It might not boast the cachet of the SL nomenclature, but there’s no denying the new CLE makes for a handsome Mercedes-Benz convertible. Even more so now it’s been to AMG’s finishing school, which hasn’t just boosted power but also the length of the name.
So, deep breath one and all, and welcome to the new Mercedes-AMG CLE53 4Matic+ Cabriolet. No, it’s not a catchy name, though AMG’s saved that punch for the drivetrain.
That’s right, it comes with a 5.3-liter V8! Just kidding. It actually comes fitted with a blown 3.0-liter straight-six gasoline, whose turbo gets an electric compressor and whose flanks are also fed by a 48V starter-generator giving an additional bit of e-boost.
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Which all adds up to 443hp and 559Nm of torque, rising to 599Nm (for 10sec) with aforementioned overboost. Together with a nine-speed AMG gearbox and fully-variable four-wheel drive, this 53 is able to sprint from 0-100kph in 4.4sec (or 4.2sec with the optional Dynamic Plus pack) and run on to a limited top speed of 250kph.
There are big brakes to stop it, a quicker response time from the ‘9G’ gearbox to better harness that power, and a range of AMG modes—Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+—to better keep it all pointing in the right way. Or not. Because while the 4WD is constantly shifting power around to best suit the conditions, even decoupling the front axle under low loads, it completely disengages the front in something called ‘drift mode.’ Yeah, us, neither.
The AMG Dynamic Plus pack—an option—gives you goodies like a ‘race start’ function for quicker 0-100, a ‘race’ mode, and red brake calipers, among other things. Speaking of other things, the CLE53 gets wider, flared arches, a wider track front and back, bigger 19-inch wheels as standard, LED headlights, an AMG-ified front and rear, and of course, four exhaust tips.
The optional styling pack adds yet more menace, in the shape of skirt flicks and a rear spoiler. Inside, there’s ambient lighting, Merc’s 12.3-inch freestanding and 11.9-inch driver displays, specially coated leather seats to stop you from sticking to them in the summer (Merc says it keeps them 12 degrees cooler), and some microfiber inserts.
Oh, and there’s a folding fabric roof, able to open or close in 20sec at up to 60kph, which eats a bit into the rear cargo space (295 liters with the roof open, 385 liters with it shut). But you can fold the seats down for more. Not that you ever will, because this is a handsome, convertible Mercedes-Benz with an unpunchy name and a very punchy drivetrain.
More photos of the Mercedes-AMG CLE53 2024:
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
