Detroit Motor Show: Mercedes-AMG GLE63 Coupe

Welcome to Mercedes-AMG’s answer to the X6 M.

Originally thought to be the answer to a question no-one was asking, the weird-burger coupe-SUV turned out to be the question that was not just being asked, but demanded.

BMW has sold over 250,000 X6s since its introduction in 2009 and now its German rivals are keen to net themselves a slice of this lucrative pie.

Audi has a Q6 in development and Mercedes has unveiled its new GLE Coupe range at the Detroit Motor Show, ahead of a local arrival around mid-year.

Topping the tree is the GLE63 Coupe, fitted with AMG’s now-familiar 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8, producing 410kW/700Nm or 430kW/760Nm in ‘S’ guise.

The latter, in particular, compares favourably with BMW’s second-generation X6M (link here), with 0-100km/h disappearing in a claimed 4.2sec. The standard car takes 0.1 longer. Mercedes-Benz Australia has not yet confirmed whether it will take both models or, as in the case of the new C63 (link), just the powered-up ‘S’.

Underneath the hatchback-with-a-junk-food-addiction bodyshell essentially sits a modified ML63 platform, itself due to be renamed GLE later in the year as part of Merc’s new naming system (link).

The GLE Coupe will have a sharper setup, however, with the air suspension receiving a new tune and the addition of an ‘Active Curve’ system to limit body roll.

Adding to the GLE63’s cornering prowess will be monster 285/45 (front) and 325/40 (rear) rubber wrapped around 22-inch rims in ‘S’ guise.

Expect the GLE Coupe to carry a small premium over the corresponding ML (soon to be GLE) models, with the GLE63 ‘S’ Coupe to just sneak under the $200K mark.