(Wed 18 Feb 09)

Mercedes-Benz will be unveiling a coupé version of the new E-Class at the Geneva Show in March, three months before putting it on sale in the UK.

The two-door car is festooned with safety equipment, including a driver drowsiness detector, the PRE-SAFE system (which prepares the Coupé for an accident if it senses that one is imminent and inevitable) and, for pedestrian protection, an active bonnet, all of which are available as standard across the range.

There's also a choice of relatively complex suspension systems. The standard set-up is quite soft during normal driving but stiffens up when the car is cornering hard or is involved in sudden avoiding action. The range-topping E 500 Coupé and - optionally - other models in the Sport trim level get a "dynamic handling package" which has two modes, called Comfort and Sport, which involve different settings for the dampers, throttle response and gearchange points for the automatic transmission. Speed-sensitive steering assistance is standard on Sport models.

There will be five engine options for UK customers, perhaps the most impressive being the four-cylinder diesel in the E 250 CDI, which produces a healthy 204bhp but also has a provisional combined economy figure of 53.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 139g/km. These figures are partly due to low rolling resistance tyres, on-demand activation of the steering servo and fuel pumps, and the careful attention that has been paid to the car's aerodynamics.

There's also a 231bhp diesel in the E 350 CDI, 204bhp and 292bhp petrol engines in the E 250 and E 350 CGI, and a 388bhp V8 petrol in the E 500.

UK deliveries of the E-Class Coupé will start in June, with pricing due to be confirmed in the near future.

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