2009 New York: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe comes to the stateside

The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe made its stateside debut today at the 2009 New York Auto Show. The 2010 E-Class Coupe will go on sale in the U.S. later this year and will be available in 2 trim-levels.

The base model will be the 292-hp V6 E 350 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY Coupe that will return an estimated 28 mpg. The V8 model will be the E500 Coupe which produces 388-hp and returns an estimated 22 mpg.

Pricing for both 2010 E-Class models will be announced closer to launch date.

Click through for the press release and high-res image gallery.

2009 New York: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe:

 

 

Press Release

The E-Class Coupé: Excitement can be this efficient

РE-Class Coup̩: experience elegance, exclusivity and dynamism
РPassion, athleticism and styling: redefining coup̩ design
– New assistance systems with radar, cameras and sensors for safe motoring
– No compromises: comprehensive commitment to comprehensive protection
– Interior: utterly uncompromising comfort
– New engine line-up with major fuel savings
– BlueEFFICIENCY – practical solutions to reduce CO2 and fuel consumption

An exciting product concept will make its debut at the New York International Auto Show NYIAS: Mercedes-Benz will be unveiling the E-Class Coupé in the USA. The brand is therefore launching a new highlight in the model series while continuing a tradition that has repeatedly met with great enthusiasm throughout the history of the E-Class.

The Coupé offers a multitude of technical innovations that one might expect to find in a sports-oriented luxury coupé. These include selective damper control, drowsiness detection, anticipatory occupant protection and the Active Bonnet. As a feature specific to the Coupé, the Dynamic Handling package allows different suspension setups at the touch of a button. Adaptive Highbeam Assist, road sign recognition and an automatic emergency braking system are other features with which the new series sets standards in this vehicle category.

The E-Class Coupé also takes on a pioneering role in the drive sector. The new diesels and direct-injection petrol engines combine efficiency with effortless power delivery. The engine line-up includes two new four-cylinder models which deliver significantly more power and torque while consuming up to 17 percent less fuel. The best example is the E 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Coupé, which consumes 5.1 litres per 100 kilometres and emits 135 grams of CO2 per kilometre, making it one of the most economical vehicles in its class.

The exemplary, low fuel consumption has not only been achieved because of the new engines, but also with a number of practical measures. These include on-demand activation of the steering and fuel pumps, the use of tyres with low rolling resistance and an alternator control system which takes account of the current driving situation and the vehicle’s electrical power requirements, plus the very decisive factor of outstanding aerodynamics.

Design which expresses passion and effortless superiority

The striking lines of the new two-door model include traditional styling elements which give Mercedes-Benz Coupés their unmistakable identity: for example the side windows, which are not interrupted by a B-pillar and are fully retractable. Another hallmark of Mercedes Coupé design is the sports radiator grille with the large central star. At the same time the Coupé shows its close family resemblance to the new E-Class Saloon. This is shown by the ‘twin-headlamp face’, with rhomboid contours but somewhat sportier, sharper treatment for a more dynamic and incisive look. Another design feature which the Coupé shares with the Saloon is the powerful contour of the rear wing – a styling cue which also gave the S 220 “Ponton” Coupé of 1955 its athletic appearance.

Although it shares family traits with the Saloon, the Coupé has its own, distinct identity characterised by effortless superiority and a greater sense of passion. The arrow shape of the entire front section from front bumper to radiator to bonnet, the more extreme interpretation of the twin-headlamp face and its more sinewy build give it a racier and more dynamic presence.

Newly developed seats with a sporty design

The seats of the E-Class Coupé are new developments whose design and technology reflect the sporty nature of this two-door Mercedes. They are electrically adjustable for seat height and backrest angle as standard. The high, sports car-like seat backrests have a practical EASY-ENTRY function to make access and egress easier for rear-seat passengers. In conjunction with electric seat adjustment with memory (an optional extra), the front seats are equipped with electropneumatically adjustable four-way lumbar supports; these are able to provide anatomically favourable support for the lower spine, which further improves seating comfort. Luxury seats with leather upholstery and active ventilation are available as optional extras, as are newly developed multicontour seats with inflatable air chambers in the front seat cushions as well as in the centre and side bolsters of the backrests. Two comfortable individual seats are available for the rear passengers. These feature backrests which can be folded down individually or together to increase the capacity of the luggage compartment.

Diesel engines: fuel consumption down by 17 percent

The diesel in the E 250 CDIBlueEFFICIENCY Coupé is the top-of-the-range unit in the new generation of Mercedes-Benz four-cylinder engines, which are notable for features such as two-stage turbocharging, precise piezo-electric injectors and the latest common-rail technology. The engine has an output of 150 kW/204 hp and develops a maximum torque of 500 newton metres which is available from just 1600 rpm. This means that it is some 36 percent more powerful than the four-cylinder diesel in the preceding model yet consumes 17 percent less fuel: 5.1 litres per 100 kilometres (combined NEDC consumption). This corresponds to a carbon-dioxide emission level of 135 grams per kilometre.

The turbocharged V6 diesel engine with common-rail direct injection remains in the line-up. Fitted in the E 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Coupé, it develops 170 kW/231 hp (previously: 165 kW/224 hp) and consumes 6.8 litres per 100 kilometres (combined) in the NEDC cycle. Its carbon-dioxide emissions are 179 grams per kilometre.

Two new petrol engines with direct injection

Mercedes-Benz has also chosen to move over to direct-injection technology for its petrol engines. The powerplant at work under the bonnet of the E 250 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY Coupé is a newly developed four-cylinder direct-injection unit with 150 kW/204 hp and a five-speed automatic transmission as standard. This engine makes do with 7.2 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres (combined NEDC consumption). CO2 emissions are 167 grams per kilometre. This is some 13 percent less than the figure for the previous four-cylinder engine (135 kW/ 184 hp) with conventional fuel injection.

Mercedes-Benz has replaced the previous V6 petrol engine with a six-cylinder unit featuring spray-guided direct petrol injection in the new E 350 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY Coup̩. This engine develops 215 kW/292 hp Рan extra 15 kW/20 hp Рand consumes about 14 percent less fuel than the previous V6 engine: its combined NEDC consumption per 100 kilometres is just 8.5 litres. This corresponds to 199 grams of CO2 per kilometre.

In the top-of-the-range model, the E 500 Coupé, the muscular V8 engine with 285 kW/388 hp and 530 newton metres of torque offers the performance characteristics of a sports car. Mercedes engineers have enhanced details of the eight-cylinder unit, reducing the fuel consumption (compared to the preceding model) by 0.5 litres to 10.9 litres per 100 kilometres (combined NEDC consumption). All the engines in the E-Class Coupé meet the EU5 exhaust emissions standard.

Intelligent partner: sensors, radar and cameras for safe driving

The safety systems developed for the E-Class are based on accident research findings compiled over many years; they can make a valuable contribution to enabling safe, accident-free driving, improving vehicle occupant protection and, moreover, helping to increase the safety of other road users. These trendsetting developments are also available for the E-Class Coupé. Based on highly sensitive sensors, cameras and radar systems, they turn this two-door model into an “intelligent partner” able to see, feel and react reflexively in critical situations and, if necessary, act independently if the danger of an accident is acute.

Drowsiness is one of the most common causes of accidents on motorways. This is why Mercedes experts have developed the ATTENTION ASSIST system which forms part of the standard equipment of the E-Class Coupé. As the vehicle is being driven, the system continuously evaluates more than 70 different parameters in order to identify driver drowsiness and provide a warning before the dangerous microsleep phase begins. Observing the driver’s steering behaviour has proved to be a particularly strong indicator: several years of practical research by Mercedes-Benz have shown that drowsy drivers make minor steering errors which they often correct very rapidly in a characteristic way. This steering behaviour is recognised by a special steering angle sensor.

Also fitted as standard is the PRE-SAFE® anticipatory occupant protection system – a Mercedes invention which has received a number of awards and which is not offered by any other car brand. If there is an immediate danger of an accident occurring, the system activates protective measures for the driver and front passenger as a precaution so that the seat belts and airbags can provide their full protective effect on impact. This warning of an impending accident is possible because PRE-SAFE® uses the sensors of the Brake Assist (BAS) system and the Electronic Stability Program ESP® to identify potentially critical dynamic handling situations.

Adaptive Highbeam Assist for the best possible road illumination

Like the Saloon, the E-Class Coupé also offers state-of-the-art lighting technology in the guise of the Intelligent Light System. The headlamps adjust continuously to the current driving situation and react automatically to offer the driver the best possible degree of road illumination at all times. This task is taken care of by the Adaptive Highbeam Assist function: a camera fitted on the inside of the windscreen allows the system to detect oncoming vehicles/vehicles in front and automatically controls the headlamps to prevent the other road users from being dazzled. As a result, the range of the dipped-beam headlamps can increase from 65 metres to as much as 300 metres. If the road ahead is clear, the system performs a gradual transition to high-beam mode. Adaptive Highbeam Assist is based on the variable-control bi-xenon headlamps, which Mercedes-Benz offers in combination with LED daytime driving lights.

Automatic emergency braking when a collision is imminent

The well-proven assistance systems from the S-Class which help to prevent rear-end collisions are also now available for the E-Class Coupé. They use long and short-range radar sensors to monitor the traffic situation ahead of the vehicle and warn the driver if there is a risk of an accident. Mercedes-Benz combines these technologies in the DISTRONIC PLUS system; along with the proximity control system – which automatically maintains the Coupé at a set distance from the vehicle in front and can brake it to a standstill if required by the traffic situation – this comprises BAS PLUS and the PRE-SAFE® Brake.

BAS PLUSintervenes if there is suddenly a very rapid reduction in the distance. In this situation, the system warns the driver and almost instantaneously calculates the degree of braking assistance necessary to prevent a collision. This brake force is available immediately the driver depresses the brake pedal. Depending on the speed and distance, it allows controlled braking to a defined point or – if necessary – emergency braking.

The PRE-SAFE® Brake goes a step further and automatically brakes the E-Class Coupé if there is imminent danger of a collision and the driver does not react to the warnings. This can reduce the severity of an impact considerably.

Most comprehensive array of safety features in this vehicle category

With seven standard-fit airbags, belt tensioners and belt force limiters on all seats, as well as crash-responsive head restraints for the driver and front passenger, the new E-Class Coupé offers the most comprehensive array of safety features in this vehicle category. The range of airbags, which can deploy in thousandths of a second in an accident, comprises front and side airbags for the driver and front passenger, a kneebag for the driver and windowbags. Rear sidebags are available as an optional extra.

The front crumple zone has four independent impact planes which allow the forces to be distributed over a wide area while bypassing the passenger cell. Furthermore, increased use of extra-high-strength steel alloys helps the vehicle body to withstand high impact loads. In fact, particularly strong grades of steel like this account for about two thirds of all the sheet metal used in the bodyshell of the E-Class Coupé

An Active Bonnet, which forms part of the standard equipment, is the latest development to result from Mercedes-Benz’s long-standing and successful commitment to pedestrian protection. In the event of an impact, a system of springs raises the rear section of the bonnet by 50 millimetres within a fraction of a second, thereby increasing the available deformation space. A special feature of the Mercedes system is its reversible mechanism which allows the driver to reset the Active Bonnet without having to visit a workshop.

Comfort: advanced technology for a new driving experience

Along with its comprehensive package of safety features, comfort has always been one of the outstanding qualities of the E-Class. Here, too, the Coupé lives up to the high standard set by the Saloon and demonstrates further noticeable progress, especially with regard to ride, seating and climate comfort. A key element in this comfort factor is the generous interior space, which Mercedes engineers created by increasing both the length and width of the vehicle body by 46 millimetres. This resulted in the distance between the front and rear seat reference points – an important dimension for the occupants’ freedom of movement – increasing by ten millimetres to 789 mm while the elbow width improved by up to 49 millimetres, compared to the preceding model.

High standard of ride comfort through selective damper control

The E-Class Coupé’s standard-fit AGILITY CONTROL suspension adjusts automatically to the current driving situation. In order to provide the best possible ride comfort coupled with excellent handling, this system reduces the damping during normal driving but immediately applies the maximum damping force during dynamic cornering or sudden evasive manoeuvres. This ensures optimum stabilisation of the Coupé.

As an alternative to the standard-fit AGILITY CONTROL suspension, a variant with a sportier damper response and more direct speed-sensitive sports steering – the AGILITY CONTROL sports suspension – is available as an optional extra. To meet the requirements of even more demanding drivers, Mercedes-Benz has developed a Dynamic Handling package with an electronically controlled damping system. This processes sensor data about the current driving situation and adjusts the shock absorbers separately for each wheel. Furthermore, the driver can switch between two drive modes – Comfort and Sport – which make corresponding adjustments to the suspension setup, accelerator response and the shift points of the automatic transmission. A newly developed speed-sensitive sports steering system with a more direct ratio and variable centring is also included in the Dynamic Handling package.

In order to allow a comparison of different suspension characteristics, Mercedes engineers have developed the body index – a composite formula which is calculated from the readings for various typical driving manoeuvres. The body index is an indication of how well the suspension is linked to the body, how closely the car hugs the road and how nimble the handling is through fast bends. The higher the figure, the sportier – i.e. the firmer – the suspension characteristics.

The body index shows how the Dynamic Handling package is able to meet customers’ requirements for dynamism and comfort in equal measure: the index figure of 2.06 attained in Sport mode is reduced to 1.89 – a typical level for a saloon – when Comfort mode is selected. By comparison, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren has a body index of 2.94.

Individual climate comfort at the touch of a button, infotainment system with colour display

The luxury automatic climate control system regulates the temperature, volume and distribution of the air in three zones to meet the requirements of the driver, front passenger and rear passengers. What is more, for the first time, the optional THERMOTRONIC system allows the selection of different climatisation modes: the occupants can choose “Diffuse”, “Medium” or “Focus” modes at the touch of a button in order to adapt the air volume and distribution to their personal preferences while still benefiting from the convenience and comfort of automatically regulated climate control. The THERMATIC two-zone automatic climate control is standard equipment on the E-Class Coupé.

The well-proven operating concept from the S-Class, comprising the multifunction steering wheel, Controller on the centre tunnel, colour display in the dashboard and direct control switches also offers the occupants of the E-Class Coup̩ a very high standard of operating comfort. The Controller puts all the functions of the advanced infotainment system Рsuch as the radio, CD/DVD player, telephone and navigation system Рat the fingertips of the driver and front passenger. The Audio 20 CD radio with eight loudspeakers, a CD player and a Bluetooth interface for a mobile phone is fitted as standard. Customers who specify the optional COMAND APS multimedia system benefit from additional functions: a Europe-wide hard-disc navigation system, a DVD changer, the MUSIC REGISTER (storage for about 1000 music tracks) and voice control with whole-word recognition. Further options for even greater listening pleasure are available in the form of a 500-watt surround sound system, a media interface for connecting external MP3 players and a tuner for digital radio reception.

Model range: individuality through variety

With an initial line-up of five engines, three suspension variants, a wide choice of colours, six different wheel/tyre combinations and many optional extras, the new E-Class Coupé offers plenty of scope for customers to turn their individual automotive dreams into reality. The basis for configuring the look and feel of the Coupé is provided by the ELEGANCE and AVANTGARDE interior concepts. Depending on the choice, the interior differs in its colour scheme and mix of materials to emphasise the elegant or progressive character of the Coupé.

The AMG Sports package, on the other hand, clearly focuses on agility and performance potential. AMG bodystyling includes the unmistakable contours of the AMG front apron with large air intakes, AMG side skirts and the expressive AMG rear apron with a black insert. High-sheen 18-inch AMG light-alloy wheels in a 6 twin-spoke design with wide-base tyres in size 235/40 R 18 at the front and 255/35 R 18 at the rear provide further highlights. The AGILITY CONTROL sports suspension with a stiffer spring, shock absorber and stabiliser setup is combined with large, perforated brake discs at the front, plus brake callipers with Mercedes-Benz lettering. Perfect road contact is ensured by the sports speed-sensitive steering with a more direct ratio.

Striking interior features include upholstery in black ARTICO man-made leather. Leather or the particularly exclusive nappa leather is also available as an option for the ELEGANCE and AVANTGARDE interior concepts. Multicontour seats for the driver and front passenger provide the best possible adjustment to personal comfort preferences, thereby ensuring outstanding long-distance comfort. With production limited to the first few months, the E-Class Coupé is also available as a Prime Edition series which particularly emphasises the new model’s character with high-grade appointments and equipment. The metallic palladium silver paint finish, a panoramic glass sliding roof and 18-inch AMG light-alloy wheels painted in titanium grey are among the most eye-catching features on the outside. Inside, the designo interior trimmed in nappa leather with two-tone seats, matching designo floor mats and a sports pedal cluster finished in brushed stainless steel round off the exclusive overall impression.

– By: Omar Rana