Robert ...RAB

This just arrived from Deutschland compliments of my friend at MBSpy. It came originally from AutoBild Magazine as you can see from the attached picture. I have not read the feature article yet but I'm working on getting a copy.

The translation, though somewhat obvious is, "Mercedes-Benz builds a 4 door Coupe." I have another rear end picture of the C219 which I will upload as soon as I can figure out how to attach more than one *.JPEG simulaneously. ...RAB

Robert ...RAB

OK, What did I do wrong? There is no attachment showing up?...RAB

LeroyC

You probably have the photo on your hard drive. It has to be somewhere on the internet for it to show up with your post.

Robert ...RAB

Thanks, I forgot about the feature requirement on MBW. Actually, the C219 pictures have already shown up today in another forum section of MBW, I just didn't see them. They are incorrectly posted as a C216 which is why I didn't catch them. ...RAB

:o :o

LeroyC

Here's the two photos. Thanks to MBSpy
<center><img src = "http://www.mbspy.com/c219/c219abti0602c760mbs.jpg"></center>
<center><img src = "http://www.mbspy.com/c219/c219grab06021b3760mbs.jpg"></center>

LILRAJA

allow me to understand this oxymoron matter. Why would they have 4 door coupe.
first of all if it's 4 dr then isn't it E class? Car companies are getting way stupid with this cross-over vehicle crap that makes no sense whatsoever. .....


LIL Raja

odbenz

To my understanding, the CLE would stand for
C= COmpact, which it is.
L= Light, which it appears to be.
E= Based on E-Class.

Hence the CLE goes along with the naming convention or MB.

that is my best guess.

harish_m

The back no doubt looks sharp... However making it hybrid really take the charm out of a coupe.... Except for the star the front almost look like a Lexus... Hope it doesn't hit the US shore...

Benzo

Too bad they didn't use this back end for the new CLK...

Wildbill

This is just silly.

A "coupe" by definition is a two-door car.

If it has 4 doors, it is not a coupe.

Is it just me or does the "4 door coupe" bear uncanny resemblence to the new Lexus ES300

WowoW

It's called the CLE

WowoW

Full article on the CLE can be viewed at the following site

http://mbspy.bacosys.be/roadmap.htm

trench

Originally this design had suicide doors in the back which could only be opened from the inside when the front doors were open - I think this is where the "coupe" designation probably came from (although still not technically correct a little closer with this configuration) - the new design however is a sedan with crappy doors that don't look particularly useful.

BT

Wildbill

Why is it call a "suicide door"?

Ferrari

This could be the dumbest thing MB could do, isn't that why they have the E class?!?!?!?

Ahmed

let me explaine.

They are trying to compete with the upcoming AUDI A4 coupe!

The reason they call it a coupe ( although its a 4 door ) is because its pillarless!

WHY???

I dont know why! I think its ridiculous!

But hey, what the heck do we know, they're obviously on to something that we dont know about.

trench

Suicide doors are doors hinged at the back. They're called "suicide doors" because since it's a rear hinged door at speed any chance opening would cause the door to whip backward with great force. This was a common design for the rear doors of 30-50s sedans and hotrods. Modern rear-hinged door designs prevent this by only being able to be opened by an inside latch when the front, front-hinged door is open.

Lynn posted this on another forum. Look closely at the picture showing the back of this car.

It's a hatchback.

Cheers, BT

Wildbill

Trench, Thanks for the explanation.

If you look at the position of the door handles for the rear doors of this 4-door "coupe", it appears that the rear doors are not "rear hinged"

It also appears that you can open the rear door from the outside without having to open the front door first.
Does this still qualify as a suicide door?

Benzo

No way. The meaning of a suicide door is that it opens from it hinges on the opposite side of the door. It could still have a handle. Some of the more famous suicide doors were on the Lincoln 4 dr convertibles.

trench

Suicide doors were in original design for this car - which would have been more in keeping with the coupe designation. However somewhere along the way the car was redesigned with the small front hinged doors and a B pillar - the redesign was undertaken to make the car more sturdy in a roll-over - this also now technically makes the car a sedan (although the B pillar is hidden).

Cheers, BT

trench

Note: I said "modern" suicide door designs have the hidden handles.

By the way, a friend of mine from high school had a 60s Continental sedan with suicide doors. His car also has the distinction of being one of the heaviest sedans on record at 5500 lbs. Although, at this weight the Conti is still two tons lighter than the current Ford Excursion.



BT

karl k

Saturn has a 3-DOOR COUPE


"The third door means you
don't have to be a
contortionist to load and
unload the back seat. All
kinds of cargo goes in with
a lot less effort."

Click on:
"Third door for easy rear seat access"

http://www.saturnbp.com/sc2/standard_features/

LILRAJA

YEAH This back does look pretty nice and sleek. anyway, i got to see the car in real life before passing on my verdict...

LIL RAJA