Mercedes GLE 450 AMG Coupe Debuts AMG Sport Line

Mercedes-Benz just officially unveiled its answer to the BMW X6 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Sourcing power from a biturbo 3.0-liter V6 that makes 362 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque, the new coupe-styled SUV comes standard with 4Matic all-wheel drive that distributes torque 40:60 between the front and rear and a nine-speed automatic transmission. At least for now, that is the only model that Mercedes is announcing today. The news also marks the first in a coming line of “AMG Sport” products that will serve to bridge the price and performance gap between normal Mercedes vehicles and their heavily performance oriented AMG siblings.

In this guise, the coupe-styled crossover comes with five drive modes: individual, comfort, sport, sport plus and slippery. Yes, slippery. In each of those modes, the car will respond differently to driver input for varying degrees of performance and aggression or a lack thereof.

The 3.0-liter V6 makes more power in this state of tune than it does in other products including the C400, but that’s because this is the same altered six-cylinder engine set to power other products within the AMG Sport line including the C450 AMG.

Mercedes is also offering an air suspension for the first time in conjunction with its continuously adjusting damper system, something that it says will significantly enhance vehicle stability. The system adjusts in real time based on feedback from a steer angle sensor, four turning angle sensors, and the current driving speed to determine what the most appropriate level of stiffness is relative to the currently selected drive mode.

As a premium version of the GLE-Class (formerly M-Class), the GLE 450 AMG Coupé comes with premium touches like an AMG body kit, 21-inch AMG wheels with the provision for optional 22-inch verisons, model-specific front and rear fascias, the air suspension and continuously adaptive dampers to name a few. Of course there are also options to choose from including a safety package that adds adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, blind spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert and pre-collision braking. There’s also a parking assistance package that adds a 360-degree view, which will probably be helpful because there isn’t much of a rear window to speak of.