The new 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE may be the designated successor to the E-Class and C-Class coupes, but independent designer Sugar Chow wasn’t content with that. Rather than accepting the “in-between” solution currently provided by the automaker, he digitally crafted a true E-Class Coupe, offering a glimpse of what might have been.
The new generation of the E-Class is available in sedan, long-wheelbase sedan, estate, and all-terrain bodystyles discontinuing the sexier coupe and convertible forms of its predecessor. The digital renderings below correct this injustice, imagining a sleeker two-door version of the sedan.
The front and rear of this fictional coupe closely resemble the standard E-Class, with the lighting units and AMG-line bumpers retaining their familiar appearance. However, the profile has undergone a complete redesign, adopting the characteristic frameless side windows from its predecessor to complement the sleek coupe-style roofline.
A visual comparison with the Mercedes-AMG CLE reveals the notably shorter wheelbase and the shape of the greenhouse which is reminiscent of the discontinued C-Class Coupe. Sugar Chow’s take on the E-Class Coupe is less sporty than the CLE, but more elegant and luxurious, benefiting from the longer and wider underpinnings.
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While most of us would prefer Mercedes to keep offering Coupe and Convertible versions of the E-Class and the S-Class flagship, the models were discontinued for a good reason. Sales volume was not enough to justify the development costs of additional two-door bodystyles that required a substantial investment.
Buyers in many parts of the world have shown a preference for SUVs over their lower-slung counterparts, leading Mercedes to concentrate on models like the GLC and GLE Coupe. Additionally, the fully electric EQE and EQS models already feature a coupe-style silhouette, rendering traditional two-door models somewhat obsolete in the future lineup.
Overall, we should be glad that Mercedes still offers a two-door coupe and convertible in the form of the ICE-powered CLE, which is likely to be the last of its kind.
Note: The independent renderings are off-the-record and unrelated to Mercedes-Benz.
