Mercedes GLE Coupe to Hit Indian Roads in Two Months; Set to Rival BMW X6

Is it a sporty, high-performance coupe or a massive SUV? Well, it is a bit of both. Meet the all-new Mercedes GLE Coupe. And boy, is it one curious looking machine. It’s tall and brawny, like an SUV, with a wide wheelbase. Though the slope traditionally slants down abruptly in the end, making it a traditional coupe or sedan.

So what’s the point if it’s not as useful as regular SUV and doesn’t drive like a smaller Mercedes? BMW made something similar with launch of the X6 that debuted back in 2008 and sold shockingly well. Mercedes is probably trying to pull off something similar. There’s no denying the GLE shares the same form factor as BMW’s X4 and X6. That being said, the GLE Coupe’s styling still emanates the Mercedes legacy. It borrows some of the elements used in the company’s most recent new model, the AMG GT.

On the interiors, it has all the classic hallmarks of a Mercedes, including an 8-inch infotainment screen, leather seats and carbon fibre details on the dashboard and doors. It also sports the same touch-controlled interface and input dial found on the new C-Class. Under the hood, the GLE Coupe will sport a 3.0-litre V6 CDI diesel engine churning out 258 PS of power and 620 Nm of torque along with a 3.0-litre V6 bi-turbo petrol engine generating 333 PS of power and 480 Nm of torque.

Mercedes will also offer the GLE 450 AMG Sports Coupe that will feature by the same 3.0-litre V6 bi-turbo engine, though in a higher state of tune churning out 367 PS of power and 520 Nm of torque. This model also gets the DYNAMIC SELECT transmission mode being offered as a standard feature. All engines come mated to Mercedes’ 9G-Tronic automatic transmission,  powering the drivetrain to all four wheels via Mercedes’ 4MATIC permanent all-wheel-drive system.

Overall, the new GLE Coupe appears to have all the hallmarks to rival the BMW X6. Mercedes has been coming out with gorgeous looking vehicles while the sportier AMG range is pure eye candy with no shortage of power. The GLE Coupe was showcased at the Detroit Motor Show 2015 and is expected to arrive in India by  April 2015 though pricing and other details have not yet been announced yet.