Mercedes-Benz Nips and Tucks the New 2021 E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet
The coupe and convertible Es follow in the footsteps of their handsome, fix-roof sibling unveiled earlier this year.
A couple of months ago, Mercedes-Benz revealed the facelifted E-Class sedan sporting a new face, a straight-six, and a fancy new steering wheel. It's now applied those same enhancements to the coupe members of the E-Class family, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet.
Predictably, the Coupe and Cabrio E-Class both sport the same front fascia seen on the revised sedan but unlike the four-door which also got a thoroughly reworked rear end, the two trunks we see here go mostly unchanged. MB has updated the taillight LED signatures and the lower diffuser on the Mercedes-AMG 53 model is indeed different but overall, it's a pretty subtle facelift from behind.
Just like the sedan, power comes from a 3.0-liter, turbocharged straight-six with a 48-volt EQ Boost mild hybrid system making 362 horsepower in the E 450 while the aforementioned E 53 AMG version dials it up to 429 hp. The E 450 tops out at 130 mph while the E 53 hits its electronic limiter at an autobahn-grade 155.
Apart from more power and a higher top speed, the AMG sets itself apart with a vertically-slatted grille, quad exhausts, a small lip spoiler that can be had in carbon fiber, and 19-inch wheels with 20-inchers as an option.
The new E Coupe and Cabriolet also get the company's nifty new steering wheel which not only can detect whether it's being held onto or not without the driver having to make a steering adjustment—a key quality-of-life enhancement during semi-autonomous driving—but also features capacitive "buttons" that support swiping gestures and know where your fingers are at any given moment. Naturally, the latest version of MBUX is displayed on a pair of 12.3-inch screens masquerading as one.
The Cabriolet's retractable soft top is acoustic and insulated by multiple layers keeping top-up driving both quiet and warm. Further coddling the drop-top E's occupants is the company's Aircap electric wind deflector and Airscarf neck heater. The former pushes the upper windshield frame outward to direct air away from the cabin while the latter blows hot air out of a vent in the headrests.
Official pricing has yet to be announced but the facelifted 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet will hit U.S. dealers by late 2020.
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