We went to test the Mercedes E-Class Coupé 250 CDI. A car where adjectives such as elegance and distinction gain another dimension. We started the journey in Guincho and ended up in Alentejo, through Monforte. Do you accept a ride?
There are weeks when nothing seems to go well. I could swear that, come back, don't come back, the Universe takes a few minutes to conspire against me, in an exercise of pure malice and satisfaction. Mr. Universe – who as everyone knows is a very busy person – leaves aside other minor tasks, like expanding or guaranteeing the dawn of a new day, just to annoy me. Every freak with their…
“A car that exerts a magnetism on us that is different from the rest. Why? Look at him. It is one of the most elegant coupés on the market.”
It all started with a breakdown in my car on Monday. On Tuesday, one of our photographers ran out of camera. On Wednesday, well on Wednesday, I don't think anything happened. And finally, on Thursday, two tests were canceled. In one week I was without a car, without press cars and without a photographer. The photographer's part was resolved on the same day, the press cars part was just like that.
Luckily, at the last minute – in a moment of distraction from Mr. Universe it can only… – a star shone down on us in the form of a phone call from Mercedes. A 250 CDI E-Class Coupé was waiting for us. So he really was a star, literally! As the unavoidable Fernando Pessa would say: And this one?
My view of the Universe is too egocentric, isn't it? They might be right. Mr. Universe is certainly in the dark for me. But I remind you that I wrote these lines still under the astral influence of the Mercedes E-Class Coupé 250 CDI. A car that exerts a magnetism on us that is different from the rest. Why? Look at him. It is one of the most elegant coupés on the market.
“What the engine doesn't do, Mercedes did. With its windows closed and at the speed of the highway (elevated…) the German brand did a remarkable job in isolating the complaints of the motor unit.”
And the version I had for testing had all the goodies, namely the AMG Plus pack (€3,333). A pack that gives the E-Class Coupé a more striking and sporty presence, which is transmitted to the driver. Like? At the wheel, even we are more confident. It's easy to become self-centered behind the wheel of the E-Class Coupé, after all, on every corner and on every street we collect looks, some more indiscreet than others.
After breakfast at Guincho, we did the entire beachfront in Cascais with glass and a retracted panoramic roof (€1,423). The absence of a central pillar proved to be an asset, increasing the pleasure of driving in dolce far niente mode – I confess that I prefer to walk with open windows than with the air conditioning on.
"Without my senses noticing it, I was rolling at speeds that could force me to become friends with the Transit Brigade."
The 7G-Tronic automatic transmission (€2,154) helps keep everything in record as little work as possible. Smooth passages, almost imperceptible, that unfortunately they didn't find in this 250 CDI engine with 204hp of power and 500Nm of maximum torque, a pair for the time. I'm not talking about performances, I'm talking about smoothness. It's a unit that could be a little less audible.
What the engine doesn't do, Mercedes did. With closed windows and at the speed of the highway (elevated…) the German brand did a remarkable job in isolating the complaints of the motor unit. Without my senses noticing it, I was rolling at speeds that could compel me to make friends with the Transit Brigade. It's nothing personal, but I prefer to make friends in another way.
In no time I reached Monforte, a small village in Alto-Alentejo, in the district of Portalegre. Land of people who know the land, who love the land, and who like to talk. Oh if you like! Where do you come from? Whose child is it? These were some of the questions I was bombarded with while restoring caffeine levels in my blood.
The mind was already showing some fatigue, but the body was not. Despite the sports seats and the low-profile tires of the AMG Plus pack, comfort continues to deserve a good note in this Mercedes E-Class Coupé.
After the break, I went back to the road towards the village of Crato. That weekend there was a festival named after the land. Ideal occasion to review some familiar faces, in the taste of local products and with good background music. That's how I like to make friends, around a table – it's not on the side of the road, with a law enforcement officer asking me for my personal details.
“Almost arriving in Lisbon, I looked at the on-board computer for the first time, it recorded an average of 6.9 liters/100km. Good news, without a doubt"
On my way back to Lisbon, with my soul full of those stories that help us to face the grayest working days, I decided to take the national road. Not being a pure and tough sports car, there is more to that chassis than we will ever want to explore. The chassis' neutrality is remarkable and the speed we can print in corners is inappropriate for those less used to these rhythms.
Without juggling, tricks or quirks, the E-Class Coupé lets itself be carried away without drama, whether or not it was part of one of the most aristocratic lineages in the automotive industry. So, class, gentlemen, est un prerequis!
Almost arriving in Lisbon, I looked for the first time at the on-board computer, it registered an average of 6.9 litres/100km. Good news, no doubt, but there wasn't much diesel left in the tank, so it's time to refuel and collect a few more looks.
Looking in perspective, after a weekend behind the wheel of a car of this category, I take back what I said. Mr. Universe has even been quite benevolent to me. A kindness that, in truth, has a very unkind price: €71,531 (value of the unit tested).
There are stars that in this universe are not for any budget, those that are born in Stuttgart unfortunately are of this kind.
Photography: Gonçalo Maccario
| MOTOR | 4 cylinders |
| CYLINDRAGE | 2,143 cc |
| STREAMING | Automatic 7 Speed |
| TRACTION | back |
| WEIGHT | 1397 kg. |
| POWER | 204 hp / 3,800 rpm |
| BINARY | 500 NM / 1800 rpm |
| 0-100 KM/H | 7.3 sec |
| SPEED MAXIMUM | 247 km/h |
| COMBINED CONSUMPTION | 4.9 lt./100 km (brand values) |
| PRICE | €61,004 (base amount) |