Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupé

All-new model makes choosing which Mercedes-Benz coupé to go for that bit easier than before On sale November Price from £53,000 (est)

- Matt Saunders

AT A TIME when Mercedes-Benz is paring back its combustion-engined line-up to make space for electric cars, the new CLE feels like a bit of a last hurrah for the old ways.

An indulgent, petrol-powered coupé, it replaces not just one model but two. The theory is that buyers of the old C-Class Coupé now have a slightly larger, more practical machine to upgrade to, without a huge leap in price, while E-Class Coupé fans can move over to something as elegant and desirable as their old car, and a little bit more dynamic to drive.

Two versions will be offered at launch in the UK: the CLE 300, which has a 255bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, and the 375bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol CLE 450. Both come exclusively with Mercedes' 4Matic four-wheel drive system and a nine-speed automatic gearbox. A plug-in hybrid CLE 300e is expected to follow later, but there are no plans for a diesel variant in the UK.

The engine in the CLE 300 (the version we've driven so far) sounds slightly agricultural at idle, and perhaps a touch unworthy of a super desirable coupé for sheer aural charm. It's not all that keen on revving much beyond 4000rpm, either, so it doesn't make this car feel especially fast.