What's the difference?
Sharing the same Volkswagen Group PPE platform as its main rival, the Porsche Macan 4S, the newly launched Audi SQ6 e-tron has promised both efficiency and performance.
Is it a combination that can be achieved in real life? My family of three have been testing it out this week to find out for you.
You might have some traditional notions of what a 'sports car' is.
Low and light, slick and aerodynamic, purely mechanical and centred around the driver. These notions may have held true for a long time, but in an age where Lamborghini makes a Touareg-based super SUV is there room for those parameters to move?
Especially with consumer sentiment indicating the somewhat oxymoronic idea of a low-slung coupe SUV with an AMG powertrain is more than just a niche.
Mercedes told us the previous generation GLE coupe was a major success, amassing up to 25 per cent of the model line's sales split, and its research indicated a buyer of this massive SUV was drawn to its "performance, style and technology" and was even "a motorsport fan."
Sounds like this buyer would have once been looking for a 'sports car' and like it or not, performance coupe SUVs are here to stay. But does the new GLE 53 Coupe really make for a compelling experience behind the wheel? We found out at its local launch.
When it comes to a performance electric SUV, the Audi SQ6 e-tron is a fine example and showcases a masterclass in design. It drives and handles beautifully, even if it’s not as fun as I expected.
The technology looks amazing and I'm sure the little bumps we experienced will be ironed out with a software update.
The SQ6 will suit a smaller family best but the decent driving range and fast charging capabilities means regional families might like it too.
The GLE Coupe isn't going to click with a traditional enthusiast but will appeal to a new age of mainstream performance buyers. It's a total tech showcase and you can feel all of those 48-volt benefits from behind the wheel.
Love it or hate its shape, then, you have to appreciate how Mercedes has gone to the nth degree on the details on an SUV it probably could have sold on looks alone.