E Minus 2 Equals C: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350C

By Greg Rubenstein

Nobody likes riding in the back of a four-seat coupe. The rear seats are, with rare exception, tight, with little legroom; the roofline is imposing; and there’s a general feeling of inescapability should you be unfortunate enough to be involved in a smashup. Ride in the back? No, thank you.

So, it’s intriguing to take in the gorgeous new Mercedes-Benz E350C, a 2010 model that at least one well-heeled onlooker mistook for a $100-k–plus ride. “What’s that cost, $110,000? $120,000?” He was noticeably astonished (and possibly humbled and even disappointed) when he was told that the sticker on that particular vehicle was a relatively measly $54,245, and nicely loaded at that price as well.

Intended to replace the CLK coupe, the E-Class coupe replacement is more attractive and practical, at least from a manufacturing perspective. One fewer platform to create equal cost savings, a critical component in today’s difficult automotive climate.

Inside, this coupe is pure Mercedes-Benz, offering the expected high level of fit and finish, exemplary luxury, and enjoyable driving dynamics. It’s extremely solid, giving the feeling of being buttoned down, ready for triple-digit autobahn cruising for hours on end or a bit of relief from the day’s grind while on the way home from work.

The E350C carries over Mercedes-Benz stalwart 268-horsepower 3.5-liter 24-valve aluminum V-6 from its four-door cousin (and offered in almost every other U.S. Mercedes-Benz vehicle except the line-topping premium models). It’s down in power a bit from what V-6 generally offers (even Hyundai gets more than 300 hp out of its V-6), but it’s no slouch and feels more powerful than its rating. It also returns a respectable EPA-rated 17 mpg city and impressive 26 mpg highway.

In a week’s worth of mixed driving, we averaged 25 mpg, a superb return given our constant heavy application of the accelerator.

The E350C’s driving dynamics are typical for a Mercedes-Benz sedan. Controlled, but not overly sporting, the car’s at its best when ticking off lots of freeway miles at a steady clip. It does fine working through traffic and has no problem getting up to freeway speed from an on-ramp. If pushing through corners is your pleasure, don’t opt for the base model—there are plenty of add-ons to help with handling.

The E-Class coupe is also available with a 32-valve 5.5-liter V-8 that delivers 382 hp and 391 lb ft of torque.

As usual, Mercedes-Benz offers a host of upgrades, including an Appearance Package that provides drilled brake discs with painted calipers, 18-inch AMG wheels, multicontour seats, stainless steel pedals with rubber studs, black gearshift paddles, and a sport suspension.

Our test E350C came with the $3,950 Premium Package that included a 40-GB hard drive GPS navigation system, 6-GB music hard drive, surround-sound system, satellite radio, heated front seats, power rear-window shade, and rear-view backup camera. Included standard is an impressive assortment of safety and technology features, including the multifunction COMMAND control knob as well as an antilock braking system (ABS), stability control, traction control, and front-side, front-pelvic, side-curtain, and driver-knee airbags.

Checking in with a base price of just over $48,000, this sensuously styled Mercedes-Benz offers great value in a luxury coupe.