POETRY is going extinct. Yes, in the age of the Internet, texting and social media, all written words are on a general decline. But poetic verses are more at risk of obsolescence.
A century ago, poetry was at the forefront of the arts, prominent in the pages of newspapers and magazines. But it has gradually receded to the fringes. While on the subject, even newspapers and magazines are on the decline.
Yet, despite the demise of stanzas, there is no shortage of poets looking for immortality in a printed tome.
You may wonder why are you reading this muse on poetry in a motoring review.
It’s because the coupe and poetry have something in common. If balladry is going the way of the dodo, coupes in general as an automotive body form are not headed in the opposite direction.
Which is a shame really, because the coupe is to the automotive world what poetry is to the literary word. Each is the most elegant manifestation of their type.
And yet, in the first 11 months of 2015, coupes represented just 2.6 per cent of all new-vehicle registrations in America according to IHS Automotive.
If America doesn’t buy coupes, then there isn’t much hope for them in the rest of the world.
In Western Europe only 1.1 per cent of the cars sold were coupes, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.
And yet, here is this marvelous creation that Mercedes-Benz has obviously spent many expensive man hours on.
What makes this year’s E Coupe more impressive is that Mercedes took the trouble to make an even more exceptional version.
Like poets with a diminishing readership, the engineers and designers who penned the E300 Coupe knew that their car would never be sold in mass numbers.
Mercedes-Benz was willing to invest in a product line that would never be a major volume seller and yet very little was compromised.
The E300 is well-conceptualised and well-executed. It’s a minimalist creation. What Mercedes has created is an elegant but austere play on the coupe tradition .There are no superfluous surface contours nor fussy design details. The B-pillar is absent. The final result is simple, but beautiful. More Haiku than Sonnet.
Well that’s just on the outside.
On the inside, the coupe gets more intricate.
Like the E-Class saloon, the new E-Class Coupe sports a twin display dashboard. Two 12.3-inch displays with a resolution of 1920x720 are merged under single lens, creating a widescreen cockpit that gives the coupe a futuristic ambience.
The virtual instruments can be presented in three different styles, “Classic”, “Sport” and “Progressive”.
It looks special and feels special.
The new coupe is larger and more luxurious than the previous generation car that it is replacing.
With a length of 4,826mm and width of 1,860mm, the new car is 123mm longer and 74mm wider than its predecessor, giving passengers more rear knee room, front and rear shoulder room as well as more rear headroom.
With the current generation E range, Mercedes-Benz have lifted themselves above their brethren in the luxury segment.
The intricacy and finesse of the interior astounds most people who get into the car. From the ambient lighting, to the futuristic air con vents to the immaculate leather work, the E300 Coupe is well appointed.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia launched three new variants of its new E-Class coupe last year.
At the lower end of the range, the E200 Coupe is powered by a four cylinder in-line engine, producing 184hp and 300Nm of torque.
With zero to 100kph acceleration of 7.8 seconds and a top speed of 240kph, the base model retails at RM435,888 on the road, inclusive of the Goods and Services Tax, but without insurance.
Further up the range, the E300 Coupe as tested is powered by a 1991cc in-line four engine, produces 245hp and 370Nm of torque. It accelerates to 100kph in 6.4 seconds and has a top speed of 250kph. There is also another variant known as the Edition 1.
Prices start from RM499,888 to RM534,888.
If you have the means and taste to surround yourself with beautiful things, the E Coupe should not be too low on your list of things to have.