Mercedes-Benz has launched the latest GLE 400d Coupe, a burgeoning SUV and our Editor, Vuyi Mpofu attended the media presentation. She shares a bird’s-eye-view of what the vehicle has to offer.
The new GLE Coupé combines the modern luxury, elegance and sportiness of a coupé with the robustness and technology of the latest large premium SUV models.
South African customers will initially only have one model available in 2020: the GLE 400 d 4MATIC Sports Coupe, which offers a powerful 3.0 litre six-cylinder diesel engine that delivers 243 kW and 700 Nm of torque. This results in a brisk 0-100 time of 5.7 seconds at a combined fuel consumption of 7.4-6.9 l/100 km.
“With the renewal of the premium-SUV family, Mercedes-Benz is also putting the GLE Coupé on a new technical footing, says Selvin Govender, Marketing Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars South Africa. “The GLE 400d Coupé combines the impressive power of an off-road vehicle with the emotively appealing sportiness and elegance of a coupé,” says Govender.
Exterior design: powerful presence
The new GLE Coupé is 4939 mm long and 2010 mm wide (39 mm longer and 7 mm wider than its predecessor). The front view combines the characteristics of the Mercedes-Benz SUV family with clear coupé attributes such as the diamond grille with its single horizontal louvre.
The dynamism of the coupé line is especially evident in the rear-end design. A broad muscle in the vehicle flank beneath the C-pillar, that starts in the rear door and envelops the tail lamps, gives the GLE Coupé its powerful, ready-to-pounce appearance. Together with the elongated tail lamps, it highlights the width of the rear end. The lamps are specific to the coupé, but fit the characteristic day and night design of the Mercedes-Benz SUVs outline.
The GLE 400d Coupé combines the impressive power of an off-road vehicle with the emotively appealing sportiness and elegance of a coupé.
– Selvin Govender, Marketing Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars South Africa
Interior design: sporty, with particular design touches
The interior of the new GLE Coupé shares numerous features with the other models in the new premium-SUV family and clearly emphasises the sporty aspect. A familiar sight is the modern cockpit with two large 12.3-inch /31.2 cm screens. The strikingly styled instrument panel, horizontally divided by a trim tier, transitions seamlessly into the door panels. The sporty emphasis comes courtesy of the standard sports seats and the new sports steering wheel with nappa leather trim. The SUV touch, meanwhile, is added by the tall centre console with the dominant grab handles.
Enjoy the pleasure of being served: the Mercedes-Benz User Experience
The GLE Coupé offers the latest generation of the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) infotainment system with a host of functions for connectivity, entertainment and operating comfort. They include intuitive voice control and the learning capability of MBUX, as well as a large range of apps that can be integrated into or controlled with MBUX.
Driving assistance systems: even better support in all situations
The new GLE Coupé has the latest generation of Mercedes-Benz driving assistance systems, which results in an especially high level of active safety. As standard, the new GLE Coupé boasts Active Brake Assist, which can help prevent rear-end collisions and collisions with crossing pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles.
Some Intelligent Drive functions can be ordered as additional options. They include the Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC with route-based speed adaptation, which allows the vehicle to react to information from Live Traffic, even before the driver or the radar and camera sensors can perceive a traffic obstruction. When a traffic tailback is detected, the speed is reduced to approx. 100 km/h as a precaution unless the driver specifically decides otherwise.
The technical data of the new Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé:
| GLE 400 d 4MATIC Coupé | ||
| Model/Number of cylinders/Arrangement | Diesel/6 in-line | |
| Displacement | cc | 2925 |
| Rated output, combustion engine | kW/hp at rpm | 243/330 at 3600-4200 |
| Rated torque, combustion engine | Nm at rpm | 700 at 1200-3200 |
| Acceleration 0-100 km/h | s | 5.7 |
| Top speed | km/h | 240 |
| Consumption, combined | l/100 km | 7.4-6.9 |
| CO2 emissions, combined (AMG Line as standard) | g/km | 210-202 |
Priced from:
GLE 400 d 4MATIC Coupé: R 1 814 000
