The car with me was the 450 AMG, but not the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 Coupé (which also exists in the line-up). This meant AMG trim, but not an AMG powerplant. And given that the Coupé will get to India only as a niche offering that will be directly imported, I see merit in the AMG trim line being standard for India.
Even though it may be just the trim, the 450 is still no meek machine. The car punches 367 horses and peak torque of 520 Nm kicks in as low as 1800 rpm and has a nice run all the way through to 4000 rpm. And then there's the new 9-speed gearbox of course. The 9-speed gearbox is something new from Mercedes-Benz and it was on the Coupé that I was getting a chance to experience it for the first time.
The reason why Mercedes has gone from the 7G-tronic to the 9G-tronic is to have a greater flexibility for the different kinds of engine it's going to be playing with, across segments, going forward. And it is also to cater to the kind of consumer preferences for those different engines, and the different driving habits of those consumers too. And the good news is that the gearbox delivers. It downshifts very quickly, and is fun to use with the paddle shift.
The Coupé has a distinctly different drive feel, and a very different character overall when compared to the GLE SUV. The Coupé is quick, nimble, and has a more car-like feel for sure. The petrol V6 is powerful, but its real character comes alive only when you put the car into Sport Plus mode (not so much in Sport mode too in fact).
In Sport Plus it also tends to add to the exhaust note with some loud and very fun pops and crackles. The gear changes are really nice and quick so you get exactly the kind of performance that you want from the car. The car is fast, but it is not as sporty as I'd like. It doesn't have that slight stiffness of the steering, or its suspension that you would like. The new X6 manages to do that a whole lot better. But I think the focus of the Coupé is very different, as its not really trying to be very sporty. The whole idea here really seems to be about pampering the buyer. And so it is the cabin of the Coupé that will really impress them.
And that is then what I believe will be the USP of the new GLE Coupé and the GLE family overall. That is what will make people sit up and take notice. The fact that the new range is indeed closer to being the E -Class of SUVs. The interiors are a class apart, and on the GLE Coupé is where this is no doubt more pronounced and obvious. The car is luxurious, well appointed and sports all the bells, whistles and gadgets buyers today demand.
