New E-class coupe spied testing

The new Mercedes E-class coupe, which will replace the CLK when it goes on sale next year, has been spied testing on UK roads.

This right-hand-drive example of the new car was seen in Llandudno in Wales. The barely disguised Mercedes E-class coupe shows that Mercedes is using a different grille to help to differentiate it from the E-class saloon; the large three-pointed star in the centre is not available on the saloon.

The new Mercedes E-class coupe’s front end is closely based on the Concept Fascination, the handsome concept car from this year’s Paris motor show. And the pillarless side windows have a much more dramatic, sleek outline.

Much of the rest of the E-class coupe’s styling is derived from the saloon; designers have used the shape of the rear wheel arch and the crease below the window line to create a link between the two cars. The rear lights are a variation of the E-class saloon’s, although they’re slimmer and the tailpipes are oval rather than rectangular.

Higher-end coupes will, like the saloon, get LED daytime running lights in the style of the Audi A5 and A4.

Inside, there’s room for four, with decent rear head room. The E-class coupe is bigger than the CLK, as the E-class on which it is based has also grown, with a longer wheelbase.

Like the saloon, the E-class coupe will be available with a raft of new technology, including Mercedes’ latest active safety device, called Attention Assist.

Due to be fitted as standard on all E-classes and E-class coupes, Attention Assist monitors driver inputs and compares them with the car’s position on the road to detect if a driver is about to fall asleep.

Dan Stevens