New E-Class Coupe sits on older, cheaper C-Class platform

New E-Class Coupe sits on older, cheaper C-Class platform
POSTED TODAY, 9:45 AM BY JEREMY WEBER



While the E-Class Sedan starts at $49,475 for the base E350 model, the E350 Coupe is slightly cheaper at $48,925


Mercedes Benz surprised many by offering its new E-Class Coupe for less money than the E-Class Sedan, with which it shares its styling, interior and positioning. After all, which carmaker makes a more exclusive coupe model and then sells it for less money than the sedan variant?

If you missed our original pricing story, the E-Class Sedan starts at $49,475 for the base E350, while the similar E350 Coupe is slightly cheaper at $48,925.

It appears that Mercedes had some method to its pricing madness, however, and not purely because it wanted to hit its rivals by undercutting them in price. It turns out that while the new E-Class Coupe borrows its svelte styling from the E-Class Sedan, underneath the handsome exterior sits the smaller and cheaper C-Class platform.

This certainly explains why Mercedes can charge less for their E-Class Coupe than the Sedan, but pricing wasn't the only factor behind the decision to use the C-Class platform. Speaking with Automotive News, Mercedes U.S. chief Ernst Lieb explained that the older C-Class platform results in "a stiffer car with a bit more performance".

The news also follows earlier missives from Mercedes about the reason for dropping the previous CLK class of vehicles, which like the new E-Class Coupe were also based on the less expensive C-Class platform. The axing of the CLK was thought to be a sign that Mercedes would be using the E-Class Sedan's platform but instead the use of the C-Class platform harks back to how the company created its original CLK range of cars - essentially, the whole change was just an exercise in nameplate swapping.

Source: New E-Class Coupe sits on older, cheaper C-Class platform - [2010 Mercedes Benz E-Class Coupe] - MotorAuthority - Car news, reviews, spy shots

Sounds like a hater to me. :t-hands: The ride is HOT! :t-drive:

I guess Marcus has been stating this since the launch of the car. We all know it but MB had no official statement about it, now it is for sure.

60% of the E-Class Coupe comes from the... E-Class.

C-Class is only 40%.

The rest is journalism BS.
What the guy says was right for the old CLK, which was almost fully C-Class.
The E-Coupe is more E than C, and it feels like an E-Class. Even if it makes less spectacular titles for a car mag.

Do you have a source for this percentage of component sharing?

Was stated in many reviews, they said it is official MB press-material.

Please link that offiicial news.

All of this is matterless.....the new "E-Class" Coupe is no different from the previous CLK. I said from the start that this is a name change only, not a different way of building Mercedes' mid-level coupe. They should have just kept it CLK and we wouldn't have those type of discussions and articles popping up. Everything about it says CLK. A real E-Class Coupe would have all the same features, including Airmatic. Airmatic being something they'd have to "adapt" to the C-Class platform, but didn't because of expense. If it were a true E that wouldn't have been an issue. The CLK has always shared components with the E-Class....but the basic chassis is from the C, same as this new 2010 E-Class Coupe.

Marketing 101......being de-bunked is what this is.


The last real "E-Class Coupe" was the 1995 C124. Period.


Now I'll tell you what is really dumb, is for Ernst Lieb to say anything about this before the car even launches. Now he is somewhat telling the truth, but it isn't helping. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't get into trouble from from the head office in Germany about this. Though the real reason is cost. More performance isn't even close to being true since we know that this new Coupe isn't anywhere near as sporty as a 3-Series Coupe. Cost, cost, cost was the reason to use the C chassis, not sportiness. We all know a true E-Class Coupe would cost more than the sedan, not less. Back in the day the 300CE like like 58K back in 1988 while the 300E was much less, at least 10K less.


M

Umm...wt-f is this guy smoking? The new E-coupe is not based on the old C-class. It's based on a mixture of current C and the new E. Jeez, talk about journalism BS to max. The guy is taking sh!t out of context and interpreting it as he sees fit. Trying to get a few hits on the website I see.

^^^^ I suggest that you read who is giving out the info, it isn't a journalist.

M

I read it, and nowhere does it say that it is sitting on the older C-class platform. If anything, it's saying that the current C-class platform is old compared to the new E-class platform. So where the "older" ie W203 is coming from doesn't make sense. The car is based off the "now old" W204 platform. MB hasn't hidden this, it was said on the first day the pics were shown if I remember correctly. :t-cheers:

A journalist is expert at mis-quoting people and making them say what he wants to hear. Especially, the "old" term... This journalist obviously wanted to talk crap about this car.

Fact is, part of the CORE cost-cutting program was also that all MBs had to share a huge lot more. MB doesnt separate its different classes completely any more.

So even the W212 shares a lot with the W204 (and X-204 GLK), and now with the crisis MB is developping "modules" that are destined to be shared among the whole line-up.

Even the term of platforms is not really adequate any more. And that not only for MB.

In terms of size, structure, the E-Coupe is more C-Class. But it was stated many times than huge components, like the complete front axle, come directly from the E-Class. And these are defining the driving impressions.

This debate is only a marketing/journalist one, not an engineer-one.

No what he is saying that the W204 platform is older the W212 platform, nothing to do with the W203. The W203 isn't even mentioned.


M

What do you expect, it's motor authority. In reality they have zero authority at all. They've delivered some highly questionable "facts" in the past.

Well it is sat on the W204 C-class platform isn't it?

Its the reason why we won't see the E63 AMG coupe:eusa_doh:

Might be because the sales were low. Personally I never perceived the CLK55/63 to be off good value. Price was just under 100k which is absolutely insane for a car that was predominantly E-class based. Performance was not well spoken of and the car handled poorly compared with the near 40% cheaper M3 which is a better buy from any aspect. Most individuals who wanted a classy Benz Coupe chose the CLS55/63 which was just a few coins more expensive but had more exciting looks. There is like 10 CLS55s for every CLK55 on the road. MB got the pricing and positioning completely twisted and consumers didn't bite. And I can't imagine anyone wanting to pay 100k for the new E Coupe either.

Yep that was exactly it. Too expensive and didn't deliver on its coupe looks for the performance set, a group that isn't going to look at a CLK anyway.

The CLK's odd pricing position works on the Cabriolets, but not for the Coupes.

M

Yeah, I know, but the way they worded the headline (to attract visitors) is that the E-coupe is based on the older C platform, not that the current C platform is older than the newest E, which is a "No sh!t, genius" kind of statement. :t-cheers:

I kinda think you read too much into it, but either way this new E coupe is anything but. Its a CLK with a new name.

M

I didn't read too much into this; I just hate sh!tty "journalists".

As for it being CLK with a new name. C'mon, we've all known that from before it was even introduced.