In my experience, all proper German cars come in two colors: silver and black. There is a reason for this, as there is in all things German. These colors denote a seriousness of purpose, obliviousness to fashion, and a sticker price that takes your breath away.
But when I asked Mercedes to review an example of its new E-class line, the car I received was not silver or black but red — “Mars Red” in official Mercedes-ese.
I was confused. Was Mercedes trying to send me a message that times are changing at the world’s oldest automaker? Or had all the silver and black cars been snapped up by my competitors at Motor Trend, Edmunds, and Jalopnik?
Let’s review the evidence.
The E-class coupe replaces the two-door in the Mercedes lineup formerly known as the CLK and becomes part of the larger, more expensive E-class line. That’s one change.
Physically, the car harks back to its CLK roots but psychically, its aura has changed. The dimensions of the E-coupe platform are identical to the smaller, less-expensive C-class yet the car has the fittings, feel, and solidity of a larger E-class sedan. You could say the E-coupe merges C-class specifications with E-class ambiance. That’s another change.
My test car, which was equipped with a 5.5-liter, 382 hp V8, bristled with as much muscle as I wanted to handle, and the interior was top shelf. On the road, the coupe displayed the ride and dynamics of an E-class, combined with the handling and fuel economy of a C-class. In Mercedes tradition, comfort and predictability took precedence over razor-sharp reactions.
Fuel economy was impressive. Under the EPA driving cycle, the E-coupe is expected to deliver between 19 mpg and 27 mpg on the highway, and I consistently hit in the high end of the range.
That was good for the environment but not for my bank balance, since the premium grades of gasoline that Mercedes recommends run 10 cents to 20 cents more a gallon than regular.
The final piece of evidence showing that the E-coupe represents new thinking was the price. Mercedes prices its coupes aggressively but this was still a surprise. The base sticker price of the smallish E-coupe is $54,650 , only $1,650 less than the larger E-class sedan.
My car was equipped with the premium package (navi system, upgraded audio, rear view camera), Distronic Plus package (smart cruise control, parking guidance), appearance package (wheels, seats) and the wood/leather steering wheel package.
All together, that pushed up the total retail price to $67,125. That’s a handsome price for a handsome car in these economically distressed times.
By way of comparison, for the same money, you could move up two classes in size and pick up a used S-class sedan — a proper silver or black one.