By: Denis Droppa
Knysna - The new Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé, launched in South Africa this week, is party on top, workhorse beneath.
Much like the BMW X6 it’s pitched against, this Benz SUV is a sporty four-door coupé mounted atop a 4x4 drivetrain with a raised ground clearance and gravel-tackling ability.
It’s the sexier sister of the new Mercedes GLE, which is the replacement for the well-known ML (see sidebar on page 4 for an explanation of Benz’s new naming convention).
Despite the fastback roof there’s decent headroom in the back seat of the GLE Coupé, along with enough space for tall rear passengers to stretch their legs.
The price you pay for style is that the Coupé has a smaller boot than the regular GLE SUV, but still has the biggest boot in its category at 640 litres, expanding to 1650 litres with the rear seats folded.
The vehicle is available in three versions: the 350 diesel, the 450 AMG and the big-daddy AMG 63 S.
The 350 is powered by a 3-litre turbodiesel, with 190kW on call along with a muscular 620Nm at just 1 600rpm which gives it bags of easy-cruising torque. It’s the fuel-sipper of the range and should burn through only around seven litres of diesel every 100km.
The 450 AMG is the first model of a new AMG sports product line which is basically a “lite” version of a full-blown Mercedes-AMG, which the company terms an “entry to the world of the sports car and performance brand”.
PICK OF THE RANGE
The 450 AMG felt anything but lite when I drove it on the media launch near Knysna last week, and that 3-litre biturbo V6 petrol engine laid down its 270kW and 520Nm in a most lively way, accompanied by a charismatic sound.
It’s spiced up with sporty body styling and for its power, price and grin factor the 450 AMG is my pick of the range as it costs 766 grand less than the flagship.
Still, if money is a mere formality the baddest Benz in the range is the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Coupé which is quite a mouthful to say but it gets quite a mouthful of an engine too, in the form of a 5.5-litre V8 turbo petrol which pushes out an angry 430kW and 760kW. Drive it like you stole it and it’ll smash the 0-100 km/h sprint in just 4.2 seconds, says Benz, and go on to reach an electrically governed 250km/h.
AGILE FOR ITS SIZE
Apart from its muscular straight-line prowess this super-GLE swept through corners with scant regard for its size and weight when I drove it at the media launch, testifying to the roll-reducing effectiveness of the active suspension. The sports exhaust system delivered a distinctive roar, while there’s an optional Performance exhaust system if you’re seeking acoustic accompaniment of jurassic levels.
The 63’s styling is flamboyant in that special AMG way, including an “A-wing” in the front apron, 22” alloy wheels, red-painted brake callipers and twin louvre radiator grille. The AMG 63 S interior also gets added zing with items like nappa leather seats and a sportier instrument panel.
In addition to a lengthy list of standard equipment across the three-model GLE Coupé range, a Dynamic Select control system allows the driver to switch between one of five modes that change the vehicle’s driving character from serene to sporty.
When switching from Comfort mode to Sport or Sport+, the gearshifts are quickened and also accompanied by a sporty “burp” from the exhaust.
Slippery mode optimises the traction on wet or icy roads, while the driver can also personalise the settings using the Individual mode.
CUSHY SUSPENSION
In the two petrol versions, which come standard with variable Airmatic air suspension, the Dynamic Select also softens or stiffens the damping to suit the chosen mode, while the Active Curve System minimises body roll when the driver selects Sport or Sport+.
The 350d comes standard with regular steel suspension, but can be optionally specced with Airmatic.
All versions of the GLE Coupé feed their power to the road via 4Matic permanent all-wheel drive, but there are two transmissions offered: the 350 and 450 get a 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic while the 63 S makes use of a 7G-Tronic. The diesel has a 50:50 front to rear torque split while the petrol models have a more rear-biased 40:60 setup for pointier handling.
An electrically powered tailgate is standard across the entire range, along with features like a reversing camera.
PRICES
GLE 350d Coupé - R1 006 774
GLE 450 AMG Coupé - R1 110 057
GLE 63 S Coupé - R1 876 111
Story: Drive Times