What's Wrong With This Picture: Five Door Coupe Edition
Ever since Mercedes lured its competitors into the “four door coupe” segment created by its 2004 CLS, we’ve been waiting for the next fad segment to mangle the definition of the word “coupe” beyond recognition. And here it is: a forthcoming “five-door coupe” that is essentially a wagon version of the CLS. This near-production mule looks remarkably like the concept version, in other words, fantastic. On the other hand, the idea of buying a more-practical version of a less-practical version of an E-Class still doesn’t compute… but then you can’t underestimate the power of fads in the luxury car game. Stand by for competing models from Audi and BMW, not to mention the inevitable six, seven, and eight-door coupes. [via AM unds S]
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Coupe is not as clear-cut a term as people would like to believe, and considering the automobile has not been around very long in the grand scheme of things, it makes sense that the term is still nebulous and contentious. True enough, most Americans believe a coupe to be two-doors only, but that's actually incorrect. A coupe can have as many doors as you like; it's the roofline that makes it a coupe, in particular the roofline compared to the sedan version, if any. Couper is French for "to cut", and When looking at an E-Class and a CLS side-by-side, you can't help but notice the roofline is indeed cut down, ergo it is a coupe. Ditto an A6 and A7. The sedans have higher, upright roofs, the coupes, low and sleek. Put this 5-door CLS next to an E-Class wagon, and you come to the same conclusion. Cut roof = Coupe. It ain't an exact science, but when has language ever been that?
THE HORROR. Seriously, the CLS is hideous; making it into a wagon is just a huge failure.
I guess it's cheap to do 5 door version of already existing 4 doors. Personally, I'd rather have an equally specced E wagon, but I'd take this one over the CTS if it drives like the latest E. Anyway, MB needs to build a wagon on the S. Now, that would really render luxsuvs superflous for most people. Then do a shooting brake on the CL. And a 'vert. That will show the proles that money really can buy happiness. Or at least meaningfully nicer cars.
The worst part of this 5-door coupe thing, is that European 5 door cars from the early 80's were really good. The VW Passats and Ford Scorpios were both practical, spacely, had rear seta legroom and headroom, and had very good visibility in all directions, and with foldable rear seats they should have made wagons obsolete. Not to mention back then cars were simple and uncomplicated and lightweight....