Four Door Coupe Sports Utility Vehicle GLE 450 AMG Coupe

2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE, More than an SUV in Coupe Styling

The ML350, most are used to seeing a
Four Door Boxy SUV

There is a new Mercedes-Benz model on the road, the GLE Coupe. While it shares the model designation with the boxy SUV, that was the ML, it is designed in Mercedes-Benz’s 4-door coupe style. When M-B first leaked pictures of this new SUV, there were comments that it was a copy of BMW’s X6. A very different approach to the bread box shapped SUV that we have been seeing since the ML was brought to market in 1998 with the first generation ML320.

The new 2016 GLE Coupe, comes either as a 450 or a 63, both AMG models, each are very different as the price indicates; the GLE450 AMG starts at $65,100, while the GLE63 AMG starts at $109,300. The 450 is part of Mercedes-Benz’s new entry level AMG “Sport Model”, an entry point providing buyers AMG styling without the brawn the line has been known for in the past.

AMG Sport Models feature a Red detail on engine covers

The Exhaust of the GLE is is where the sounds of fire are made.

The GLE 450 comes with the AMG-Enhanced 6 cyl 3.0 bi-turbo engine and 9-speed automatic transmission, performance oriented 4MATIC all-wheel drive and Dynamic Select that allows drivers to select the level of performance they desire at any time from the car. Dynamic Select has four settings: Comfort; Sport; Sport+; or an individual setting, where a mix of all can be set. These adjust the ride comfort, engine response and steering. Sport+ sets a growl sound in the exhaust complete with pops and gurgles with engine management and a spray of fuel into the hot exhaust, for those who want a sound to come with their sportier driving settings. 

While the GLE 63 AMG continues to feature the handcrafted (one-man / one-engine) AMG 5.5 liter bi-turbo 8 cyl engine connected to a 7 speed automatic transmission, AMG High performance braking system, and a host of other goodies that make up the $40K difference in price between the two models.

GLE's rear seats fold down to provide plenty of cargo space

The spacious interior of the GLE Coupe provides plenty of room for five passengers and cargo even with the sloping rear hatch. Plenty of trunk area and folding down the rear seats increases that to be able to carry all but the boxiest of items. A large lift over rear sill, means you will not be sliding items in and out, like you would in the standard SUV. Passenger seating is comfortable, with a variety of different seat options including massage, heat and cool surfaces. Though we found the heavily bolstered seat cushion on some models required more effort to get in and out, than others.

Drivability is superb, the coupe’s ease of driving, tight turning radius, and command of the road, is like any other M-B. While the base model has plenty of bells and whistle, there are plenty of options that enhance the vehicle, like Driver Assist with Distronic Plus and Lane Keep Assist, for safety; Parking Assist with Parkronic for convenience. The rearview camera with the 360 degree view option is an excellent option on any Mercedes-Benz, showing you exactly where your vehicle is in relation to its surroundings. While Mercedes-Benz has included pretty much everything in the GLE coupe’s design, a heads up display would be an option that would be welcomed by many drivers.

The rearview camera pops out under the
 Star in the GLE

In talking to one new owner, who exuberantly stated it was a dream to drive, we have to agree. While it is a large vehicle, with plenty of power, it is nimble and drives like a smaller one. My only regret is that it is not sold as a non-AMG model, as the AMG add-ons seem unnecessary on this already excellently engineered vehicle.

Mercedes-Benz updated the model designations.

The nomenclature of Mercedes-Benz SUV’s are changing, all of them starting with the letter “G”: GLA for the smallest; GLC replacing the GLK; GLE replacing the ML, and GLS replacing the GL.

The legendary G-Wagen, while the almost 40 years old continues to be the daddy of them all. This coupe design of the GLE is the first real change we have seen since Mercedes-Benz released the mass market SUV’s, and like them it too is made at the MBUSI Plant in Alabama.



Build your own on MBUSA.com or better yet stop into a Mercedes-Benz dealer and see one for yourself.

Tires and Technology, Your Car’s Connection to the Road.

How much tire keeps your Car or Truck on the Road!  Think about it, in reality it is not that much between your car and the road, about the size of four palm prints, one for each tire.  Look at the palm of your hand, and that is your cars footprint in four places. In essence those four patches of rubber is all that keeps your car on the road. That small amount of space is what keeps a couple of tons of moving machine with you and your family inside, safe and on the road.

How those tires are engineered and made is the difference of how those four patches of rubber keep you on the road. What is the first thing you think of when you drive over that pothole on the highway? “Ouch!” Is my first response, as the car jumps and bounds out of the pothole and on its way, then again as the back tire hits the same spot, yep I am sure that I will have two flats within a few miles. How does that black doughnut withstand that and still come out round and full of air?

We found out that there is more to tires than just looking good on your car when – BFGoodrich® Tires, invited us to one of their dealer training events designed to educate tire dealers on their main products. BFG has been making tires since the end of the 19^th Century, while its hardworking history may not be as fancy as some of the designer brands of tires, the BFG brand is a part of the Michelin family, keeping its American tough guy heritage.

Aggressive traction be it in snow, mud, on road or off road, is key to moving as well as stopping, better grip in mud and snow, Side-Biter lugs in the sidewall improve traction in mud, snow and rocks. Raised bars in the shoulder help release compacted mud for better traction in soft soil. 3-D sipes create biting edges for better snow traction. With 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol, indicating the Rubber Manufacturer Association’s severe snow traction requirements. The BFG KO2 tire has 10 percent greater traction in the mud and 19 percent greater traction in the snow4 compared to the previous-generation tire.

Durability is equally important with the KO2 lasting twice as long on gravel roads and 15 percent longer on asphalt, (think of a gravel road is very rough sandpaper, and asphalt is finishing sandpaper, both scrub off the tread.) The KO2 has a new tread design and rubber formulation that gives it better tread life, helping it to last twice as long on gravel and 15 percent longer on asphalt than the previous tire. The tread rubber has been optimally blended to reduce chips and tears on gravel. The footprint shape and interlocking tread design provide more uniform wear over the long haul. Special stone ejectors push objects out of the tread to reduce drilling into the tire.

The BFGoodrich® All-Terrain T/A® KO2 tire incorporates race-proven and race-winning CoreGard™ technology for split and bruise-resistant sidewall rubber, and a thicker, extended shoulder to prevent sidewall failures, giving it unmatched toughness. Twenty percent stronger sidewalls are critical in off-road performance. The BFG KO2 sidewalls are designed to deflect protruding objects, reducing the chances of splits and snags.

Off Road Tires are not the only products BFGoodrich has to offer. The same is engineered into their high performance tire, the gForce™ COMP-2™ A/S. Incorporating a Performance Racing Core (PRC) that delivers crisp responsive control while cornering hard, on wet, dry or light snow covered roads. Delivering wet and dry traction, stopping up to 15 feet shorter on wet roads and up to 5 feet shorter on dry roads, with better snow traction. Technology directly derived from track tires and optimizes the contact patch (that spot the size of your palm,) for enhanced traction at speed for increased acceleration, while adding sidewall stiffness to resist deflection for immediate turning response, while still maintaining ride comfort.

UltiGrip™ Technology: The g-Force™ COMP- 2™ A/S is made with a high-silica, cold-weather flexing compound designed for the best wet and dry grip, with all-season traction. This combined with Directional Tread Design and V-shaped angled lateral and longitudinal grooves optimize rubber-to-road contact for ultimate dry grip while efficiently evacuating water for better wet traction.

G-Force™ Tread: With advanced mold design and a performance tread profile evenly distributes stresses across the tire footprint improving long-term wear, as well as resisting irregular wear typically associated with directional tread designs.

Performance Racing Core (PRC): ETEC System™ (Equal Tension Containment System), Dynamic Suspension System (DSS), and g-Control™ Sidewall Inserts provide a reinforced internal structure that increases control while maintaining ride comfort and added sidewall stiffness to resist deflection for immediate turning response.

BFGoodrich® Tires now boasts two of the highest performing all-seasons tires in their respective tire categories. Engineered from BFGoodrich’s rich heritage of pavement racing and motorsports technology, BFG knows that performance seeking drivers demand the same attributes in a tire on the street in all seasons. BFGoodrich Tires’ UltiGrip™ Technology and g-Force™ Tread provide enhanced wet and dry traction, optimized rubber-to-road contact and the ultimate grip in hard cornering for control all year long.

For more information about the BFGoodrich® Tires g-Force™ COMP-2™ A/S tire, please visit http://www.bfgoodrichtires.com.