Roaring to 100 km/h from standstill in 6.45 seconds, the GLE 450 hit a sub-15-second quarter mile. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h. For a 2.3-tonne car, that is quick. This was, of course, in Sport+ mode. The GLE Coupé does feel bulky and you can feel its weight with every change of direction. Thankfully, it has a 3D sensor system mounted in the middle to deliver accurate dynamic data to the driver assist systems. That means the Active Curve Assist and Cross-wind Detection work very well to keep the big GLE on its intended course; a feat experienced at a sudden dip right on the bend along the narrow winding road leading out of the village we stumbled upon. Human instinct believed the GLE would roll over, but the stabilisation control, together with the grippy rubber, made short work of dismissing what could have been a potential catastrophe. I wouldn’t say it handles like a sports coupé, but it does handle very well for its proportions and weight.
Switch over to Comfort mode and there is an immediate change in the car’s character. The revs relax with the 9G-Tronic moving from fifth to ninth in the blink of an eye. The suspension softens and steering loosens up ever so slightly. Give it a second and you realise how supple the ride quality really is. The AIRMATIC air suspension provides a sublime ride and everything is well inside the cabin. Step on it, even in Comfort mode, and, apart from a slight jump to launch when the revs are below 1,600, it effortlessly collects all available Newton-metres and lunges forward, gathering more as the revs build up.
The road narrowed and then disappeared altogether. A lake came into view and, with it, a path leading to the water’s edge. Time to hit that raise button. The onboard computer automatically selects ‘Slippery’ mode and raises the car by as much as 55 mm. Light throttle, zero wheel-spin, the GLE tested the waters with its rubber feet. Even getting back out was nothing out of the ordinary, and the GLE Coupé was ready to hit the road again.
Soon the tarmac got better and more complete. The Dynamic Select knob was rotated another 30° anti-clockwise: Sport mode, a shiver of acknowledgment, and an accompanying vroom from the V6 later, my right foot made proper contact with the aluminium sport pedal.
The GLE Coupé is not the type of car I usually like, but, in the end, it does manage to play out all its roles well. It doesn’t feel claustrophobic or too heavy. It behaves itself and looks great doing so. Style may mean different things to different people, but while many buy cars to impress others, there are a few who want something different, something that looks like few others and makes you feel good, not just about it, but, more importantly, in it. And that’s a blend of luxury, sport, capability and presence that Mercedes have got right.
