New name gets a new car. The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe is decidedly more than just a replacement for the old CLK.
There’s a frequent debate, within automotive circles, over how to name new cars. Go with catchy, easy-to-remember monikers, like Mustang and Firebird or no-nonsense alphanumerics, such as 335i, M35S or E550.
No one has embraced the latter format more totally than Mercedes-Benz, as its line-up has grown from a select few – the old E-Class, S- and SL offerings – to a veritable alphanumeric soup of offerings, Cs and Bs, SLKs, GLKs and, well, we’re struggling to keep track of them all.
So, it was a particularly pleasant bit of news when the German maker announced plans to simplify its nomenclature, if just by a wee bit, with the launch of the 2010 E-Class Coupe, a model formerly known as the CLK. But names alone don’t make a car. Luckily, now that the chrome badge is out of the way, we can focus our attention on the coupe itself, and after spending a couple days in Las Vegas, testing out both the new 2-door, and its sedan sibling, we’re pleased to reveal that Mercedes has come up with a pair of winners.
The new E-Coupe, soon to reach our shores in both E350 and E550 configurations, is a significant improvement over the old CLK. It’s a visual stand-out that’s more dynamic and aggressive than the sedan – with which it shares surprisingly little sheet metal. And while the mechanical underpinnings have a lot more in common between 2- and 4-door packages, the coupe has a decidedly different personality. It’s more nimble and sporty and, since it’s a bit lighter, you get more of a punch, whichever powertrain you opt for.
If you’d like to know more, come back to TheDetroitBureau.com this coming week for a complete review of both new versions of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class.