Behind the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz CLE 300 4 MATIC Coupe – a rather
handsome two door Coupe on a long-wheelbase - powered by a 2.0-litre turbo
four-cylinder petrol engine assisted by a 48-volt mild hybrid system mated to a
nine-speed automatic driving all four wheels. Ownership rather exclusive with
just 499 sold last year – priced at $124,900 plus on-road costs. So how does it
drive - the petrol engine delivers 190kW of power, 400 Nm of torque, the hybrid
system contributing more power and torque under hard acceleration – the pairing
improving fuel efficiency and I managed 7.9L/100KM, not bad for a rather heavy
coupe on 95 grade petrol. Sharing its underpinnings with the latest C-Class and
E-Class sedan but with an AMG-inspired sports suspension that is 15mm lower
and with calibrated steering that varies in each of the four drive modes - along
with sharper gear shifts this is a sports coupe with real driving appeal. Ride
quality however can get a little hard, the real surprise, the amount of noise
intrusion into the cabin on a harsh surface, something I wouldn’t expect on a car
at this value. But overall, the new Mercedes-Benz CLE 300 coupe a very polished
performer. I’m David Berthon

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Driving the Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe today – the German company
rationalizing its coupe and cabriolet line-up last year – the previous C and E-
Class coupe and cabriolet replaced by the CLE 200 and 300 coupe and cabriolet
– now both four-cylinder mild hybrids. I drove the CLE 300 4MATIC coupe at
$124,900 plus on-road costs – powered by a 2-0-litre turbo petrol engine mated to
a nine-speed automatic assisted by a 48-volt mild hybrid system, and unlike the
two-wheel drive CLE 200, drive goes to all four wheels. The CLE Coupe sits on a
stretched wheelbase - a most handsome and beautifully appointed luxury two
door Coupe – the body accentuated by a pronounced shark nose, bonnet power
domes, a front and rear apron and side sills. The interior a knockout, with large
centre screen, a configurable 12.3 instrument cluster, a head up instrument
display and very sculptured and supportive front seats in high grade leather – the
rear seat cramped with difficult access and for the most part the CLE 300 is best
described as a comfortable two-seater. Disappointments, a lack of buttons for
climate and audio controls and the slider controls on the steering wheel for
volume and cruise control frustrating to use. Drive details next. I’m David Berthon

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On his first day as U.S. President Donald Trump honoured a pre-election promise
by abandoning the Biden Administrations electric vehicle targets, despite the fact
that U.S. electric car maker Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk had donated $320 million to
help Trump gain office. The mandate signed as an executive order by Joe Biden
in 2021 was to aim for half of all new vehicle sales in the U.S. to be zero-emission
battery electric by 2030. Whilst this target was not legally binding it had already
been reduced from 63 percent after Biden had given in to U.S. car makers and
lobby groups. Trump has also pledged to tax Chinese made cars out of the US,
beyond the 102 percent tariff already applied. At last July’s Republican National
Convention Trump said “ I will end the electric vehicle mandate on day one,
thereby saving the auto industry from complete obliteration.” I’m David Berthon

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Government House is open to the public tomorrow Australia Day for a free fun
and family day from 12 noon to 6pm - the Royal Automobile Club displaying a
collection of rare vintage and classic cars. So please come and join us on this
special day and enjoy a self-guided tour of the house and the magnificent
gardens leading down to Sydney Harbour. Bring a picnic lunch or support
Normanhurst Boy Scouts sausage sizzle. Importantly, arriving at noon after an
epic drive from London in a 1925 Bean tourer is Daily Telegraph Cartoonist
Warren Brown and Editor at Large Matthew Benns – the duo in the final stages of
re-enacting the 26,000km odyssey by adventurer Francis Birtles in 1927 in a
similar model Bean. N.S.W Premier Chris Minns will be greeting the somewhat
weather-beaten pair on their arrival at Government House after the drive down
from Darwin. I’m David Berthon

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Driving Toyota’s compact hybrid CH-R SUV, CH-R standing for Coupe High Rider. I’m driving the mid-spec CH-R Koba combining a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a single electric motor for a combined power output of 103kW and 142 Nm in torque – a front wheel drive with a CVT transmission - rather expensive at $49,990 plus on-road costs. As I said earlier the styling is somewhat quirky, different and you either like it or hate it. Toyota’s move to hybrid power across all of its passenger vehicles has been enormously successful – their fifth generation series-parallel hybrid system means either the petrol engine or electric motor can provide drive to the front wheels with the onboard computer deciding what’s best in any given situation. There’s three selectable drive modes, Eco, Power and Sport, but even in the latter the performance is not what you would call rewarding and the CH-R Koba is far from a fire breather. Good economy though and I managed 4.6L/100km with mainly city driving and on 91 octane petrol. There’s much to like with the Toyota CH-R Koba hybrid SUV, it makes a statement but there’s some better compact hybrid SUVs in the market and the price will make many buyers think twice. I’m David Berthon

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Talking about Toyota’s C-HR SUV today – C-HR standing for Coupe High Rider –
a most unusual compact SUV now in its second generation, in three models – the
1.8-litre front drive GXL and mid-spec Koba, and the two-litre turbo all-wheel-drive
top spec Sport and like all Toyota passenger vehicles, all three, now only with
hybrid power. Visually, the CH-R has Toyota’s most adventurous styling, some
might even call it quirky, with a combination of sharp lines and a high waistline it
has real visual appeal, different and perhaps divisive. In this upgraded second-
generation prices rose significantly – I drove the mid-spec Koba which rose by
more than $11,000 to $49,990 plus on-road costs. Expensive for a small SUV
pairing a 1.8-litre petrol engine with a single electric motor driving through a
continuously variable transmission or CVT. The funky styling limits interior
space and its not overly roomy, the second row tight as is boot space. The
interior and dash appealing, the Koba gaining 19-inch alloy wheels, suede interior
highlights, heated front seats, a head-up display, 12.3-inch digital instrument
cluster, wireless phone charging, and a powered tailgate. Disappointingly there’s
no air vents in the rear or a fold down centre armrest. Warranty: five
years/unlimited km. Drive details next. I’m David Berthon

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Someone asked me recently what was my biggest annoyance with many new
cars today. Without doubt the biggest negative with many new models is the
plethora of warning and driver monitoring systems that nearly drive you crazy.
Drive any new Chinese made car and it features a range of safety systems that
warn you via various chimes that you’ve taken your eyes off the road, moved
slightly out of your lane or exceeded the speed limit. Its overdone and in many
new models very poorly calibrated and set for driving conditions that are more
the norm in congested Asian cities. And unfortunately, they can’t be deleted on
the run, the only way to get rid of them is to re-set them at every start. Hyundai
and Kia similarly have excessive warning chimes and frankly they’re
counterproductive to good driving practice and become a major disruption to
concentration. I’m David Berthon

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Talking with a long-term car industry executive recently and the discussion centred on resale values. For the long-established car companies, resale values are very important and seen as a means of establishing brand loyalty with customers. As such, price discounting is carefully managed so as to not disadvantage owners who purchased their car at full retail. However, the arrival of new Chinese brands has changed that traditional way of thinking. With unsold stock heading into the new year heavy discounts have been the order of the day on Chinese models launched only last year. As my industry colleague suggested the Chinese are technology companies rather than car companies, to them a car is purely a commodity like a flat screen TV and prices reductions are the order of the day – resale values it seems mean little although at trade in time it will mean plenty to their customers. I’m David Berthon

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