2018 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe: The Happy Middle Ground of Premium Luxury

There isn’t an overabundance of luxury coupes on the market these days. It’s good to see the company that does them best is actually still doing them.

Occupying the wide middle ground between the S-Class and C-Class, the new E-Class has more in common with the latter model. Minus the badging, there would be a moment of difficulty telling the two apart. Eventually, you would conclude the new E-Class was subtly better in every conceivable way. It’s larger, more attractive, and sports a better engine than the C-Class — and avoids the massive fee commanded by the S-Class.

For starters, it doesn’t have the same taillights as the C-Class — a feature that sullies the otherwise handsome rear. Still, it borrows the rest of the C’s good looks, while the deleted B-pillars mimic the S-Class.

The 2018 E-Class Coupe is almost five inches longer than its forerunner. Dimensions have also swelled in terms of height and girth — making it 1.3 inches taller and 2.9 inches wider. That growth creates more room inside the cabin, which is especially welcome for anyone climbing into the back of the two-seater.

Of course, Mercedes will have plenty of options to make the increased interior space more livable for the highly discriminating. Leather options, aluminum or wood trim, and an upgraded media center with an optional 12.3-inch display are checkable options. Mercedes also had the foresight to offer occupants with touchpad controls and traditional tactile devices like knobs and buttons. However, the gauge cluster is now entirely digital, meaning drivers can customize the info they want to see. Owners can also choose between 64 different color options for ambient interior lighting.

Mercedes is leaving the 3.0-liter V6 biturbo in the E400 Coupe. The six makes 329 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque through a 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic. The coupe won’t get the 2.0-liter four-cylinder that kicks off the sedan’s lineup, though 4Matic all-wheel drive remains on the menu.

Benz says the E-Class Coupe can make it to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds from a dead stop. There should also be a future AMG model with a 3.0-liter inline-six rated at around 450 horsepower, should you feel like waiting.

The coupe is available with Mercedes’ Drive Pilot suite of semi-autonomous driving systems. The driver assist package can follow the traffic ahead up to the car’s top speed, momentarily guide you along in your lane, or have active brake assist cut in to help prevent an accident.

The 2018 E-Class Coupe will debut at the Detroit Auto Show next month and go on sale next summer.

[Images: Mercedes-Benz]