Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe – cool and classy

EMPLOYEES of large companies have come to fear the word rationalisation as it generally tends to herald the latest round of redundancies.

It doesn’t necessarily mean ‘thanks and goodbye’ though, and in the case of Mercedes-Benz has resulted in the arrival of a welcome new model line.

As the axe fell on both the C-Class Coupe and slightly larger E-Class Coupe, the gap was filled by the sleek, streamlined and utterly eye-catching CLE Coupe.

Smarter looking than either of the cars it replaced, and longer even than the E-Class, the CLE Coupe has a starting price of £46,620 rising to a princely £72,820.

Available in AMG Line, AMG Line Premium, AMG Line Premium Plus and Premier Edition spec, the line-up comprises four and six-cylinder petrol engines plus a four-cylinder diesel – with mild hybrid technology plus a plug-in hybrid.

All models use the brand’s nine-speed auto transmission with a choice of drive modes and sports suspension.

Our tested variant, the CLE Coupe 300 4MATIC AMG Line Premium Plus, featured a 2.0-litre petrol powerplant producing 258bhp, nifty acceleration of 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds and four-wheel drive.

And though the official average fuel return figure is 39.8 miles per gallon we managed to top that mark by registering 41.0mpg over the best part of 250 miles of mixed urban, rural and motorway driving.

Travelling in style would be an understatement because not only does the CLE Coupe look the part but it also performs like a high class grand tourer, purring silently along with a combination of poise and comfort.

It’s beautifully damped too, floating over uneven surfaces and when you want a power boost the engine is assisted by a 48-volt electric motor (that’s the mild hybrid bit).

If you enjoy purring along in near silence then that’s just what you get – to the point that you could almost be aboard an electric car.

Move inside and you are greeted by plush soft leather and multi-adjustable seats, a mix of matt and shiny surfaces around the dash, a squared off central touchscreen and nicely balanced flat-bottomed steering wheel.

Those up front can drive or be carried in relaxed comfort with ample legroom for the tallest passengers but while the seats in rear are also full-size, occupants other than children can feel claustrophobic.

That’s due to the cramped feel of the rear cabin and small back windows, which don’t open, so visibility is limited.

Climbing into the back is not really a problem. The tricky bit is getting back out – the front seats may slide quite far forward but you still feel like being stuck in a lobster pot.

Otherwise, the CLE Coupe ticks all the boxes for quality, engineering, dynamics and equipment, the likes of the latest MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) infotainment set-up with 11.9-inch central portrait display plus free-standing 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster standard on every car.

The front and rear sensors and rear-view camera are also a great help and though people don’t buy two-door coupes for space there is actually plenty on offer as well as a wireless mobile phone charging pad and several USB-C ports.

You can shoehorn a couple of golf bags into the boot and the rear seats do fold down for longer items too.