Mercedes-Benz South Africa has quietly added the new GLE Coupé to its configurator, although only the GLE400d variant is listed for now.
So, what sort of starting price are we looking at here? Well, the GLE400d Coupé will kick off at R1 593 867, which makes it some R193 138 more expensive than the standard SUV body style version of the GLE.
As a reminder, the OM656 3,0-litre inline-six turbodiesel engine employed by the GLE400d Coupé generates 243 kW and 700 N.m, which is directed to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission. That’s enough, says the Stuttgart-based firm, for a sprint from standstill to 100 km/h in 5,7 seconds and a top speed of 240 km/h.
Of course, the options list is a lengthy one and includes items such as an acoustic comfort package (R20 400), climatised front seats (R21 200), the MBUX rear-seat entertainment system (R47 000), a Burmester 3D surround sound system (R83 500), a head-up display (R18 300), the Airmatic suspension package (R29 000) and a “sporty engine sound” feature (R9 200).
While the local range comprises just this single variant for now, we expect it to eventually mirror the standard GLE line-up, which currently includes a GLE300d, GLE450, GLE400d and Mercedes-AMG GLE53 (with the GLE63 S to come).
Revealed in August 2019, the new GLE Coupé has grown to 4 939 mm long and 2 010 mm wide, while its wheelbase is some 60 mm shorter than that of the standard GLE (but 20 mm longer than before).
The luggage compartment can hold a claimed 655 litres, while dropping the rear bench increases the figure to 1 790 litres (an improvement of 70 litres over its predecessor). Inside, you’ll find the latest generation of the MBUX infotainment system run via a pair of 12,3-inch screens.
