On the plus side, the redesigned front buckets prove extremely comfortable and supportive. Their controls are located directly along the seats, which is a bit awkward to manipulate, but once you get used to it, these buttons allow you to adjust at will the various parts of the seat so as to literally wrap your body.
Safety and technology
At Mercedes-Benz, technology is clearly called on to make the E-Class the safest and most rewarding car to drive on the road.
A number of systems work to enhance safety, such as Brake Assist and Attention Assist. The latter is a drowsiness detection system that monitors the driver's behavior behind the wheel and warns you if you're too tired to keep driving. Both technologies, as well as adaptive headlights, will be part of the standard equipment on the two Canadian models.
It's hard to overlook what is arguably the highlight of the E-Class Coupe's technology arsenal: Dynamic Driving. This allows different ride setups at the touch of a button in order to gradually improve handling, steering response and gear mapping.
In Sport mode, the E Coupe goes from a smooth luxury sedan to a more aggressive sports car. After all, as pointed out by the folks at Mercedes-Benz during the media launch, driving excitement is first and foremost a matter of being in close contact with the road, which is precisely the purpose of Dynamic Driving.
On the starting line
On the enchanting roads of Tuscany, under the partly cloudy sky of Central Italy, I was among the journalists invited to test-drive the two Mercedes E-Class Coupe models that will make their way into Canadian showrooms in early summer.
The high-end E550 gets the same 382-horsepower V8 as the four-door equivalent. For now, however, there are no official plans to create a more powerful AMG model. That's why you will find many trademarks of the high-performance division on the E550 Coupe.
Meanwhile, the entry-level E350 gets a 268-horsepower V6 that I found quite up to the task. On the Italian highways, this car edged its way and easily kept pace, driving at traffic speeds without ever flinching. Passing maneuvers were lively and spirited.
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| The cockpit is filled with high-grade materials, including some of the finest leathers. |
Safety and technology
At Mercedes-Benz, technology is clearly called on to make the E-Class the safest and most rewarding car to drive on the road.
A number of systems work to enhance safety, such as Brake Assist and Attention Assist. The latter is a drowsiness detection system that monitors the driver's behavior behind the wheel and warns you if you're too tired to keep driving. Both technologies, as well as adaptive headlights, will be part of the standard equipment on the two Canadian models.
It's hard to overlook what is arguably the highlight of the E-Class Coupe's technology arsenal: Dynamic Driving. This allows different ride setups at the touch of a button in order to gradually improve handling, steering response and gear mapping.
In Sport mode, the E Coupe goes from a smooth luxury sedan to a more aggressive sports car. After all, as pointed out by the folks at Mercedes-Benz during the media launch, driving excitement is first and foremost a matter of being in close contact with the road, which is precisely the purpose of Dynamic Driving.
On the starting line
On the enchanting roads of Tuscany, under the partly cloudy sky of Central Italy, I was among the journalists invited to test-drive the two Mercedes E-Class Coupe models that will make their way into Canadian showrooms in early summer.
The high-end E550 gets the same 382-horsepower V8 as the four-door equivalent. For now, however, there are no official plans to create a more powerful AMG model. That's why you will find many trademarks of the high-performance division on the E550 Coupe.
Meanwhile, the entry-level E350 gets a 268-horsepower V6 that I found quite up to the task. On the Italian highways, this car edged its way and easily kept pace, driving at traffic speeds without ever flinching. Passing maneuvers were lively and spirited.
 |
| The entry-level E350 gets a 268-horsepower V6 that I found quite up to the task. |