2024 Mercedes-AMG CLE53 review VIDEO: International first drive
The Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class coupe replaces both the C-Class and E-Class coupe, and provides a beautiful basis for the ballistic new Mercedes-AMG CLE53 4Matic Coupe. Glenn Butler drives it ahead of its Australian arrival.
2024 Mercedes-AMG CLE53 4Matic Coupe
The Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe is a two-for-one replacement for both the C-Class Coupe and the E-Class Coupe. Mercedes-Benz has made this decision because traditional coupe sales are dwindling beneath the SUV onslaught.
The Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class Coupe is due Down Under in May 2024, two months before the CLE Cabriolet. We can consider it a rival to the BMW 4 Series coupe.
This means the new Mercedes-AMG CLE53 performance coupe could be considered a rival to the lithe and likeable BMW M4 Coupe. It's an obvious comparison, but I'm not sure it's totally fair because the CLE is bigger and heavier.
Still, that's not BMW's fault, and we may as well salivate over a potential battle while we've still got sports coupes to drool over.
How much is a Mercedes-AMG CLE53 Coupe?
The Mercedes-Benz CLE emerges from the factory in five mechanical variants, spanning 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and turbo diesel rear-drive and all-wheel drive to 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder petrol all-wheel drive.
A sixth Mercedes-AMG variant is the CLE53, which packs a very sexy dual-turbocharged and hybridised inline six-cylinder petrol engine. That's the only variant we were able to test drive at the April 2024 international launch, even though it won't arrive in Australia until 2025.
Mercedes-Benz said it was aiming for sporty elegance with the new CLE Coupe, and the AMG CLE53 takes that to the next level. It sits a further 15mm lower, has massively pumped front (+58mm) and rear (+75mm) guards giving it a wider track, and gets more pronounced bonnet bulges because, well, bulges apparently communicate power.
Deep dish 19-inch alloy wheels add to the on-road menace, and the Michelin Pilot S 5 tyres our test car was shod with certainly elevated grip levels.
There is also a lower front spoiler to give the impression of hugging the ground, supported by side skirts and a deep rear apron with faux-venturi. A bootlid spoiler lip completes the AMG picture.
But there's an important conceptual point to make here. Anyone hoping the CLE AMG Coupe will be a worthy successor to the smaller and lighter previous generation C-Class AMG Coupes (somewhere between a C43 and C63) will need to rethink their expectations. The amalgamation of both C-and E-Class coupes into one E-Class-sized successor will have ramifications. Read on to find out exactly what is lost... and what is gained.
Mercedes-Benz has yet to confirm the Australian line-up, but our money is on just two variants initially, the CLE200 petrol RWD and the CLE450 4Matic.
The CLE200 is powered by the same 150kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine found in the C200 sedan. Mercedes-Benz claims 0-100km/h in 7.9 seconds and average fuel consumption of up to 7.4L/100km (based on laboratory tests).
The CLE450 4Matic has a 280kW/500Nm 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine driving all four wheels. Mercedes-Benz claims 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds and fuel economy of up to 8.5L/100km on a city/highway combined laboratory test cycle.
There is a slim chance a CLE300 AWD middle-man could come, too. It has the same 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine as the CLE200 (albeit in a slightly higher 190kW/400Nm tune), sets a faster 0-100km/h time of 6.6 seconds and uses more fuel at 7.7L/100km.
All engines are paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and an integrated 48-volt electric motor which can keep the car moving fuel-free during low-throttle applications.
The AMG CLE53 has 330kW and 560Nm (boosting to 600Nm in launch mode), can hit 100km/h in 4.2 seconds and has a 9.7L/100km fuel rating.
Mercedes-AMG put some extra work into its version of the nine-speed automatic to make it more suited to enthusiastic driving. In short, quicker reactions and quicker shift times, plus the ability to skip gears when downshifting rapidly.
How big is a Mercedes-AMG CLE53 Coupe?
Anyone who has sat inside the current generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan will immediately be familiar with the new CLE Coupe because the cabin styling and dashboard layout are pretty much identical.
One obvious difference is the lack of back doors, and also a seat missing in the middle of the back. The Mercedes-Benz CLE adopts a two-plus-two seating layout, with newly-developed front seats offering integrated headrests, heating, four-way lumbar support, and seatbelts presented to front occupants on motorised supports.
Man-made Artico leather is standard. Nappa leather is optional, even on the European-spec CLE53 — although Mercedes-Benz Australia may decide differently when they lock in local spec.
The front sports seats have been designed exclusively for the CLE, and all grades have a memory function. When the 17-speaker Burmester 3D sound system is optioned, it includes two speakers in each seat at ear level for a particularly immersive aural experience.
The multi-function steering wheel with six individual spokes is also shared with other recent new Mercedes-Benz models. But the AMG CLE Coupe has a different wheel again, distinguished by its flat button, Alcantara rim and integrated dynamic drive dials.
The 12.3-inch driver's instrument display and 11.9-inch portrait-style infotainment touchscreen – as well as the dashboard, centre console and air vents – are all heavily based on those found in the latest C-Class.
A head-up display which projects driver information onto the windscreen is optional in Europe, even on the AMG. No word on Aussie spec, yet.
Entry to the rear is via what Mercedes-Benz describes as an easy-entry system triggered by a pull of a leather strap atop the doorside of the front seats. It works well enough, tilting the seatback and electrically sliding the base, but access to the back seat is still a shimmy-in affair.
The rear seat receives a low-set bench with two individual seats on either side flanking an oddments tray and cupholders. The rear windows on the coupe are fixed and cannot be opened, but on the cabrio they lower completely within the door skin.
There is significantly more room inside than in the old C-Class Coupe. In the rear, Benz claims 10mm more head room, 19mm more width, and a 72mm increase in knee room. That claimed head room increase is still not enough to stop my head rubbing gently against the roof (for reference I'm 172cm). Anyone taller will be compromised more.
Compared to the old E-Class it's a different story. The CLE has 43mm less leg room and 10mm less head room, although Benz does claim increases in rear shoulder room (+54mm) and elbow room (36mm).
Nominal boot space is put at 420 litres, which Mercedes-Benz claims can carry three golf bags.
2024 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE53 | |
Seats | Four |
Boot volume | 420 litres |
Length | 4850mm |
Width | 1861mm 2042mm with mirrors |
Height | 1423mm |
Wheelbase | 2865mm |
Does the Mercedes-AMG CLE53 have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
The CLE-Class range uses the same system infotainment system found in the new C-Class and E-Class sedans.
Mercedes-Benz's third-generation MBUX system (for Mercedes-Benz User eXperience, in case you were wondering) has all the typical infotainment functionality and can seamlessly integrate your smartphone either via the aforementioned mirroring technologies or via Bluetooth.
This means buyers can expect media playback, satellite navigation, vehicle dynamics controls, FM/Digital Radio (we were unable to confirm AM), and a variety of personalisation functions.
The CLE also pairs with the Mercedes Me smartphone app to offer all kinds of remote vehicle controls and information access. We were unable to confirm exactly which of the many European functions will make it onto Australian-spec cars, so we'll leave that exciting dissertation for the vehicle's local launch in the coming months.
The CLE Coupe also has Benz's latest "Hey Mercedes" voice command integration, plus a Just Talk function which negates the need to say "Hey Mercedes", but is only active when the car senses just one occupant – and is incredibly distracting if you need to talk to a pedestrian, or yell at another road user, or maybe you just like conversing with yourself… I'm the last person to judge on that basis.
Lastly, Artificial Intelligence is always watching and always learning. If you regularly dial home or drive to a certain location at a certain time each day, the car will start to proactively offer these services at the appropriate time. It can also make suggestions about adding things to your to-do list and provide birthday reminders.
Not sure how I feel about AI managing me, and constantly reminding me of things. Feels like nagging, but it's clear Benz is leaving no technology stone unturned.
Is the Mercedes-AMG CLE53 a safe car?
The Mercedes-Benz CLE-class Coupe and Cabriolet have not been crash tested by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) or its European equivalent (EuroNCAP).
Such is Mercedes-Benz's track record that we'd be surprised if this duo did not achieve a full five-star rating. But as they have not yet been tested, any such suggestion by us should be taken as speculation only.
Also, given the niche appeal of these cars and their limited sales potential, independent crash testing may never happen.
The Mercedes-Benz CLE-class Coupe has dual front airbags, front-side head airbags and rear-side-head airbags. It also has a centre airbag to reduce the chance of injuries resulting from frontal occupants clashing heads in a side impact.
What safety technology does the Mercedes-AMG CLE53 have?
The standard equipment of the CLE Coupe includes attention assist, active brake assist, active lane keeping assist, speed limit assist and reversing camera. The status and activity of all driving assistance systems are shown in full screen in the assistance display of the driver's instrument cluster.
Other driver assistance systems are part of equipment packages. The Advanced Plus package also includes Blind Spot Assist and Traffic Sign Assist. The premium package includes the parking package with 360-degree camera and Benz's high-fidelity LED digital lighting system.
Please note: the table below refers to European specification cars driven at the launch. Australian specifications have not been confirmed and may differ.
Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) | Yes | Includes cyclist, junction, night-time awareness |
Adaptive Cruise Control | Yes | Includes Traffic Jam Assist / Stop-Go |
Blind Spot Alert | Yes | Alert only, Assist optional |
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert | Yes | Alert and assist functions |
Lane Assistance | Yes | Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Centring Assist |
Road Sign Recognition | Yes | Speed limit assist is optional |
Driver Attention Warning | Yes | Includes fatigue monitor |
Cameras & Sensors | Yes | Front and rear sensors, reversing camera |
How much does the Mercedes-AMG CLE53 cost to run?
All Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and SUVs come with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. The C-Class sedan has 12-month/25,000km servicing intervals, so we'd expect the CLE to mirror those given how much of its mechanicals are shared with the C-class.
We have no specific data for servicing costs or insurance costs at this time, so can't give a guide on how the CLE Coupe compares to its main rivals.
We can tell you that Mercedes-Benz offers buyers prepaid servicing packages on the C-Class sedan costing $2650 for three years or $5200 for five years.
As for the Mercedes-AMG CLE53, well there's no precedent unless we look to the C43 sedan, which is a different body and a different powertrain. So it's best not to.
At a glance | 2024 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE53 |
Warranty | Five years, unlimited km |
Service intervals | 12 months/25,000km |
Is the Mercedes-AMG CLE53 fuel efficient?
If you're driving the AMG CLE53 as its maker intended, there's little chance you'll unlock peak efficiency. Our 175km drive around the Tenerife foreshore with a short foray into the mountains yielded a trip average of 16.5L/100km, which far higher than Benz's laboratory-tested claim of 9.7L/100km.
But, I'd caution against Aussies reading anything into my on-test figure because firstly the freeway traffic flowed at 130km/h, and secondly the deserted mountain road went from sea-level to sky-high very rapidly and with lots of "drive harder, go faster" corners.
Nothing I did gave me a reliable gauge on fuel consumption but it did give me valuable insights into vehicle dynamics and performance. Which brings us to the next section of this review.
Fuel efficiency | 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLE53 4Matic Coupe |
Fuel cons. (claimed) | 9.7L/100km |
Fuel cons. (on test) | 16.5L/100km |
Fuel type | 95-octane premium unleaded |
Fuel tank size | 66L |
What is the Mercedes-AMG CLE53 like to drive?
Before I go into detail about the driving experience (TLDR; very fast grand tourer not razor-sharp performance coupe), I'd like to draw your attention to the AMG CLE53's mechanical wizardry under the bonnet, because I think it's worth more than a pithy summary of its vital statistics.
Call me a Luddite in the age of automotive EV transformation but we are also in a golden age of internal combustion engine technology. And one thing electric powertrains will never do is match the theatre, emotion and engagement of well-honed petrol engines.
I'm hugely interested to see how AMG makes the transition to electrification, because no other performance car brand has made so much success out of the theatre of petrol-burning powertrains. How an AMG sounds and responds is almost as important has how fast it goes and how well it corners. In fact, all of those elements are intrinsic to an AMG.
For now, that transformation is in the future, and you can guarantee that the girls and guys at Affalterbach are working hard on the solution. Meanwhile, they've given us something of a quiet achiever in the ICE space with this triple-charged six-cylinder CLE53.
This engine has a conventional turbocharger, an electrically driven turbocharger and an electric booster motor all working in synchronicity. It is a mad marriage of two forms of forced induction and electrical assistance that is complex and audacious.
It's not the last word in ultimate power, nor is it the greatest combination of efficiency and exuberance, but gawd it's great fun to drive.
This engine can take an object weighing two tonnes and thrust it from motionless to 100km/h in just four seconds by burning a few millilitres of petrol and it does so with a soundtrack that makes you glad to be alive. Again it's not the last word in barrel-chested baritone vocals, but it's an invigorating soundtrack nonetheless.
The CLE53 Coupe is more than just a ripper engine, too. It's a combination of well-matched fundamentals that come together in harmony.
Even though it rides on steel springs and not fancy ultra-adjustable air suspension, the CLE53 makes the most of adaptive dampers to tune the ride to match one of three AMG Ride Control presets: Comfort, Sport and Sport+. Each of those settings works in partnership with AMG Dynamic Select that adjusts the steering weight, throttle response, ESP calibration and transmission mapping.
There is a fifth mode available to customers who option the AMG Dynamic Plus package: Drift Mode. As the name suggests, it decouples the front axle and makes the CLE53 a purely rear-drive coupe. We didn't have a race track available so chose not to test this setting on public roads.
Still, even without this hoonatic mode, the AMG CLE53 is an absolute hoot to drive, and while the firmer suspension definitely tightens the chassis and heightens its responses, it's not uncomfortable to live with.
But it's not all perfect. There is one weak link, as I discovered during the short launch drive. And a second element whose end-of-term report card reads "must try harder". Hmm, maybe a third, too, now I think of it.
The powertrain, however is none of those. The engine is a surging beast that works well with the AMG enhanced nine-speed transmission and 4Matic all-wheel-drive system to give this car serious straight-line speed and great cornering prowess.
The grip inherent in this chassis is serious, too, as the steel-sprung suspension and adjustable dampers keep the car stable while also handling rough surfaces. The considerably wider track (+58mm front and +75mm rear) and the 20-inch Michelin Pilot Sports fitted to our test car also played their part, turning powertrain largesse into corner-exit explosiveness.
The all-wheel-drive system is another major contributor to the CLE53's pace on a winding road. It simply never gives in, always finding ways to get the power down. AMG's tuning of the system, which has the ability to vary the work of each axle, is deft. The CLE53 never feels belligerent or nose-heavy. It just puts the power down and leaps away.
But it would be a whole lot better again if the car was 200kg or even 100kg lighter. With the grip it already has, and the powertrain's enthusiasm, we can only imagine with a few less steak dinners would do to the performance.
Mercedes-Benz obfuscated when asked about the vehicle's mass, but we do know that the CLE450 4Matic weighs 1945kg, so the AMG 53 will be heavier. An intense session of internet research points to 2000kg, which is a lot. Yes, we must remember this is not a direct replacement for the smaller and more agile C-Class AMG Coupe. but it is still trying to be a performance coupe, so excessive weight will compromise that goal.
As for the "must try harder" component, that's the steering feel. The AMG CLE53 has a fast steering rack which is complemented by up to 2.5 degrees of rear-steer, but there's very little feel going into and through corners for how hard the front tyres are gripping (or not).
The steering does begin to transmit front end feel when you wind off the lock and return to the throttle, because you can feel a gentle "front-drive" tug as they scrabble for traction. There's just no life going into the bend. If the steering was more feelsome in corners, the engagement would step up even further.
But the biggest issue on this two-tonne coupe is the brakes. Even though the CLE53 has the largest brakes of all CLEs — 370mm four-pistons front and 360mm single pistons rear — they were not up to our spirited up and down-mountain test loop.
One run by my colleague for sighting and then a second by me (with a breather in between) was enough to have them smoking furiously. These were spirited runs, mind and when discussing the brake performance with the AMG technicians on hand, they did note that no other vehicles exhibited the same behaviour.
Would the CLE have benefited from a longer rest between runs, better brake cooling, or maybe different pads? I'm no expert on brake systems design and engineering. AMG is, and I have no doubt they'll take my field-testing into consideration before the CLE53 boards the boat for Australia next year.
My personal experience with the brakes aside, in overall terms the CLE53 presents exceptionally well, where everything else comes together beautifully, delivering a wonderful boulevarde cruiser that's invigorating and blistering in the twisties.
Author's note. Given my criticism of the CLE53's brakes and steering, you may question my scoring Handling & Dynamics an 8. Yes, those two elements are underdone, but if they weren't I would have given an 8.5, because the rest of the car's dynamics are easily that in GT terms. We'll see how the car feels on local roads when it arrives in Australia next year.
Key details | 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLE53 4Matic Coupe |
Engine | 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo petrol |
Power | 330kW @ 5800-6100rpm 17kW integrated electric motor |
Torque | 560Nm @ 2200-5000rpm 600Nm total on overboost for 10 seconds 205Nm integrated electric motor |
Drive type | All-wheel drive |
Transmission | 9-speed torque converter automatic |
Spare tyre type | Tyre repair kit |
Turning circle | 11.7m |
Should I buy a Mercedes-AMG CLE53?
The Mercedes-AMG CLE53 is a visual stunner with a thundering heart. And even though we can see where AMG has left performance headroom for a potential CLE63 super-Coupe, that doesn't diminish the fun you can have in a CLE53.
It's worth mentioning that anyone expecting the catlike agility and responses of a smaller C-class AMG coupe will be disappointed. The increase in size has forced the CLE53 to move conceptually away from razor-sharp 'performance coupe' to a more rounded 'grand tourer'. If a grand tourer is what you're after, you won't be disappointed.
It all comes down to the price, and that's one thing we simply have no idea of yet.
How do I buy a Mercedes-AMG CLE53? The next steps.
The Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe goes on sale in Australia from May 2024, and the AMG CLE53 sometime in 2025. Until that time, all you can do is contact your local Mercedes-Benz dealer for more information or to place an order. Or do it via the Mercedes-Benz website.
We strongly recommend taking a test drive at a dealership before committing because personal needs and tastes can differ. Find your nearest Mercedes-Benz dealer via this link.