Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse Coupe

Then…

It was somewhere in late 2007 that I landed my UAE driving license – and believe me, it felt like graduation! People from the region would attest to the sense of euphoria, obtaining one, after  enduring a gruelling drill of fabricated test failures. At the time I was just a few years into my first job earning a measly salary and living in a torn down apartment which we’d inhabited for over 20 years. Of course it used to be one of the most luxurious condos during its heyday. With the wave of developments across Dubai during the late 90s and the last decade, Qusais was relegated way down the rankings.

Anyway, since the license milestone was achieved, the next step was to buy my first car. One evening, during a casual conversation with my dad, he surprisingly recommended a Mercedes Benz! Back then, even my entire salary wouldn’t cover one month’s installment, had I chosen to go with one. However he had other perspectives in mind. Intrigued, I probed on. According to his knowledge, it was easy to get a used Mercedes Benz, and there were many garages that specialized in services and parts of the brand. In that sense it was relatively cheap; yet to me it was a huge risk to take up. Its true, I found out later there were many places – in Sharjah especially – that took good care of Mercs. Some guys even own classics of the brand that are maintained like new – but then thats hard core passion. Regardless, my dad’s suggestion opened up my mind to considering one. Flitting thorough the various models online, the CLK caught my eye.

The 1997 1st generation CLK had mild sporty contours with the shape of the rear lights blending beautifully with its overall curved-boxy profile.

Though by the time I got my driver’s license, the second generation had been launched – which I didn’t like – I was in love with the rather subtle sportiness of the CLK. Strangely, I’m quite enchanted with erstwhile designs of many a brand, possibly because nuances in designs introduced in subsequent models within the same generation somehow catch my eye. That’s the reason I had purchased the 2008 model Infiniti G35 in 2013. I couldn’t stand the cosmetic changes made in 2009 and later models.

CLK stands for Coupé Leicht Kompakt or Light Compact Coupe. One would hardly miss the styling commonalities between the E-Class sedan and the CLK. In fact I’d initially thought it was the coupe version of the E-class itself. The design similarities are pretty obvious in the twin circular headlights and the tail lights of both models. This resemblance carried over to the second generation CLK launched in 2002 as well. Interestingly, I discovered that mechanically, the CLK is not based on the E-class, but on the C-Class platform. After the second generation though, Mercedes Benz reverted to the former moniker – E-Class Coupe.

So, when taking my time to decide on the car I wanted to buy, I also occasionally reviewed classified ads for the Mercedes CLK coupe. For one, it’s a coupe – apt for the age, and second, of course it’s a Merc. A friend and I even visited a couple of guys who were selling the 1998 and 1999 models. Sadly, they hadn’t maintained it well – I could see how their rash driving had worn out its body and interiors! Today, in retrospect, I also find the interiors too dated and dull. Couldn’t justify the price at the time. I eventually ended up going in for a brand new 2007 Honda Civic LXi – 1.8L, which I drove for 6 years! Was in pristine condition even when I sold it.

The dream machine…

Later on, in 2013, I bought my dream car – Infiniti 35 sport sedan – which I briefly touched upon in an earlier post. In my personal view, its design is unsurpassed for its class and segment. Add to that, its powerful 3.5L V6 engine under its hood, the G35 ticked all the boxes – none missed!

As I’d mentioned in my previous post, marketing has been Infiniti’s biggest goof up. The company failed miserably in showing off the G35 to the world. It’s certainly astonishing that even the 2008 model had electronic powered seats, and electric steering wheel adjustments – an impressive set of functions available in a Japanese sports brand in the last decade. Now though, I’ve been driving it for 5 years at the car is aging. Thankfully I’ve never experienced any major glitches normally expected from a premium model – thats where Japanese engine shows its might. So there I was, again in the market looking for a replacement. None would come close to the G in terms of the overall package. For a while, I considered the drastically styled and supposedly improved Q50 sedan which replaced the G-series. I was loaned one by the agency, when the G was in for its scheduled maintenance. Design-wise it had stunning elements. The front and rear lights are gorgeous, but overall, I found the car didn’t really have a presence on the road. It got more depressing when I gunned it up for my first drive. Man, that car sucked big time. Imagine having a brand new car with breath-taking aggressive styling, starting up sounding like an engine gurgling methane. Its akin to a diesel powered Isuzu pick-up truck hoarding used air conditioners to and from the warehouses at the Sharjah Industrial market, driven by the ubiquitous pattaans! Also, the drive lacked punch.

In comparison, the G35 roars to life on pushing its start button. There is an innate sense of comfort and security, contributed in no small measure by its weight. Yes, coming from a 1.8L Honda Civic, the weight of the Infiniti G definitely made its psychological impact. In Neutral, it’s almost noiseless, like a hungry tiger lying in patient wait. With that first experience itself, the Q50 was written off. In similar fashion, a number of models and brands fell off my list.

Now…

And then I happened to come across this awesome E-Class Coupe at a very reasonable price and very low mileage. A guy who’d planned to export it to his home country eventually realized it would cost more than the car itself to do so. As soon as I checked it out along with a friend, I fell in love with it; yet, confusion reigned, as I never really expected to chance upon a Merc! Anyways, long story short, I bought it.

To me, a desirable car is a mix of elegance and aggressiveness. It lies midway between a fully angry looking Mustang and the clean lines of a Cadillac. The G35 was just that. And now its the same with the E Class Coupe.

This was purely love at first sight! Such class, elegance and monstrosity grouped into one neat package!

The build is strong and sturdy. Notice the high waistline – gives you a solid sense of safety inside.

The coupe’s appeal is enhanced by a lengthy wheelbase, yet accentuated by decent overhangs.

The car also sits very low and reasonably wide. Regarding it from the front, several striking design features present themselves.

For one, the bonnet is REALLY long. The flat roof profile flows down the windshield to the bonnet, culminating in the prominent grille, at the centre of which protrudes the majestic three-star emblem.

The grille is flanked by a pair of curvy headlamps.

To make a point on the headlamps, I prefer the dual rhombus featured in the previous model. The grille outline was also wider and more defined. Nevertheless, the four-eyed look when lit up, lends the coupe a most attractive, aggressive stance. Growl !!!

The interiors exude brilliance.  Red maroon interiors have been carefully combined with black garnished perfectly alongside brushed aluminium panels.

The dashboard is topped with Artico stitched leather extending across the door beltline.

Super sporty seats. In my view, the Merc has one of the best designed cockpits.

Yanking the aluminium latch bends the front seat forward, which then automatically  slides along a rail to make room for rear passengers to enter/exit. However, don’t let the intuitive feature thrill you; it takes excruciatingly long to get out of the way, and fall back in place.

The nappa-leather outlined steering wheel and dashboard console are clean and sophisticated – a Mercedes characteristic.

The instrument panel is clean and organized. However, they are quite standard on most models. You’d find the same set in the C, SLC, S, CLA and other models as well, with some changes like circular air vents (which I dislike anyway). The flat –bottom steering also has the usual paddle-shifters and one new feature that I took some time to get used to – the gear-shift mounted behind the steering column.

The Mercedes Command interface can be browsed using a wheel – this is my first experience with one.

Storage space is generous. Pushing the rectangular button on either side of the armrest opens up the padded top covers of the storage box. They flip sideways from the centre.

The small angular compartment in the front can also be used to keep keys, cards, etc. In the convertible model, this casing houses the controls of the folding roof. Moving the gear-shift to the steering console resulted in more space in the form of storage compartments. Very neat.

On closing the doors, an automatic seatbelt-extender pushes forward to literally hand you the belt for ease.

Front to rear panoramic sunroof

Four control knobs extend and retract the temperature-controlled seat padding for optimal ergonomic adjustments.

The drive

Now, it would get obvious as we go on that I haven’t deeply researched every option available in the E Class Coupe, as I don’t generally review cars in detail. Following are some of the experiences that I had with the car over the last 2 months.

The acceleration is very smooth and fluid. However, coming from the instant surge of power experienced in the Infiniti G, the Merc’s response is a bit of a letdown. During both acceleration and braking, the coupe’s weight seemingly introduces a delay. Or it’s probably the electronics that guides its drive-characteristics – I don’t know. Though I haven’t tested it out in depth, this may change in Sports (S) mode. I drive in the Economy (E) mode most of the time. In addition to these two, there’s the third Comfort (C) mode, which I have never used.

The brakes are anyway solid and consistent. Once the car moves, it’s pure refinement and elegance in action. The on-road stability offers a very dreamy feel. Again its very quiet, in stark contrast to the roar of the G.

Absence of the B-pillar and frameless windows ensure adequate blind spot views with just a glance over your shoulder. When the windows are down, there’s a sense of airy freedom. Open up the electrically-sliding front to rear panoramic sunroof, and it’s like you’re sitting out in the open.

The adaptive steering tightens up as you accelerate and loosens during slow speeds. So on curved highways, it could occasionally feel a little heavy and strenuous to glide hugging the lanes. In general, the drive is plush once you settle down into the cockpit.

Overall, this is a beautiful car to own and am loving every bit of it. It’s yet another dream car of mine, which God has been so kind to confer upon me. During the coming days, I intend to discover more features and put them to test.

Being flawless as it were, I’m inclined to leave it ensconced in my basement parking rather than use it as an everyday car. Besides, the lack of covered parking at work is a huge disadvantage, since I will do not want to expose the Merc to the extreme summer heat. Which is now inciting me to consider getting a cheap daily car. Till then I’ll live with daily rides in the E-Klasse Coupe.

 

 

Lighting up Lightroom

Happy new year everyone! One more year has passed and here we are in 2016! Times seriously flashing by. As this is a reality that we all need to accept in today’s age, hope and sincerely wish this year brings you all a lot of happiness and success in life.

Trust everyone has written down their resolutions for the year. I had never done this in the past, and for the first time I decided to make a small list of items that I desire to accomplish in 2016. During recent times a stark reality, that I’m completely off track from where I want to go in life, has dawned on me, warranting the need to jot down actions that will hopefully, guide me back on track. I’m obviously not going to list them down here, as I’d rather not be mocked in the event that I don’t stick with them 🙂 Nevertheless, I am happy to report that its been going quite well so far. I have made tangible progress with a couple of my resolutions – the list contains 7 action points. One of them is photography! Cliche?

I bought a Fuji XE 1 camera almost 2 years back, with which I planned to toy around and take the baby steps to photography. The background to my intent was the apparent fact that I had an eye for uncommon angles and an interest in natural landscapes. I have a point-and-shoot Canon SX 150s, with which I have taken some remarkable pictures, which I am personally proud of, and this provided me adequate motivation to venture into semi-professional photography. Clearly, I don’t aspire to get into photography big time, but would like to produce some types of pictures that appeal to me. My aim is to create beautiful pictures – the kind I have seen in minimallyminimal.com and adrielhenderson.com – my foremost sources of inspiration. They are purely casual, while simultaneously depicting a richness that makes me stare at them in awe.

Last year, I got around with a couple of experienced friends who taught me the initial stuff on the exposure triangle. We went around to various places and took snaps which to my pleasant surprise, turned out reasonably good. I had then begun to get a grip on adjusting the ISO, shutter speed and aperture, but then as always – I’m sure most of you have gone through this – the practice waned and I got distracted by other interests. While I had thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the learning, somehow I couldn’t keep up with it. So I decided, this time, I’ve got to see it through. As for now, I’m leaving the manual adjustments aside, set the camera to Auto, and click, click and click.

Here I will not deal with photography jargon like depth of focus, dynamic range and the like, but will give you a brief on the Fuji XE 1 package I purchased. The XE 1 is a mirrorless digital camera which has a vintage classical look. It was purely love at first sight. The package came with 2 interchangeable lenses: The Fujinon XF 18 – 55 mm, and XC 50-230mm. Satisfactorily, this covers the entire range, but I would definitely have appreciated a wide angle lens too. Some of the best pictures I have seen from Andrew (minimallyminimal.com) are wide, both vertical and horizontal. A lightweight pouch completes the sweet package, making it comfortable to carry around almost everywhere every time. I never liked the inherent bulkiness of the DSLRs. Anyways, why spend all that money and go in for a DSLR, when the kind of pics I imagine can be obtained from a mirrorless micro four thirds camera like the Fuji, and any post processing software like the Adobe Lightroom I installed yesterday. I will take a while to get around and become comfortable with Lightroom, but I hope to eventually get there.

So, yesterday morning I drove down to the newly inaugurated User Car Market in Sharjah, lying on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed road, just behind Tasjeel Village. I carried the XE 1 with me, hoping to capture some reasonably good pics. I ended up shooting only about 8 to 10 pics, one of them being a handsome yellow 1973 MG MGB roadster! These roadsters were developed and manufactured by the British Motor Corporation between the 1960s and 1980, featuring a classic 2-seater design.

I chose to play around with this photo in Lightroom, and I must say it turned out quite well in line to what I like. I’m sure there are more features that one can use to enliven the snap further, but I am satisfied with the effort for a start. So here is the picture – the only one in this post.

Fujifilm XE-1, XF 35.8 mm, ISO 200, f/22, 1/105

Infiniti

Last year, I bought a used Infiniti G35 sedan – a 2008 model. It was a wonderful deal having run only 58,000 kms, maintained well, and at a very reasonable price. Apart from the cost advantage over a brand new one, I had a specific intention behind purchasing this model. Its design. Personally, I feel the G sedan sports the best design that ever came out of the Infiniti stable since inception; even better than the post-2009 version which had a number of cosmetic changes. Not sure if its just me, but my eyes can pick up minor superficial design changes even if I may not, at the time know where exactly the changes lie. Actually, the personality of the vehicle is altered. The new design felt incomplete and unstable to me.

The 2007/2008/2009 G sedan has been my dream car ever since it was launched. I accidently spotted it at the local Nissan showroom when a colleague of mine was contemplating on purchasing the Pathfinder and wanted to have a feel of it. This was purely a case of love at first sight; I had picked up a brochure, and would drool over the car every morning at work. The design is unique with inimitable curves and a refined fluid styling. It looked both classy and sporty, qualities ably accentuated by what lay under its hood – a solid 3.5L V6 engine throwing out 306 horsepower and 268 pound-feet of torque. Design-wise, the interiors weren’t too attractive for my liking, especially the analogue clock and its background outlay.

However in a car crazy Dubai, the G didn’t have the common presence one would have expected from such an amazing machine. I think this was mostly due to the virtually non-existent advertisement/branding support provided to it at the right time. Infiniti should’ve added some serious fizz into their marketing campaigns and thrust it in front of the public eye. The plus point – exclusivity and I’m loving it J. Some of the advertisements I checked out in youtube weren’t executed well enough to blow away the imagination of the wider population. In fact, they should’ve introduced the G in the way Infiniti today presents the Q50 sedan. Anyway interestingly the point is, there are many G sedans on the road today than there were a few years back. I think drivers have welcomed the downgraded G25 version.

As with every beautiful/revolutionary, ground breaking auto design we have seen in the recent past, the sequel turns out to be purely cosmetic and a let-down. Take for instance, the awesome 2006 model Honda Civic. The 1.8L sedan was way ahead of any design in its segment during the time. Then, when the next model came with minor revisions, the flow in its design had grown corners giving it a boxy feel. While it may be called “futurstic”, “sporty”, or whatever, the 2008 design can never equal the original 2006 model in looks. Why, the 2006 model looks absolutely lovely even today! The mess they created in 2010 isn’t worth a mention anywhere in the history of automobile design, and I really don’t want to talk about it here. Such a disappointment. Similar story with the rear light changes in the Kia Optima this year. In all these cases, it begins to look like designer didn’t have a clue on how to improve the design rather than just change it for the sake of a newer version. Talking about Honda, where it has scored among my ratings is in its exquisite Accord range. The lines of the new Accord are stunning to say the least, and exude magnificent executive elegance. Some change in direction for satisfaction.

It would certainly be interesting to see what Peter Schreyer does with the beautifully designed Kia and Hyundai line ups. I’m observing.

Coming back to Infiniti, the new kid on the block is the Q50 sedan. Firstly, about the change in naming convention. For those who aren’t in the know, Infiniti has gone on a naming change across all its models, which will henceforth be a “Q” followed by 2 numbers. Note that the numbers do not denote the engine displacement. The crossovers and SUVs will be prefixed with “QX”. This renaming is being implemented as a tribute to the first ever Infiniti model – the Q45. Johan de Nysschen, Infiniti’s new CEO had to make his presence felt, and what better way that this, he apparently thinks. To me, its hideous! I mean, how will one identify a car with just the numerals? The Q50 is a platform change over the G. The sedan and coupe models will be called Q50 and Q60 respectively. The latter has no significant design changes over the G coupe, while the former is a complete platform change. The G sedan design has been retired for good. The QX60 is the former EX and the QX70, the former FX. The below diagrammatic representation would provide a clear picture. May be it’ll help.

So, while we could hitherto conveniently associate “FX” with a SUV and “EX” with a crossover in our minds, Infiniti decided to make that difficult. 60 is the crossover – but then it’s the QX and not Q !

 Back to design. Obviously I tend to irrepressibly digress. Now, the Q50 looks good, no doubt. But that’s about it. It has nothing unique – nothing to create the kind of impact the G did. Recently when I saw the car (it recently launched in Dubai), which appeared too small, compared to the monstrous presence promoted in its videos. The profile resembles the Mazda 6 sedan, and the lines above the rear wheels have been borrowed from the Nissan Sentra. What happened? Did the designers run out of ideas? You gotta do better, Infiniti ! Another example is the M luxury sedan. The car is absolutely awesome in terms of comfort and performance. Again, the same issue. Where are the ads? The M has an awesome muscular design too. But the curvy dotted lines on its tail lights are in bad taste – no creativity, or someone lost interest towards the end.

Infiniti has to do a better job of integrating their design with their marketing campaigns – and they need real winners in both departments.

On the design front, they have to come out with a new attractive platform. The Q and JX have unique looks but haven’t really captured the hearts of auto enthusiasts as much as the G; or the FX and EX. I’m sure people are awaiting the successors of these latter models as well.

Better choice of car colors in its ads, showcasing the power under the hood, etc are some of the ways it can connect to the segment of buyers it targets. In all, the advertisements have to be well executed. The design philosophy has to be clear.

I believe these two pillars will position Infiniti on a revolutionary course in auto history.