Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Convertible 2013 Review

Not so much
>> Four-cylinder petrol engine lacks a little guts
>> Rear seat room limited for adults
>> Coupe ride a little terse

The mid-life facelift of the E-Class C207 coupe and A207 cabriolet is a very good example of this philosophy.

There are new, cheaper entry level models and more equipment across the range, while the most expensive and slowest selling versions have gone. It all makes sense given the model complexity Mercedes-Benz faces as its range inexorably expands.

But through all these changes there are some recognisable Benz traits these Es hold to -- real solidity, high perceived quality and an impressive level of technical sophistication.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

The new ‘BlueDirect’ four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbo-petrol direct-injection engine in different states of tune features in both the E 200 and E 250 hard and soft tops.

The new 3.0-litre V6 bi-turbo direct-injection V6 is also employed by both body styles, replacing the old naturally-aspirated E 350 and E 500.

The 2.1-litre turbo-diesel E 250 is retained in the coupe, but dropped from the cabrio. The 4.7-litre twin turbo petrol E 500 V8 is dropped from both models.

The new E 200s dramatically lower the pricing entry-point, to $79,900 for the coupe (from $95,000 for the old E 250 coupe) and $88,900 for the cabrio (from $107,850 for the old E 250 cabrio).

The new E 250 price is $96,400, while the cabrio clocks in at $106,400. The new E 250 CDI coupe is $98,900, down from $101,500.

The E 400s, which Benz argues replace the E 350 on price and match the E 500 for performance, are priced at $128,545 and $142,545 respectively. The E 350s were $131,600 and $142,200, while the E 500s were $178,585 and $188,635.

Standard equipment highlights include seven-speed automatic transmission, 18-inch wheels for the 200s and 19s for the rest, partial LED headlamps, Active Park Assist including Parktronic, real leather trim, dual climate control, part-powered front seats and a multimedia system including sat-nav and internet, Bluetooth and 10GB music register.

The E 250s adds full LED headlamps, full front seat and steering wheel power adjustment and Keyless-Go. The cabrios alone add Airscarf neck heating, heated front seats and the Aircap wind turbulence reduction system.

The E 400s include a Harman Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system, DAB+ digital radio, nano ceramic metallic paint and a panoramic glass sunroof for the coupe.

An emergency or collapsible spare is standard depending on the model.

There are also a whole bevy of new driver assistance systems, but we will detail those in the safety section further down.

Externally, the new coupe and cabrio adopt the look of the E-Class sedan forward of the A-pillar, including the ‘Torch’ LED headlamps. But from there back the styling is unchanged, including the 1950s ‘ponton’ curves over the rear wheel arches.

Inside, the transmission lever has shifted from the centre console to the steering column so manual changes are only now achieved via flappy paddles, and there is now an analogue clock positioned in the centre stack. There are also trim and material changes.

Overall, taking into account extra equipment and minor price variations, Benz claims the E400 coupe scores a $20,000 (approx) value improvement compared to the old E 350. The E250 cabrio lifts by around $17,000, the E250 CDI coupe and E400 cabrio by $15,000 and the E250 coupe more than $10,000.

Benz is forecasting a significant lift in sales for the coupe and cabrio beyond their high point of 1918 recorded in 2010. The tally will be split approximately 60-40 in favour of the coupe, with the E250s expected to account for about half of all sales.

We first drove the updated E-Class two doors in Germany in May.

That’s most obviously shown by the 2760mm wheelbase which is identical with the C-Class (although the overall bodies are longer) but it also relates to suspension modules of the front-engine rear-wheel drive architecture.

The E200 version of the new 1991cc engine (which replaces a 1.8 turbo) produces 135kW, 300Nm, averages 6.0L/100km on 95 RON fuel and emits 141g CO2/km. The E250 versions produces 155kW and 350Nm yet claims the same fuel consumption and emissions rate.

The diesel’s numbers are 150kW, a substantial 500Nm, 4.7L/100km and 122g CO2/km.

The V6 produces 245kW, 480Nm, averages 7.5L/100km and 174g CO2/km. Just for good measure it accelerates from 0-100km/h in 5.2 seconds (5.3 secs cabrio).

Fuel-saving idle-stop is standard across the range, while further economy improvements are provided via the swap from hydraulic to electro-mechanical power steering.

‘Direct Steer’, which combines speed-sensitive power assistance with a steering ratio that varies with the steering angle is standard across the range.

All versions employ a fundamentally unchanged sports-tuned multi-link suspension including adaptive dampers. Disc brakes are internally ventilated at the front, solid at the rear. The 200s roll on 235/40R18 rubber and the rest of the range 235/35R19s.

PACKAGING

They will also find headroom limited. In the coupe especially when the panoramic sunroof is fitted, even more so in the cabrio (when the roof is in-place, obviously). The fully powered raising and lowering takes 20 seconds, by the way, and can be completed at up to 40km/h.

There’s not too much in the way of storage space in the back-seat of the Es. Both get cupholders between the seats and the coupe a small storage bin. There is a fantastic view out thanks to the lack of B-pillars in either model. Cabrio rear seating is very upright.

Boot capacity of the coupe is a quite generous 450 litres, with the capability to expand that courtesy of a split-fold. The cabrio is a minimum 300 litres and maximum 390 litres.

Up-front the Es are far more impressive. The quality of materials and assembly was excellent in all three cars we sampled.

The design strikes a nice balance between Audi modernity and BMW bland, with the floating needle in the large centre speedo an elegant highlight. The sweep of stitched leather across the dashboard is another. The presentation is a bit upright around the centre stack, but the controls work sensibly.

The steering wheel is the right size, the seats are very supportive and well bolstered. They both adjust through a wide range to deliver a comfortable driving position. Storage is adequate without being anything special.

SAFETY

Much of it is trickling down from W212 the E-Class sedan update and will also be part of the safety package rolled out with the new W222 S-Class sedan when it gets here late this year.

A stereo camera and radar sensors are crucial to much of the upgrade, the information they supply evaluated by a common control unit that divines just what is oncoming, crossing, ahead, behind, rolling or on legs.

The new equipment includes:
>> DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist can keep the vehicle in its lane and follow vehicles in traffic jams semi-autonomously.
>> BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist can boost the brake pressure applied by the driver and is also able to recognise cross-traffic and pedestrians.
>> PRE-SAFE Brake can detect pedestrians and initiate autonomous braking to avoid a collision at speeds up to 50km/h.
>> PRE-SAFE PLUS can recognise an imminent collision from the rear. The driver of the vehicle behind is warned by activation of the rear hazard warning lights at an increased frequency. If the risk of collision persists, the stationary vehicle will be firmly braked in order to both reduce the forward jolt and consequently the strain placed on the occupants, and to prevent secondary accidents.

Active Lane Keeping Assist can now detect when the adjacent lane is not clear. When there is the risk of a collision, the system can prevent the vehicle from leaving its lane unintentionally by applying the brakes on one side, even when there is a broken line.

All the above items are part of the Driver Assistance Package Plus that is a $4600 option for the E 200s and standard for the rest of the range.

Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus allows the high-beam headlamps to be kept on permanently without dazzling traffic by masking out other vehicles in the beams' cone of light. This is standard with full LED headlamps, but not available for the E200s.

The following DAS technologies are standard kit for all models:

PRE-SAFE occupant protection measures are deployed just before impact

Active Parking Assist enables automated parking with active steering and brake control in both parallel and end-on spaces, as well as manoeuvring out of parallel spaces again if the vehicle was parked there automatically beforehand.

A 360-degree camera covers all four sides of the vehicle, thus enabling a uniform all-round view, including virtual bird's eye view – a top-down view of the vehicle and its immediate surroundings.

Also standard for all models are 11 airbags, stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes , brake assist, tyre pressure warning and three-point seatbelts.

The cabrio gets A-pillar reinforcements and self-raising rear roll-over hoops if things go green-blue.

There are no NCAP crash test results for the E-class coupe and cabrio. Considering its C-class origins it’s relevant to note a left-hand drive diesel C-class coupe scored five stars in 2011.

COMPETITORS

Obvious coupe competition comes from the A5 2.0 TFSI quattro ($80,900), 3.0 TDI quattro ($95,900) and 3.0 TFSI quattro ($100,300). The new BMW 4 Series lineup includes the $73,200 420d, $86,550 428i and $108,500 435i.

As for the drop-tops, Audi competition includes the $96,400 2.0 TFSI quattro and $100,300 3.0 TFSI quattro. BMW offers the ageing $94,700 325i and $121,700 335i M Sport.

ON THE ROAD

Sometimes it doesn’t work out that way. I’d rather a four-cylinder Audi A5 than a six-cylinder for instance. They’re lighter, sharper and somehow just nicer. But the E 400 isn’t like that. Sure it’s heavier than the E 250s we also sampled at this week’s launch, but, gee, effortless response has its pluses.

No, the V6 doesn’t sound like a V8 (more’s the pity) but it sure goes like one, cracking along at a giddy, responsive pace when you want it. And more importantly, when the time comes to trickle and merely tickle the throttle, it’s the one to have, effortlessly and smoothly slurring between the gears with no discernible holes or hesitations -- even in the most economy-minded ‘E’ transmission mode.

The same cannot be said of the new BlueDirect four-cylinder. In ‘E’ mode there’s a pause after tipping in the throttle at idle and response feels soft at low speeds. Switch to ‘S’ mode and there’s less think time but sometimes too much aggression in terms of the gear change and selection.

If you are interested in an E 250 coupe or cabrio, we’d recommend a thorough test drive on suburban streets and a dawdle through a shopping centre to see if its low speed behaviour is acceptable to you. The same applies to the E 200, which wasn’t available to sample on the launch (or the diesel coupe).

Raise the revs and speed a little and the drivetrain becomes almost seamless, backed up by a vibe-free smoothness that is a pleasure throughout the rev range.

Both engines are quiet. The four gets a little snarly somewhere off in the distance as engine speed rises, while the V6 develops an almost disdainful thrum.

There is more noise intrusion from the tyres, although neither version has a noisy cabin, an especially noteworthy achievement for the cabrio and its ‘acoustic’ roof.

Drop the cabrio’s top and with the aid of Aircap, Airscarf and a cranked up heater we managed to stay relatively unruffled and almost warm on a day when the external temperature gauge was just 8 degree Cs.

Press on in the E 400 version and there is little sign of the creaks, groans and scuttle shake traditionally associated with topless cars. And despite being almost 100km heavier than the E 250 coupe (a hefty 1845kg), the E 400 cabrio we sampled actually rode with a touch more forgiveness. Maybe because there is a little more flex in the chassis?

The coupe was just a degree severer in its control, something also noted when travelling as a passenger in an E 400 coupe.

There was a handling solidity to both versions that couldn’t quite be called nimble or athletic, but was certainly reliable and sure-footed. There was some heavy-handed stability control inputs, but only on tight and bumpy hairpins.

The steering was intriguing. It displayed all the usual traits of electric assist; obligingly light at low speed for parking efforts and firmer and weightier as speeds rose without offering much in the way of feel.

Where it gets weird is when Distronic Plus is engaged and it starts steering semi-autonomously away from what are perceived to be threats.

The system proved a bit unpredictable, gently curving away from some white lines and rolling straight ahead over others. Maybe there’s more work to be done here?

Not so much work required on the rest of the package though. These cars are improved from their predecessors, ensuring they continue to be worthy of the Mercedes-Benz badge.

Living up to traditional values of the brand is good, making the cars better value deserves a thumbs up too.

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