Garde design, but I drove the AMG Line.This adds a flared look to the car’s face and brings drama to the car for over a month fair city.
My car was also a 2.0-liter 197-horsepower turbodiesel version with a mild-hybrid electric motor system that provides an additional 23 horsepower when needed.
We all know that diesel is going the same way as the dinosaurs, and being a fossil fuel it probably contains dinosaur debris, but when you turn on the car and see a predicted range of 800km… There’s still something nice about it. Having had some scares over the years regarding EV range, this alone brings a deep sense of security.
The same goes for the interior. My test car had what might be the prettiest upholstery I’ve ever seen on a Merc, white and black Nappa leather.
I’m not usually a fan of monochrome, but here it’s as sophisticated as Audrey Hepburn’s Cecil Beaton costumes. beloved woman. Honestly, it’s great.
However, this car seats four people, and this is where we run into our first problem. I gathered some friends from the airport. He is 92 years old and she is younger, but her back has gotten worse. It was difficult to get it in and out of the car, so please be aware that it is for people who are really flexible.
Personally, I didn’t find it a problem, and after driving a series of crossovers and SUVs, I liked the low ride height and the feeling of being one with the road.
The advantage of a low driving position is that it always feels like you’re going faster than you actually are. This means cruise control and speed limiters also play a big role, but you’re less likely to unknowingly exceed the limits. It helps in that regard.
The car has the full Mercedes MBUX treatment, with a huge central infotainment screen for satellite navigation, entertainment inputs, and controls for features such as multicolor ambient lighting.
There are also several games, one of which is Two Cards, which is basically what we call Snap! and is totally addictive (don’t worry, you can’t play it while driving) ).
As for driving, it reaches 100 km/h from a standing start in 7.5 seconds. This is pretty enough, but the dizzying acceleration of the electric Mercedes EQ range spoiled us a bit in this regard.
Who would have thought that 7.5 seconds would be oddly unappealing?
However, the ride and handling are excellent, with well-tuned steering and suspension that’s very low and smooths the road even with 19-inch wheels.
As you might expect, the base price of 72,315 euros includes a lot of kit, but my car came with optional extras – metallic graphite gray paint (1,520 euros), nice interior Decoration (€4,953), night driving package (€1,408), panoramic sliding sunroof (€2,664).
This brings the total amount to 83,760 euros, which is a significant amount.
Standard safety and convenience features include active parking assist, adaptive high-beam assist, logo puddle lights, blind spot assist, heated front seats, folding and dimming mirrors, reversing camera, automatic climate control, heated seats, and avoidance. Includes operational support and emergency call system. , pedestrian protection systems, etc.
Yes, this is an expensive car, but you get a lot of bang for your buck. But most importantly, you just want to keep watching. This is truly a dream design and looks as sporty as anything outside the AMG family that Mercedes-Benz has produced recently.
It could very easily have fallen between the two stools and made no one happy, but this chimera of the C-Class and E-Class instead took DNA from both and created a work of art.
Mercedes-Benz CLE 220D Coupe
price (AMG Line Plus trim): 73,215,000 euros
model-driven (with options): €83,760
engine 2.0 liter turbo diesel 1993cc mild hybrid
Power 197 horsepower (220 horsepower total)
0-100KM/H 7.5 seconds
contagion; infection 9G tronic automatic
top speed 238km/h
Fuel efficiency (liter/100km): Total 4.8
CO2 125/km €200 tax