2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé (UK-Spec)

Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé (UK-Spec)

The new GLE Coupé is a further example of the Mercedes-Benz strategy to address all the requirements of customers in the premium-SUV segment in a targeted manner. From a relatively small niche, the segment of SUCs, namely SUV coupés, has developed into a trend within a trend in no time. With the renewal of the premium-SUV family Mercedes-Benz is also putting the GLE Coupé on a new technical footing.

"The GLE Coupé blends the imposing power of an off-road vehicle with the emotively appealing sportiness and elegance of a coupé", says Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer of Daimler AG. "The sensuous, reduced design idiom in combination with the extreme proportions creates a unique design statement."

Like the GLE and the GLS, as a member of the large premium-SUV family the GLE Coupé is being built in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In total Mercedes-Benz now offers eight SUV models in the form of the GLA, GLC, GLC Coupé, the G-Class and the new GLB. With currently around one third of sales, the SUVs are a major structural pillar in the Mercedes-Benz product portfolio, and greatly contribute to the growth of the brand. To date, more than six million customers around the world have opted for a Mercedes-Benz SUV.

Exterior design: powerful presence

The new GLE Coupé is a stately 4939 mm long and 2010 mm wide (39 mm longer and 7 mm wider than its predecessor). The wheelbase has grown by 20 mm compared with the predecessor, but remains 60 mm shorter than that of the GLE, which benefits its sporty handling as well as its appearance. The proportions thus emphasise the dynamics of the GLE Coupé.

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé (UK-Spec)

The front view combines characteristics of the Mercedes-Benz SUV family with clear coupé attributes: the diamond radiator grille with the single horizontal louvre references the other coupés in the Mercedes-Benz range. The openings in the louvre, meanwhile, showcase the SUV character, as does the high-gloss chrome-plated underguard in the front apron. With the AMG Line the grille widens downwards in an A shape, and the pins in the diamond radiator grille are portrayed in chrome.

The headlamps feature full-LED technology as standard.

The flatter-angled windscreen not only makes the vehicle look more dynamic; it is also a better match for the rear-sloping roof line and injects harmonious elegance. The edge beneath it is consciously softly styled and surface-accented and effectively highlights the large, flush wheels (19 to 22 inches). The black plastic claddings on the wheel wells (for AMG Line painted in vehicle colour) and the optional running board between them emphasise the SUV character.

The dynamism of the coupé line is especially evident from the rear design. Beneath the C-pillar a broad muscle protrudes from the surface of the vehicle side, starting in the rear side door and encompassing the rear lamps. This muscle lends the GLE Coupé its powerful, read-to-pounce look. Together with the slim and elongated rear lamps it highlights the width of the tail end. The autonomous, two-part rear lamps fit the characteristic day and night design of the Mercedes-Benz SUV rear lamps with their hallmark rounded blocks in a slim outline. The flush transition from the tailgate to the bumper, the licence plate in the bumper above the high-gloss chrome-plated underguard and the integrated tailpipe trim elements complete the synthesis of coupé and SUV.

Interior design: coupé without constraints

The interior of the new GLE Coupé shares numerous common features with the other models in the new premium-SUV family with a clear emphasis on the sporty aspect. The modern cockpit with two large screens in the format 12.3 inches /31.2 cm and the strikingly shaped instrument panel, horizontally divided by a trim element tier, and seamlessly flowing into the door trim, appear familiar. The upper surface is covered in ARTICO man-made leather upholstery as standard in the GLE Coupé. The sporty emphasis comes courtesy of the standard sports seats, offering particularly good lateral support, with an ARTICO cover and the new sports steering wheel with a nappa leather rim, which is also standard in the coupé.

The SUV touch, meanwhile, is added by the high centre console with the dominant grab handles. The high-quality styling and processing of all surfaces and features and the impressive ergonomics convey a contemporary and luxurious impression. Of course, there are extensive opportunities for individualisation in the selection of decorative features and materials, which can take the sporty theme in the GLE Coupé to a whole new level and demonstrate the handcrafted quality of genuine luxury products. Leather/nappa leather seat covers and door panels in the colour combination classic red/black are exclusively available in the coupé.

(Mercedes-Benz UK Press Release)