  2010 Mercedes-Benz E 350 Coupe. Click image to enlarge |
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2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe
When is a Mercedes-Benz E-Class not really an E-Class?
When it’s a 2010 E350 Coupe.
Mercedes new, swoopy two-door coupe, which replaces the CLK, leans heavily on the C-Class platform. It is seven inches shorter, four inches narrower and three and a half inches lower than the E-Class sedan, but it does use the E’s suspension components.
With a base price of $58,600, the E350 Coupe is actually $4,300 cheaper than the E350 Sedan, which is a complete reversal of the norm. Usually one pays a premium for the privilege of having two fewer doors and more style.
Make that considerably more style. This is a striking car. The front end gets a raked twin-strake grill (there is no hood ornament) and a unique take on the quad trapezoidal headlights of the E-Class. The arching glass roof sweeps over rear haunches featuring sculpted fenders, again a nod to the E, and resolves to a simple and elegant rear end sporting twin rectangular exhaust tips, LED taillights and a rear diffuser. Adding to the coupe’s grace are frameless door windows which translate to no B-pillars: so classic; so romantic.
 2010 Mercedes-Benz E 350 Coupe. Click image to enlarge |
Being new on the streets, this Stannite Grey Metallic E350 Coupe garnered plenty of looks. Mercedes-Benz claims this is the most aerodynamic car on the market, cleaving the air with greater efficiency than even the Toyota Prius.
Power comes from M-B’s ubiquitous 3.5-litre DOHC 24-valve 90-degree V6 that makes 268 hp at 6,000 rpm and 258 lb.-ft. of torque from 2,400 to 5,000 rpm. Mated to the seven-speed 7G-Tronic, it moves this 1695-kg (3748-lb) coupe out smartly (0 to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds), and the transmission swaps cogs seamlessly. There are paddle shifters on the wheel, or you can tap the floor-mounted shifter to the left for upshifts and right for downshifts, but in either case the shifts are tardy.
 2010 Mercedes-Benz E 350 Coupe. Click image to enlarge |
In comparison, German tranny specialist ZF, who supplies auto boxes to BMW, Jaguar, and Maserati among others, has engineered very quick and satisfying manual shift responses that rival twin-clutch boxes in many instances. So it can be done.
Inside you’re treated to a lovely cabin – this car featuring no-charge sport leather upholstery in Black/Flamenco red. The infinitely adjustable Multicontour seats and sports steering wheel here are part of the $800 AMG Sport Package that also includes 18-inch AMG six twin-spoke alloys and AMG Styling Package (front apron, side skirts and rear apron).
The $4,200 Premium Package added Parktronic with Advanced Parking Guidance, COMAND APS with navigation, Linguatronic voice control, rear window sunshade, Keyless-Go and upgraded Harmon/Kardon surround sound.
