German Car Zone

I read the headline and thought the exact same thing. You're not alone Naruto...

I honestly don't care that the car rides on the C-class platform. If MB had jacked the price above the E-class maybe there would be reason to be upset. This is arguably the best looking CLK - or whatever you want to call it - EVER. All of that at the same price as the boring and bland previous car? Sign me up!

Yes exactly. IF MB increased the price, I'd have a problem. But they haven't. In fact you seem to be getting so much more car for your money given that there seems to be an increase in size, quality, as well as borrowing more from the E-class parts bin then previously.

They'll always be those who look for something to bitch about.

so is the E class coupe more of a E92 (3er coupe) rival or a 6 series rival?

Yes, it is still priced like the CLK. The CLS rivals the 6-Series.

Still against the 3-Series/A5, like the CLK was. Only bit pricier, which now is justified by the closer relationship to the E-Class.

Odd product placement. But the CLK was even more odd, a C-Coupe with E-accents and priced in the middle...

Now it shares more with the E, which according to every review is easy to feel when you drive it, which justifies the premium over 3-Series/A5.

But the CLS has established itself as the true Coupe in the E-Class line-up.

All that will make more sense once the CLC will be replaced by a proper C-Class Coupe in few years.

Both C and E Coupe will be smaller and less expensive (I think so, for the next C-Coupe) than the sedans, whereas the CLS and S-Coupe will be longer and more expensive than the sedans.

Now let's get this straight. I don't think this journalist was trying to talk disrespectably about the E Coupe, it's just that in the journalist circles there has been a lot of uncertainty about whether it's based on the W212 or the W204. MB hasn't really helped with seemingly contradicting statements by different MB presentatives and ambiguous references to the issue in the official press releases. For example:

The journalists have been wondering how it's possible that MB can sell a coupe model for less than its sedan-sister. Now that a major executive from the company (MB USA chief Ernst Lieb) has confirmed (to Automotive News, probably one of the most renowned papers in the industry) that its (at least partly) based on the W204, they finally have an answer and can put the whole thing to rest.

Actually, it looks like the fun is just about to begin.



AUTOEXPRESS Breaking News: New E-Class Coupe based on cheaper C-Class chassis!

Motor Trend Breaking News: New E-Class Coupe is a fail. Based on C-Class platform!

Car and Driver Breaking News: Mercedes admits new E-Class Coupe based on poor handling C-Class platform! We recommend the BMW...




^Ring me up when these articles start appearing!^

leftlanenews on the new E class coupe ...


C before E: New E-Class Coupe still based on C-Class architecture
05/19/2009, 12:03 PM
By Drew Johnson

Mercedes-Benz’ now-defunct CLK-Class was historically positioned as a coupe version of its E-Class Sedan, but in reality had more in common with the lesser C-Class. Mercedes attempted to remedy that discrepancy by supplanting the CLK with the all-new E-Class Coupe, but a new report reveals the new E-Class Coupe isn’t that far removed from its predecessor.

The new E-Class Coupe was believed to be based on the E-Class sedan – as the name change would seem to imply – but Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Ernst Lieb recently revealed to Automotive News that the new car is still based on the C-Class’ architecture. Lieb says Mercedes used the C-Class platform to underpin the E-Class Coupe to give the car a stiffer chassis, netting better overall performance.

“You can expect a stiffer car with a bit more performance,” Lieb told Automotive News. “Customers want that.”

The E-Class Coupe’s C-Class platform also explains the two-door’s pricing. Coupes and convertibles generally carry a premium over their sedan counterparts, but the new E-Class Coupe will list from $48,925 — $550 less than the 2010 E-Class Sedan.