Hard Shoulder:THIS IS the first official picture of the new Mercedes E Class coupé that will replace the old CLK.
Mercedes claim it’s the world’s most aerodynamically efficient car, with a drag co-efficient of just 0.24.
The impact of this, along with a fine-tuned engine range, means the new E250 coupé, powered with the 1.8-litre diesel four cylinder, returns 5.3l/100km (53 mpg), but with 204bhp on offer it also promises to be genuinely fast.
The E Class coupé’s engine range is generally more powerful than the CLK’s. Petrol powerplants will include a 204bhp 1.8-litre, a 292bhp 3.5-litre V6 and a top-end 388bhp 5.5-litre V8 model. There will be two diesels carried over from the standard E Class: the 2.2-litre and 3.0-litre V6. Six- and eight-cylinder engines will be available, with a seven-speed automatic gearbox.
As the Coupé is based on a modified version of the new E Class’s mechanical layout (instead of the C Class, like the old CLK) it’s much bigger – a substantial 46mm longer and 46mm wider than the car it replaces. That means plenty more space in the cabin and in the boot.
The E Class coupé will make its debut at the Geneva motor show before arriving in European showrooms around June.
Italians take cost-saving option with semi-convertible Fiat 500
CONTRARY TO what had been reported in recent months, Fiat has opted for a cost-saving semi-convertible variant for its iconic 500. While early design iterations suggested a full convertible was in the pipeline, it seems the Italians have opted to save money and also to go for something a little more distinctive in comparison to rivals such as the Mini.
This the first official imageof the new car, which will make its public debut at next month’s Geneva motor show.
The car is more of a targa than a proper cabrio but it means that the bodywork and chassis don’t need as much reworking as would be required for a full convertible model. Sensible thinking from the Italians given the times we are in.
Power will come from the same three powerplants as in the hard-top version: the 1.3 liter 75bhp Multijet turbodiesel coupled to a 5-speed manual transmission and the two 1.2 litre 69bhp and 1.4 litre 100bhp petrol engines, available with either manual or robotized Dualogic transmission.