Car Enthusiast: Merc coupÉ

Mercedes-Benz’s replacement for the CLK coupé takes more than just its name from the company’s most important four-door saloon. When we drove that car in March we concluded that the overwhelming list of new technology and safety systems were well, overwhelming. Cutting edge as it all is – and undoubtedly useful when you need it most – we found it quite distracting. We’re hoping that the Coupé diverts our attention in other ways.

In the Metal

The most honest thing I can say about the new Coupé is that it’s a very interesting design. That’s not to damn it with faint praise, you understand, it’s just that it can’t be described as simply beautiful or ugly and it certainly is not dull. Mercedes obviously asked its designers to pen a shape that aims to be more elegant than it is sporting. Overall it’s quite a striking car, though it’s the detailing that makes it so interesting. From some angles the kink in the rear wing really works, lending a muscular shoulder to the two-door shape, yet from others it looks a little contrived. In contrast, the rear lights get a unanimous thumbs up. From a distance the front-end is striking and modern, but look closer and the detailing is a little fussy. It’s such a pity that the parking sensors and covers in the bumper for the light washing jets and the tow hook are all so visible.

Admittedly, this is hypercritical, but one of the primary considerations when choosing a coupé is how it looks. Overall it’s a distinctive, desirable car, but one that is even more colour and wheel-size sensitive than most. We’d highly recommend the optional panoramic sunroof (£1,287.02), as it further differentiates the Coupé from the saloon. The UK is getting its own model range, comprising of SE and Sport models and the latter will look particularly sporting thanks to an AMG body kit and 18-inch wheels as standard.

Inside, the new Coupé follows the lead set by its four-door brother. In general there is a sense of high quality, with superb seats and good space in the back for this type of car. The boot is huge too. A few items stood out for the wrong reasons though, such as the switches for the (admittedly fantastic) multi-adjustable lumbar support, which look decidedly aftermarket, while the plastic gearshift paddles (standard on the Sport models fitted with an automatic gearbox) just are not nice enough for a car of this calibre.