2010 Mercedes-Benz E Coupe is refined 2-door with E-Class features, C-Class size

Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe name returns

It’s a Mercedes-Benz tradition to use letter and number combinations for car names. But somewhere along the line there came to be too many models starting with the letter “C.”

So, the Mercedes CLK coupe disappears for 2010 and is now the refined and comfortable E-Class Coupe, with new styling and features that tie it to the long-popular Mercedes E-Class sedans. Evidently, there’s no problem with expanding the number of cars using the letter “E.”

With the same V-6 and V-8 engines that are in the E-Class sedans, the E-Class coupes are pretty looking models with a roomier back seat — sculpted for just two people — and more trunk space than you’d expect.

Surprisingly, the 2010 coupes have slightly lower starting retail prices than their 2010 sedan counterparts and are lower in price than the 2009 CLK350 and CLK550 that they replace. But they’re still not bargains in the luxury coupe segment.

Specifically, starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $48,925 for a base 2010 E350 Coupe with 268-horsepower V-6 and automatic transmission. This is $550 less than the starting retail price for an E350 sedan with same 3.5-liter V-6 and same 268 horses.

The new-for-2010, V-8-powered E550 Coupe with 382 horsepower and an automatic transmission starts at $55,525. This is $1,950 less than the E550 sedan with same powertrain. Note that the E-Class sedans are available with all-wheel drive, but the 2010 coupes are not.

Competitors include the 2010 Infiniti G37 coupe, which starts much lower, at $36,915 with automatic transmission and 330-horsepower V-6. The G37 is available with all-wheel drive but does not have a V-8. The 2010 Audi A5 coupe starts at $36,825 with manual transmission and 211-horsepower, turbocharged four cylinder. With 265-horsepower V-6 and automatic transmission, the A5 starts at $44,825. All-wheel drive is standard on the A5.

Despite the name, the E coupes aren’t sized like the mid-size E-Class sedans. While exterior metal links the coupe styling to the E-Class four doors, the coupes use parts of the smaller C-Class cars, too.

So, the E350 and E550 coupes have the same 108.7-inch wheelbase underneath and the coupes’ size is closer to the C-Class than the E-Class. For example, the E Coupe overall length of 15.4 feet is 6.7 inches shorter than the sedan, and the coupe is shorter in height, 5.5 inches narrower and weighs less, too.

The test E550 felt substantial, nonetheless, with a solid thud as the doors closed and the windows snugged up automatically to seal in the quiet. The car didn’t feel particularly small, either.

Even getting into the back seat was less than a chore than I expected. The front seats automatically glide forward to provide easier access and then glide back automatically to their original positions — unless they hit something, like a rear-passenger knee. In this latter case, they adjust forward a bit automatically.

The E550 has the 5.5-liter, double overhead cam V-8 that I’ve enjoyed in other Mercedes models. Mated to a modern seven-speed transmission that can be shifted manually without a clutch pedal or operated as a regular automatic, the engine had a low rumble during the test drive that was awesome.

There seemed to be lots of “oomph” at virtually all engine speeds, thanks to a broad torque curve where the peak 391 foot-pounds comes on from 2,800 to 4,800 rpm. Yet, when I wanted to meld in with other drivers on city thoroughfares, the E550 wasn’t a hassle. It could take on a more serene personality, too.

In fact, the overall sense from this car is that of a polished performer that doesn’t have to show off or power itself aggressively.

While I heard tire whir subtly from the 18-inch standard tires and felt road imperfections via slight vibrations in my seat, even while the suspension setting was at “comfort,” the E550 gripped curvy mountain roads tightly and always maintained its poise.

There’s lots of safety equipment, including Mercedes’ Pre-Safe Collision preparation system that automatically cinches seat belts tight and ensures maximum braking should a coming crash be detected.

The E Coupes also have nine standard air bags — one is a driver knee bag to help keep the person properly situated behind the steering wheel.

A novel system called Attention Assist is supposed to monitor drivers to see if they are drowsy. If the system activates, a small, illuminated coffee cup appears in the instrument panel. But the test car arrived with the coffee cup already illuminated, and no matter who drove the car, the drowsy monitor kept saying a fatigued driver was at the wheel.

It was one of the more than 100 different warning messages that this car can provide for a driver — fresh evidence of the electronic frenzy going on in cars today.

I appreciated the motorized arm that automatically came forth and presented front-seat passengers with their shoulder belts. This meant I didn’t have to wrench around to try to reach the belts by myself.

The trunk has the same capacity, 15.9 cubic feet, as the E sedans — and while rear legroom is just 32.9 inches, the sculpted seats and rear-passenger windows that open help provide a nice resting spot. The panorama sunroof, with glass virtually all the way from windshield to back window, adds an airy feel.

But the front air dam on the low-riding E550 scraped the pavement by the curb when I did a U turn on a city street.