Saturday, November 28, 2009

2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 Coupe First Drive

The Mercedes E350 is sharp both inside and out
The Mercedes E350

Normally inured to the flowery marketing bumph that comes with the presentation of any new vehicle, I was nonetheless intrigued by Mercedes-Benz's description of its E-Class Coupe as "a very special combination of emotion and performance."

Strangely, only a few minutes after taking the keys and hopping behind the wheel of an extremely clean and shiny E350 Coupe, I was overwhelmed by a feeling of serenity the likes of which I haven't experienced in any new vehicle in a long time. Anticipation and desire, yes, or even the occasional antipathy. Serenity, no. Even more uncharacteristically, said serenity didn't disappear as I became more familiar with the car. After a while, I just sat back and enjoyed the ride, chalking up the Coupe as one of those extremely rare cars that can trigger such positive vibes.

There's nothing inherently magical about the E350. It is composed of metal, plastic, glass and rubber, the same as every other passenger vehicle on the face of the planet. But the sum of its parts somehow adds up to a greater whole.

The coupe's exterior design is quite striking whether head on or in profile. There's a hint of aggression in its sharp-edged creases, notably the sweeping lines that flow from the front bumper over the radiator grille to the hood. Plunking down an extra $800 for the AMG Sport Package further hones the look with 18-inch rubber surrounding chic twin-spoke alloy rims, plus a styling package consisting of a front apron, side skirts and rear apron. (Interior elements include multi-contour front seats, sport steering wheel and appearance upgrades.)

Yet, if from the distinctive styling one anticipates some sort of super-coupe able to terrorize Porsches and Corvettes in the downtown Stoplight Grand Prix, the result will be deflating. The E350 is quick rather than fast, composed as it accelerates unless you switch the seven-speed manumatic to manual mode (Touch Shift in Mercedesspeak) and get busy with the paddle shifters. Then, the 3.5-litre V6's 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque make their presence known. When put to the test, the E350 takes 6.4 seconds to pick off 100 kilometres an hour -- respectable but not world-class. Those hungering for more can always pop for the E550 and its 382-hp 5.5L V8.

But the V6 proved perfectly acceptable for my needs, with enough urge to get the job done. Besides, it is creamy smooth in operation, and the 7G-Tronic autobox knocks off the shifts with flawless precision. Also up for praise is the steering, which has a muscular heft to it without being artificially heavy. One can thank Mercedes engineers for creating the standard Dynamic Handling package. This allows the coupe's dynamic characteristics to be altered between comfort and sporty settings at the touch of button. Vehicle damping, speed-sensitive power steering with variable centering, traction control, accelerator response and speed of gear changes can all be modified.

Mercedes-Benz isn't known for taking a back seat in the safety department, and the new E Coupe reflects the company's attention. Along with an alphabet soup of the usual safety nannies is something particularly intriguing called Attention Assist. When driving, Attention Assist supposedly monitors and evaluates more than 70 different parameters in order to recognize driver drowsiness and "provide warning in advance of critical moments of micro-sleep." Apparently, research by Mercedes shows that drowsy drivers make tiny steering errors that they frequently correct very quickly and in a characteristic manner. This steering behaviour is recognized by a special steering wheel angle sensor that will send an audible and visual display (a pictogram of a hot cup of coffee) to the driver.

While the first-rate vehicle dynamics put a smile on my face and the plethora of safety backups reassured me, it was the E350's interior environment that sealed the deal. First, the interior colours and materials are beyond pleasing. I'm generally less than enthused about the traditional overabundance of black interiors that seem to be the norm with upscale German cars. Thus, the Flamenco Red -- a brownish-red hue -- that brightened the seats and door panels was a breath of fresh air, offsetting the dark panel pieces. Second, the multi-contour seat seemed to be moulded to my body shape, providing unparalleled support and comfort. Third, the cabin's sound deadening was effective in keeping the outside out and the inside in, allowing just enough of the world to intrude so as not to seal the occupants in tomb-like silence. Fourth, the instruments are sharp and well lit, and the controls are large, properly marke

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