The Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé strays away from the C43’s four-cylinder and makes do with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six.

Photos: Mercedes-Benz

AFFALTERBACH, GERMANY

Here you have it folks, the new Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé. Built atop the same bones as the W206 C-Class sedan, this hotted-up AMG coupe is the next best thing after the barnstorming C63 with its 680-horsepower PHEV powertrain.

At the time of writing, the CLE 53 is the most powerful variant of the Mercedes-Benz CLE (that’s Merc’s new moniker for all C-Class Coupes) on offer. The silhouette of the CLE 53 is reminiscent of the previous W205 generation C-Class coupe but the newer car is nearly 100mm longer and 50mm wider than the previous iteration.

Befitting of an AMG (lite) model, the CLE 53 sports AMG’s requisite swollen arches, enlarged intakes and power domes on the long hood to give it a more muscular stance compared to the flowing lines of the standard CLE-Class. The model pictured above gets 20-inch AMG rims, red brake callipers and a smattering of AMG embellishments.

The cabin is identical to that of the current C-Class, albeit with lashings of carbon fibre, copious use of microfibre fabric and red stitching. The dimensions of the digital driver’s display and infotainment unit remain the same at 12.3-inches and 11.9-inches respectively, but the CLE 53 gets an additional AMG-specific display mode called “Supersport”. The double-spoke steering wheel also comes with a dial for toggling the car’s drive modes and an additional button for switching between the car’s damper settings, exhaust tone and traction control settings.

Residing under the long bonnet is the heart of the CLS 53’s 449-horsepower and 560Nm firepower: a 3.0-litre inline-six with a regular turbocharger and an electronic compressor. The car’s torque figure can be raised to 600Nm on overboost for up to 12 seconds. 

Along with the twin-charged powertrain, the CLE 53 also has a 48V MHEV system that supplies an additional 23 horsepower and 205Nm on its own. The power is sent through a 9-speed gearbox before being distributed to all four wheels via Mercedes’ 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system. The CLE 53 can hit 100km/h from a standstill in 4.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 250km/h – or up to 270km/h with the limiter removed.

While the CLE 53’s 449hp/560Nm outshines the 408hp/500Nm produced by the C 43 AMG’s M139 four-pot, it is still dwarfed by the latest C63’s 680hp/1020Nm. But the CLE actually stays truer to AMG’s roots by virtue of its increased displacement. But if (or when) a full-bore CLE 63 variant is released, it’s highly likely that the new AMG coupe will adopt the same PHEV powertrain in the C63 saloon. Only time will tell.

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