Merc E220 CGI coupe

By Jack Carfrae

May 2009

• Rating:

Bosses at Mercedes have gone blue to go green! And Auto Express is first behind the wheel of the eco-friendly BlueEFFICIENCY stop-start variant of the E-Class Coupé.

When the standard E-Class Coupé arrives in UK dealers in June, 98 per cent of the range will be fitted with the latest BlueEFFICIENCY kit – which includes low-rolling-resistance tyres, as well as energy-saving alternators, fuel pumps, air-con and power-steering pumps.

But the eco star of the line-up is the E200 CGI Stop-Start, due in 2010. It’s powered by a new 181bhp turbocharged 1.8-litre petrol unit, complete with stop-start technology, as well as all the BlueEFFICIENCY gear.

Slide behind the wheel and there’s the usual top-notch build quality. On the road, though, the four-cylinder makes the Coupé feel more strained than larger-engined versions. It’s happy to rev, but requires some effort and a good workout through the gears in order to make real progress.

In town, the stop-start system impresses, with the engine cutting out when you stop. Turn the steering wheel or depress the clutch, and it fires up again. Predicted fuel ecomony is decent at around 50mpg.

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