The latest Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe would like a word with your
expectations and definitions for a tall-riding luxury crossover. That word is
"goodbye."
On Tuesday, the German automaker unveiled the 2021
Mercedes-AMG GLE63 S Coupe with an electrified twin-turbo V-8, 22-inch wheels,
and a sport-tuned air suspension system.
It will sit above the less powerful GLE Coupe and 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLE53 Coupe when it goes on sale in
the U.S. in fall 2020.
Turbos and electrons
As with any AMG model, it starts with what's under the hood.
AMG's hand-built, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 makes 603 horsepower and 627
pound-feet of torque and is paired with a 48-volt electrical system that can
supplement the engine with up to 21 hp and 184 lb-ft in certain situations,
including quicker initial acceleration. A 9-speed automatic transmission sends
power to all four 22-inch wheels.
Mercedes-AMG said the rakish crossover SUV will sprint from
0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds on its way to an electronically limited 174 mph top
speed.
The powertrain has seven drive modes that modify engine
response, transmission, suspension, and steering including: Comfort, Sport,
Sport+, Individual, Race, Trail, and Sand.
Standard air suspension, adaptive dampers, and active roll
bars will help keep the big hatchback on stilts upright and tie into the
48-volt electrical system. There are three modes for the suspension separate
from the drive modes: Comfort, Sport, and Sport+. The system can level the
crossover to adjust for heavy loads and lowers the GLE63 S Coupe at speeds over
74 mph for better fuel-efficiency.
To control wheel slip and help accelerate out of corners an
electronically controlled locking rear differential is standard.
Braking power comes from six-piston fixed front calipers
that grab 15.7-inch front rotors with single-piston floating calipers and 14.6-inch
discs in the rear. A carbon ceramic brake rotor upgrade will be on the options
list to remove mass and prevent cooking the brakes on a racetrack.
2021 Mercedes-AMG GLE63 S Coupe
Pretty, yet aggressive
The GLE63 S Coupe puts an angrier face on a pretty SUV. A
Panamericana grille instantly ties the GLE63 S Coupe to the other performance
cars from Affalterbach, while the gaping intakes on both sides of the front
bumper are ready to suck in every bit of air to feed the turbocharged V-8
engine.
The rakish roofline carries over from other GLE models, but
the fenders give the GLE63 S a bulldog-like appearance. Out back, AMG-specific
quad rectangular exhaust tips bark the 4.0-liter's song.
Inside, the GLE Coupe gets the AMG treatment with nappa
leather, AMG badges, three-spoke flat-bottom AMG steering wheel with aluminum
shift paddles, and AMG Drive Unit steering wheel buttons to change the vehicle
parameters on the fly. Swaths of carbon fiber trim cover the dashboard and
doors.
Mercedes-Benz didn't say how much the 2020 Mercedes-AMG
GLE63 S Coupe will cost when it arrives in the U.S. in fall 2020, but expect it
to start from about $115,000 like the outgoing model.
by Joel Feder
http://www.boscheuropean.com
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