Autocar UK – 28 August 2019

10 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 28 AUGUST 2019

Twin 12.3in touchscreens are

a key feature of GLE interior

M

ercedes-Benz has

extended its SUV

portfolio with a second

generation of the GLE

C o u p é. Reve a l e d a h e a d of i t s

public debut at the Frankfurt

motor show next month, the

BMW X6 rival will arrive in

dealerships in spring 2020.

The newcomer raises the

number of Mercedes SUV

models to eight, indicating the

significance to the brand of a

sector that accounts for a third

of its global sales. The GLE

Coupé joins an ever-growing

segment of style-focused

variants of traditional high-

riding models and can also

count the Porsche Cayenne

Coupé, Audi Q8 and Range

Rover Velar as competitors.

Despite sharing its

underpinnings with the

standard GLE, the GLE

Coupé is 15mm longer and a

substantial 63mm wider. Its

wheelbase is 20mm longer

than the previous version’s but

is still 60mm shorter than the

GLE’s. Mercedes claims this

benefits handling and visual

proportions. The roof height

is 1722mm, 56mm lower than

th a t of th e st a n d a r d m o d e l.

Mercedes says aerodynamic

efficiency has improved by 9%

compared with its predecessor.

From the bottom of the

A-pillar forwards, the GLE

Coupé looks nearly identical to

the GLE, but from there back,

it’s entirely different, with a

steeper windscreen and rear

window rake to account for that

sloping roof, plus a bespoke

rear-end shape. Wheels come

in sizes from 19in to 22in,

depending on the car’s spec.

The interior of the GLE

Coupé shares almost

everything with its sibling,

too, with the same dashboard

layout dominated by two 12.3in

screens and a raised centre

console with integral grab

handles. However, sports seats

and a nappa leather sports

steering wheel are standard

fitments in the Coupé. Amazon

Music streaming will also be

available at launch.

Mercedes claims the new

car offers “tangibly more

room” and a “significantly

better sense of spaciousness”

than its predecessor, thanks

to the longer wheelbase and

larger door openings. Storage

capacity has increased, too. In

seats-up form, the boot is only

five litres larger than the old

car’s, but with the 40/20/

split folding rear bench down,

that increase rises to 70

litres. The loading sill is lower

than before, too, and the air

suspension can drop the rear

by a further 50mm at the press

of a button.

The chassis of the GLE

Coupé is said to feature

different tuning from its sibling,

which is aimed at offering a

“sportier and tauter” driving

experience, with the air

suspension fitted as standard

on UK cars. The same 48V

E-Active Body Control system

i s a l s o ava i l a b l e , w h i c h i n c l u d e s

the ability to individually

control spring and damper

fo r ce s a t e a c h w h e e l.

At launch, the standard

GLE Coupé is offered with

two versions of a 3.0-litre

six-cylinder diesel engine, both

featuring variable all-wheel

d r i ve. T h e b a s e 3 5 0 d m o d e l

puts out 268bhp and 443lb ft

of torque, with the 400d taking

that to 325bhp and 516lb ft.

Fuel economy is quoted at up

to 37.6mpg combined for both,

depending on spec.

A moderate increase over

the £62,000 price of an

equivalent standard GLE 350D

is expected.

LAWRENCE ALLAN

GLE Coupé is Merc’s eighth SUV

New BMW X6 rival joins Mercedes’ SUV line-up as a rakish-looking sporty five-seater

Lower, swooping

roof adds to

aero efficiency