Mercedes Benz announces pricing for 2010 E-Class Coupe and Sedan

Mercedes-Benz used to be able to charge whatever it wanted for its luxury cars because, well, it could. But times have clearly changed, with formidable competition coming not just from BMW, Audi, and Cadillac, but also from Lexus, Infiniti, and even Hyundai’s compelling Genesis.

In what may prove to be a major blow for the BMW 3-Series Coupe and Audi A5, the upcoming Mercedes Benz E-Class Coupe will actually cost less than the E-Class Sedan on which it is based. Despite the new Coupe’s predecessor - the CLK - costing thousands of dollars more than the E-Class Sedan in most markets - the U.S. being a notable exception - this differential will no longer exist for the latest breed of E-Class variants.

The sedan itself is competitively priced as well, starting at $4,600 below the previous model's base price. The entry model, the 2010 E350, will start at $49,475, while at the other end of the spectrum, the V8-powered E550 will start at $57,175. The Coupe starts at a mere $48,925 for the E350 model, while the E550 kicks off at $55,525.

Earlier reports had hinted that the prices would be the same, or similar, because the E-Class Coupe shares most of its equipment and powertrain packages with the Sedan. While coupe and convertible models traditionally attract a price premium over sedan siblings, Mercedes appears to be attempting a new, aggressive pricing strategy to really hit its competition hard.

The CLK was always positioned slightly above the BMW 3-Series Coupe and Audi A5 and the new E-Class Coupe is no different. It won’t help that the new Mercedes two-door is not only cheaper, but also one of the best luxury coupes we’ve seen in a while, and is easily the pick of the bunch next to its rivals.

Sales of the new E-Class Sedan and Coupe will start in June, but that’s not the end of the story. At September’s Frankfurt Motor Show, Mercedes will unveil the new E-Class Cabrio as well as the E-Class Estate wagon, but both of these models will almost certainly attract a price premium over the Sedan.

Pricing for the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG and E350 BlueTec diesel models will not be announced until a later date.