2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Cabrio: New Look

Mercedes-Benz made over the E-Class sedan, but it didn’t stop there. The German automaker has now restyled the E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet, which should arrive in Canada in July 2013. Their offer in the Great White North will be limited to the E350 and E500 Coupe and Cabriolet with rear-wheel drive, and only the E350 Coupe will be available with 4Matic all-wheel drive. However, all versions sold in Canada will feature a much sportier, classic, AMG style.
When these new versions were presented in Hamburg, design was the hot topic. Enter the designer, Robert Lesnik, who spoke to us at length about the new face of the E-Class Coupe and Cabrio and how Mercedes-Benz wanted to give them more character. The headlights were the starting point of this style makeover, and they now feature LED technology, which helped the designers create daytime running lights that are reminiscent of a torch separating the projectors. The four-eyed style ensured continuity with the previous versions. These LED lights can also be seen on the brand-new S-Class full-size luxury sedan. Oversized front air vents make the design a little more aggressive, as do the new rear exhausts.

Once on board, you’ll notice a few subtle changes, most obviously the replacement of the stick shift situated on the central console by a Direct Select lever on the steering column, wheel-mounted shifters, the white background in the instrument cluster and new surface materials.

302 or 402 horses

The E550 powered by the bi-turbo V8 (M278) that develops 402 horsepower and 443 lbs-ft of torque between 1,600 and 4,750 rpm sits at the top of the food chain. This confident engine emits an evocative sound, which you can hear particularly well when you’re driving the Cabriolet with the top down. The only available transmission, the 7G-TRONIC PLUS seven-speed automatic, does a good job in normal circumstances but is not as fast as the eight-speed gearboxes from BMW or Audi in sport conditions. The 3.5-litre V6 that produces 302 horsepower remains under the hood of the E350, but for the 2014 model year only, as it has been earmarked for replacement in 2015 by a new 3.0-litre bi-turbo V6 developing 320 horsepower and 354 lbs-ft of torque. I was able to test drive an E400 Coupe equipped with this new engine, and it’s a lot better adapted to the car than the current naturally-aspirated V6 and demonstrates particularly efficient accelerations and pick-up.

Despite all their vim and vigour on straightaways, the E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet are not genuine sports cars. Think of them as Grand Touring cars that are more comfortable on the highway than on winding secondary roads. Sure, the handling is safe, but the electromechanical steering doesn’t provide a great deal of feedback (much like the brakes), which doesn’t exactly encourage you to adopt a sporty driving style or to take advantage of its full performance potential on corners. The E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet are more about a relaxed and comfortable ride.

Electronic driving aides aplenty

The E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet are all chock-full of electronic driving aides, including the factory-standard COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST that can automatically engage maximum braking if a collision seems imminent and if the driver isn’t applying the brake sufficiently. Also factory-standard is an improved, more sensitive version of the ATTENTION ASSIST that detects driver fatigue by analyzing his or her behaviour and the movements of the steering wheel. Among the optional devices, there’s what Mercedes-Benz calls “Intelligent Drive” when you add the Advanced Driving Assistance Package. This system includes the DISTRONIC PLUS system with lateral lane guidance that helps the car partially drive itself at low speed. It does this by “following” the vehicle in front by mimicking its speed and staying in lane thanks to stereo cameras that detect the markings on the road and guiding itself based on the preceding vehicle.

The BAS PLUS system detects pedestrians in front of the vehicle and alerts the driver via visual warnings and by sounding an alarm. If the driver doesn’t react quickly enough, the system orders the brakes into action, even to the point of immobilizing the vehicle if necessary. Mercedes-Benz also will offer the optional Active Brake Assist with 360-degree camera that helps the car park itself, with the driver controlling only the vehicle speed and stopping it using the brake pedal.

The E350 and E550 Cabriolets will come factory standard with the AIRCAP system with a retractable deflector on the upper part of the windshield to reduce turbulence in the passenger compartment when driving with the top down, as well as a rear deflector whose height adjusts depending on whether or not there are passengers in the back. Having put it through its paces on German highways, I can tell you that it remains effective, even at 200 kilometres per hour.