2017 Mercedes-AMG GLE43 Coupe 4MATIC

The mad men at Mercedes-AMG have cobbled together the GLE43 coupe as if it were an automotive Frankenstein, with seemingly mismatched parts, styling elements, and performance goodies creating an unexpectedly clever amalgamation. Its fastback roofline, giant air intakes, quad exhaust pipes, and snorting twin-turbocharged engine mask the large, high-riding SUV underneath. Indeed, it’s a mixed breed of muscle car and monster truck—a muscle monster, if you will—with both the performance and the compromised practicality one might expect from such a mash-up.

The 3.0-liter V-6 is force-fed by two turbochargers to the tune of 362 horsepower and 384 lb-ft of torque. That’s 215 horsepower and 177 lb-ft less than the GLE43’s more powerful stablemate, the GLE63 S coupe, makes from its 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8, but this junior AMG’s 5.3-second blast to 60 mph is enough to put a smile on any driver’s face. It’s quicker to 60 mph than the last BMW X6 xDrive35i we tested, which managed the run in 5.7 seconds.

On its optional 22-inch aluminum wheels ($1250) and wide Pirelli P Zero summer tires, the GLE43 coupe is an imposingly awkward thing, especially with its air springs in the tallest, off-road setting that makes it look like a Conestoga wagon with disco fever. Each of the rear tires—broad enough to challenge any car wash’s conveyor guide rails—provides a foot-wide footprint and enough stick to rocket this beast around our skidpad at 0.93 g. That’s more grip than our long-term Mazda MX-5 Miata has with half the curb weight of the GLE43 coupe (but riding on narrower rubber, of course).

Drivers are offered four driving modes—Snow, Comfort, Sport, and Sport+—each of which adjusts the throttle response, transmission mapping for the nine-speed automatic, suspension damping, and steering effort. A fifth option, called Individual, allows the driver to create a custom setup by cherry-picking settings for each of those elements. In Comfort mode, the GLE43 coupe is an easy-riding SUV, but turn it to Sport+ and the ride gets noticeably firmer, sometimes overly so, transforming the creature into an athlete. Our test car came equipped with the Active Curve system, a $2910 option, which uses variable front and rear anti-roll bars that adjust as needed to keep roll in check—the vehicle tends to lean slightly into a turn, like a motorcycle. The system does an admirable job assisting the suspension to provide controlled and predictable handling.

Sport+ mode also dials up the drama under the GLE43’s vented hood, sending rumbles and crackling backfires out four tailpipes protruding through an aluminum-colored faux diffuser. It’s enough to trigger goose bumps and, on more than one occasion during our time with it, startle passersby. Spend much time in Sport+ mode, though, and you’ll burn through fuel quickly. The EPA ratings are 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway, but we recorded just 15 mpg.

Despite its impressive performance, the GLE43 coupe is surprisingly easy to live with on a day-to-day basis. Its 23-cubic-foot cargo hold is 15 cubes smaller than that of the conventional, square-back GLE SUV yet matches that of the Mercedes-Benz E-class station wagon, a car no one questions on practicality grounds. The GLE’s sloping backlight does pose a problem for hauling taller items, cutting deeply into the available space behind the rear seats. Still, we easily fit enough supplies for a day of tailgating at a University of Michigan football game. A 115-volt AC outlet—oddly positioned in the right-rear passenger footwell—powered our Crock-Pot full of pregame chili while cooled front cupholders kept our beverages icy. (They’re heated, too, for those who’d prefer coffee or cocoa.) But it was the GLE43’s optional $4550 Bang & Olufsen 900-watt audio system that turned out to be the life of the party, drowning out the weeping of nearby Illinois fans.

The view forward from the driver’s seat is no different than in the non-coupified GLE, but looking aft is another matter. Wide roof pillars and narrow windows make the standard blind-spot monitor necessary. Rear-seat headroom also is less than in the boxier GLE, but only by 0.7 inch, and most adults find the back seats accommodating and comfortable.

With a base price that crests the $70,000 mark, the GLE43 coupe costs $17,650 more than the more practical GLE350. Our test car’s $90,360 as-tested price included the aforementioned Active Curve system and 22-inch wheels, along with a trailer hitch ($575). More whiz-bang than useful were soft-close doors ($550), the Bang & Olufsen stereo, an air ionizer ($280), heated rear seats ($620), laminated front side windows ($250), pre-wiring for a rear-seat entertainment system ($170), and Magic Vision control ($350) which adds heated wiper blades—yes, blades—with laser-cut holes through which washer fluid will squirt directly in front of the moving wipers rather than spraying up onto the glass from beneath the cowl.

The $2250 Premium 3 package added adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and automated emergency braking, as well as the fancy cupholders, ambient interior lighting, and a rear-seat armrest pass-through. For another $1290, our test car also had the Parking Assist package with parking sensors and a 360-degree-view camera.

Unlike Mary Shelley’s fictional creature, the GLE43 coupe isn’t likely to fade into the frozen night. Like it or not, the SUV-coupe amalgam seems to be here to stay, as evidenced by the trickle-down into the class below in the form of BMW’s X4 and the upcoming Mercedes-Benz GLC-class coupe. It has even started to appear in non-premium forms, such as in the currently China-only Mazda CX-4. Few crossovers are so performance-oriented as an AMG-tuned Mercedes, so the GLE43 coupe will continue to be an unusual mash-up even as the SUV coupe styling makes the leap to the mainstream.

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback

PRICE AS TESTED: $90,360 (base price: $70,575)

ENGINE TYPE: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 183 cu in, 2996 cc
Power: 362 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque: 384 lb-ft @ 1800 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 9-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 114.8 in
Length: 192.6 in
Width: 78.7 in Height: 67.7 in
Cargo volume: 23 cu ft
Curb weight: 5180 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 5.3 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 13.8 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 27.3 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 5.9 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.3 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.4 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.8 sec @ 100 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 135 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 166 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad*: 0.93 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 17/23 mpg
C/D observed: 15 mpg



*stability-control-inhibited