Mercedes Benz E350 Coupe 2010

Interestingly, this two-door E-Class costs less than the four-door version ($550 less, $48, 050 for the coupe versus $48, 600 for the sedan). That's the complete opposite of a sacrifice and actually pretty rare. Looking at just Mercedes, the four-door S550 starts at $91, 600 while the two-door CL550 goes for a cool $110, 400 with no options. Additionally, even though prices have yet to be announced, you can be damn sure that Cadillac's new CTS Coupe will carry a premium over its four-door brethren. Why then is this new E350 Coupe less expensive than the sedan?

Because it's not actually an E-Class. Well, it is, but it isn't. Despite any history, the E-Class Coupe is actually replacing the CLK in Mercedes' lineup. And the CLK is built off of the C-Class chassis, not the E-Class. And the new E-Class Coupe is seven inches shorter, four inches narrower and three-and-a half inches lower than an E-Class Sedan. For its part, Mercedes hasn't admitted that the E-Class Coupe rides on a C-Class platform, but when asked point blank if the E-Sedan and E-Coupe rode on the same chassis, one PR official answered, "I wouldn't say that." Regardless, that's why two-doors costs less. But are you getting less car?

We'd answer no. And while we're aware that you're in fact getting 400 pounds or so less car, that's a good thing in this case. Mechanically, you get the same motor with the same tune – MB's 3.5-liter V6 that produces 268 horsepower at 6, 000 rpm and 258 pound-feet of torque at a wonderfully-wide 2, 400–5, 000 rpm. Suspension-wise, the two cars share the same three-link McPherson struts up front and five-point multi-link setup out back, along with Benz' Agility Control stroke-dependent damping (though part of an option pack on the Coupe, standard on the sedan). Again, the Coupe really just weighs less.

This fact pays big dividends on the road. We were instantly impressed (and remained so over the course of our testing) with the power supplied by the V6, especially considering the Coupe's curb weight is a considerable 3, 683 pounds. While it certainly lacks the thrust of the more powerful E550's 382-hp V8, we were never left wanting for power – a neat trick, for sure. Are we saying that more power would be unwelcome, particularly from a 500+ hp E63 AMG Coupe? Absolutely not. But the simple fact is that E350 Coupe owners will have no trouble whatsoever attaining fast highway cruising speeds, and then some. The seven-speed slush box is further proof that Mercedes-Benz builds the best pure automatics in the business.

Furthermore, the ride and handling balance is excellent. Put simply, the E-Coupe just feels right. Put a little bit more laboriously, the car's road manners are exemplary, owing in large part to its "proper" front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. Not a corner carver by any means, the E350 Coupe does follow in the aforementioned European tradition of a GT – a car that's able to enthusiastically soak up mile after mile while providing the driver with a sporting amount of feedback, feel and fun. Put up against an Audi A5, there really is no comparison. The Mercedes is a driver's car, whereas the Audi lacks some directness in the steering and gets rather tiresome during long drives.

As much as we enjoyed driving the E350 Coupe, we actually enjoyed just being inside more. The past decade or so has seen an explosion of entry-level luxury rides, and it was refreshing to experience some actual luxury. Just situating yourself inside the E is an event, as a smart extending guide hands you your seatbelt. The chairs themselves are superlative; many-way adjustable and the driver's seat feature four controls to inflate/deflate various air bladders that provide all sorts of bolstering and support. The passenger seat has three and the quality of leather is without peer for the price point.

The gauges are beautiful, especially the oversized speedo with its trick floating dial. An unnecessary bit of bunting perhaps, but it made us smile. The heated steering wheel features intelligently grouped buttons, as well as the thickness and heft that all vehicles with sporting pretensions should and therefor must have. We were particularly enamored with the simplicity and usefulness of the HVAC controls, specifically the little bars used to raise and lower the cabin's temperature. It's the little things that we came to appreciate, and on a long journey, the driver's ability to remain comfortable might just be the most luxurious thing of all.

As far as the exterior design is concerned, it's simply good. To take that a step further, as far as Mercedes' contemporary designs go, it's this writer's favorite. Pulling back a bit, the E-Class line comprises the best-looking cars in Mercedes' stable. The S-Class, while stately, remains rather goofy, what with those swollen arches and Hooydonked butt. Meanwhile, the C-Class – admittedly quite similar to the E-Class – looks a little shrunken, especially when viewed in profile. The E-Class then, is the Goldilocks of the bunch: not too tiny, not too outlandish. We're suckers for pillarless anything, and in our estimation, this raises the Coupe's good looks up over the four-door's. Pity about the Coupe's chunky rear fender, the lone misstep.