Mercedes CLE Coupé review: A driving experience to be excited for

I don’t know if I have been as excited by any new Mercedes – dazzled, certainly by their technological wizardry, but not necessarily excited – as I was with the new CLE coupe.

There are moments when you first see a car in the flesh that you just know the thing is going to be a winner. There is an old adage in Formula One that if a car looks right, then 99 times out of 100, it is right and is a winner.

This Mercedes looks just right and, in many ways, it represents something of a styling shift for the company in that it does not have the frumpy rear end so favoured by the Stuttgart giant in recent years and seen on so many models.

The first car that came to mind when I first clapped eyes on the CLE was the beautiful Alfa Romeo GT of recent times which was a stunning tour de force of design. Somewhat sadly, it’s been a long time since anything such could be said of a Mercedes.

Now it is possible – on close inspection – to pick out minor detail flaws on the Merc, but the overall design is pretty stunning and it is a visual treat to behold. And, although it is not the sportiest of machines every to have emerged from Unterturkheim (although it’s actually made in Bremen, but never mind), it is really good to drive too.

The history of this car is somewhat of a mishmash as something similar was actually supposed to have been made as far back as 2006, but it never made it to production. The CLE is actually a replacement for both the C-Class Coupe and the E-Class Coupe and, as such, is allowing Mercedes to streamline its model line-up.

Mechanically and technically, the new coupe draws a lot from the new E-Class series and shares engines and technology, while there is also a nod to the C-Class in terms of the front-end look and the interior decor.

But, you can make all these connections and still only come up with one conclusion – this is a damned fine-looking machine.

It’s worth noting too that with all those damnable SUV Coupes we are being fed, collectively we were beginning to lose sight of what a real coupe looks like. Thankfully, this is a firm reminder that a coupe should be a simple design, yet boasting the height of sophistication.

This is a 2+2 of a classic order; a two-door with frameless doors and four seats, of which two will comfortably seat two adults and two which won’t.

It is also worth noting that this could well be the last Mercedes that comes with an internal combustion engine, as Mercedes says it will stop making them from 2025 – something which, given the current state of play with regard to the public’s lack of full acceptance of the electrics which are being made for us these days.

Given the combination of factors involved here, therefore, this might actually become quite an iconic car and one which we look back at with fond remembrance as it might well be the last of its kind. Hopefully not.

Whatever the CLE is, or represents in terms of automotive history, it is a great car and one which any proud petrolhead would be proud to drive or own. And the one we drove – the only diesel in a four-engined line-up which also includes three petrol models of varying size and potency.

While we might – in times past – have scoffed at the very idea of a diesel coupe, the fact of the matter is that buyers (and Irish ones especially) still want diesel and probably will do until some considerable amount of time has passed.

As such this is a very good diesel and one which neatly fits into the layers of sophistication that Mercedes has built into the CLE. The model we tried was the CLE 220d in AMG-Line Plus specification and under the hood was a two-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine with a 48V mild hybrid system and a 17kW starter-generator.

This is mated with a nine-speed auto gearbox feeding the power to the rear wheels and the net effect of the powertrain is a 200 bhp/440 Nm output, a top speed of 235 km/h, a 0-100 km/h time of 7.5 seconds, a consumption rate of 5.2 l/100km (53.8 mpg) and an emission level of just 123 g/km which makes for an annual tax charge of €200.

On paper, these figures appear competent rather than outstanding, but the reality is that this is quite the hot thing and while the standing start figures might seem a little inert (especially given some of the figures being bandied about by the electric contingent), but its mid-range punch – thanks largely to that excellent torque figure – is something few electrics will match.

This is a very adult coupe and what that means is it is a very relaxed cruiser that will cover long distances with ease and with a great deal of passenger comfort. Despite being conventionally sprung – there’s no air suspension here – the handling is sharp and the ride is supple and confidence-inspiring.

But there’s not much here to inspire what might be termed ‘juvenile’ fun; everything is very mature and adult, but those characteristics suit the torquey nature of the drive and the lolloping cross-country character of the car.

Equipping levels are top drawer and the MBUX infotainment system is one of the best in the business for ease of use, while the front seats are extremely comfortable and supportive. The boot too – for a coupe, at least – is sizeable and has a much more practical demeanour than you might have expected.

The interior is plucked straight from the C-Class and, obviously, would be a tad higher quality if taken from the E-Class instead. That said the build is excellent and the materials are top drawer, even if some of the glossy plastics are fingerprint magnets and the steering wheel controls for such as the adaptive cruise control are unnecessarily frustrating to use.

That’s one of the very few downsides to this car (the other being the absence of a spare wheel which, for rural dwellers, is nearly unforgivable) and, on the whole, the CLE maintains Mercedes’ history of making sensational coupes.

It must be said too that the Spectral Blue Metallic colour scheme and the optional 19” multispoke alloys, which really fill out the wheel arches, both make the car easier on the eye than it already is.

This is not necessarily one of the most sensational they’ve ever made – certainly not until AMG get their hands on it – but it’s a beaut nonetheless and while it might land more on the relaxing side of things rather than the exciting one, it will excite Mercedes coupe fans like nothing else they’ve seen in a while.