The new 2018 Mercedes E400 coupe might not be the strongest or the fastest but damn it sure is the prettiest. This car is a modern take on the classic 1950’s personal luxury car. These cars emphasized image over practicality, often with a two-door coupe or convertible styling. They set themselves apart from the spec driven sports cars by placing a greater emphasis on comfort and style. While they usually contained similar engines and powertrains, this power was instead there to accommodate the installation of more luxurious sizes, features, and accessories.
The new body style for the E400 features a class-exclusive B-pillarless design, which no other manufacturer does at this price point. With the frameless side windows down and the extra-large sunroof open the E400 felt incredibly open and airy. At first glance, the coupe does look very similar to its S and C class coupe siblings, but I found the shorter snub nose gave this coupe a more appropriate compact appearance.
The wider and longer design was put in place to attempt to fit two adults in the back seat but let’s face it if you chose the coupe you know it’s designed for two. The sculpting on the car is kept very minimal, and there are almost no creases or hard lines. The exterior seems to flow smoothly like a still pond, and flawlessly form to the shape of the body, the way a red-carpet designer dress fits on an A-list movie star. The car comes standard with 18” 5 spoke wheels, but you can always upgrade to the stylish 19” AMG twin 5 spoke rims.
The E400 can be equipped with the same spectacular sound system found originally only in the ultra-premium S-Class, now you have two different Burmester sound systems options to choose from. The top of the line option has 23 speakers with 1450 watts distributed onto 25 amplifier channels, the “Burmester® High-End 3D-Surround-Soundsystem of the E-class represents an effort which has no equal in this vehicle segment.” Another feature always worth having is the HUD, its one of those things you might think is frivolous and unnecessary, but once you’ve used it, you’ll understand.
Now the E400 isn’t a racehorse, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have something to bring to the table. The twin-turbo 3.0L V6 provides a decent 329hp and 354lb-ft of torque. This powerhouse can launch the car from 0-100km/hr. in 5.3 seconds. While it might sacrifice a few decimal places at the finish line, the E400 instead promises an incredibly smooth, comfortable and enjoyable ride the entire way. Mated with the Mercedes advanced 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission, the car provided easy torque, and for those straight roads where you really felt like dropping the hammer, it was more than capable of providing exhilaration and speed. With three different suspension systems including tech like “Air Body Control,” the road will smoothen out before you, and the car will melt into the corners with the poise of a dancer.
Again, and again Mercedes shows that sophistication and class have their place in an environment where everything else has a number which is compared and measured by its peers. The E400 coupe is a design that showcases all that Mercedes has to offer, they provide an exceptional driving experience, in a car that feels more solidly built and engineered than anything else even remotely near its already premium price tag
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