SPY PICS: Mercedes GLE 63 AMG Coupe spotted
New-generation 'coupe' SUV snapped virtually undisguised for first timeMercedes-Benz's new GLE-Class Coupe has been spotted almost completely naked for the first time. Automedia's spy photographers were in the right place at the right time to capture the new GLE Coupe in all its AMG-tuned glory, revealing a curvy new take on the M-Class SUV.
It can be a little confusing to the casual reader, but the GLE Coupe is basically a sporty version of Mercedes' large SUV, designed to steal sales from the BMW X6.
Indeed, the GLE Coupe is a swoopy, sporty version of the regular GLE-Class, the latter a renamed version of the Mercedes M-Class. The new SUV naming convention was confirmed in late August 2014.
Getting back to the vehicle in question, the GLE Coupe borrows heavily from the Concept Coupe SUV that broke cover at the Beijing motor show in April 2014. It boasts a bold new frontal treatment that ties in with Mercedes-Benz hugely popular compact models, such as the GLA-Class SUV.
As with all good AMG models, the new GLE 63 AMG Coupe features large air intakes in the front bumper, bonnet vents, and newly shaped headlight fitted with LEDs. There's even metal-accented sidesteps and a spoiler at the rear.
New-look LED brake lights again adhere to the contemporary motif seen on the smaller A-Class, CLA-Class and GLA-Class models, with finer detailing in the illuminated sections, while a pair of dual trapezoid exhausts leave no doubts about this car's performance potential.
The five-door large SUV pictured here is the range-topping AMG model, which means it likely hides a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 beneath its taut sheet metal, driving all four wheels through a seven-speed automatic transmission. Peak power and torque could go slightly higher than the current ML 63 AMG's 386kW/700Nm output, and another rise will undoubtedly be the price.
The ML 63 AMG currently goes for $182,900, so the GLE Coupe version will be closer to $200,000. By comparison the BMW X6 M, its closest rival, retails for around $190,000.
Clearly the new model is almost ready to rock, and could be on sale in Europe early in 2015, with Australian sales to follow.
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