First Drive: 2010 Mercedes E-Class Coupe

A slick and smooth new performer with a bent on safety

The CLK coupe is gone. Long live the new E-Class Coupe. Closely related to the new ninth-generation 2010 E-Class Sedan, this fifth-generation E Coupe — with its flowing lines and lower profile — is aimed at buyers looking for style, performance and handling.

The exclusivity and prestige bestowed by the big, three-pointed star mounted on the car's signature grille doesn't hurt either. Performance and looks aside, the century-old carmaker is also relying heavily on leading-edge safety and convenience technologies to help the new coupe succeed. Plus, Mercedes dropped the price, making it easier for the upwardly mobile to afford.

Model Lineup
Like its 4-door counterpart, the new E-Class Coupe shares core elements such as its newly designed suspension with the current C-Class. Yet it never strays far from the fundamental values that have made the midsize E-Class the heart of the Mercedes-Benz lineup for more than 60 years: luxury, solidity, safety and the promise of great durability. Now you can add value to that list.

The new E-Class Coupe will initially be offered in two versions: E350 and E550, basically defined by the engine size, like the CLK Coupes they replace. The new coupes are powered by the same engines as the last generation of CLKs, albeit with some efficiency gains. The E350 gets a 3.5-liter V6 and the E550 is equipped with a 5.5-liter V8. Unlike the Sedans, there are no plans for all-wheel-drive 4Matic versions of the Coupes, and Mercedes-Benz also believes there is no need for a high-performance AMG version, considering the performance of the E550 Sport model. On the other hand, an E-Class Cabriolet drop-top should be launched in the spring of 2010.

The new E-Class Coupe casts a larger shadow than the last CLK Coupe: Its body is 1.76 inches longer and 1.81 inches wider. It is also lower by a significant 2.89 inches and rides on a 1.76-inch-longer wheelbase, which accentuates its smooth, coupelike profile. European versions have a drag coefficient of 0.24, but the number goes up to 0.28 with the U.S. versions' wider tires. With the gain in size and the addition of several new features and systems, weight is up, but just a bit: The E350 is heavier by 97 pounds and the E550 by 61 pounds.

There is not a single body panel in common between the new E-Class Coupes and Sedans, but they do share a flared arch on their rear fenders that is a nod to the E-Class pioneer, the 1953 Ponton. The coupe's styling is more rakish, with a subtle "V" or arrow theme that is reflected from the grille to the rear fascia outside and in the instrument panel inside. A large 3-pointed Mercedes-Benz star in the grille distinguishes all Coupes from their Sedan cousins

Ford to Introduce C-Max

Ford's redesigned C-Max will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The car is expected to hit U.S. showrooms within a couple of years.


Ford's redesigned C-Max is thought to be coming to the U.S. market within a couple of years.


Ford will introduce the redesigned C-Max, which uses the automaker's first global C-segment platform, at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. The C-Max will be launched worldwide in the second half of 2010, with other models to follow on the platform, including the next-generation Focus, also coming in 2010.

The C-Max takes its "kinetic" design cues from the iosis MAX concept car unveiled at this year's Geneva Motor Show, incorporating features such as a coupelike sweeping roofline.

A 1.6-liter Ford EcoBoost direct-injection gasoline engine and a semiautomatic parallel-parking and blind-spot detection system are among the technologies that the C-Max will introduce to Ford models.

Ford reportedly is bringing a version of this C-Max to the U.S. market. So far the company isn't confirming that, but we expect word any day, possibly at the Frankfurt show.

Watch for more details about the C-Max from Ford's Frankfurt press conference on Sept. 15