![]() That car impressed us with its interior craftsmanship, and so does the CLE. It's a huge case of déjà vu, in fact, because the cockpit looks nearly indistinguishable from the 2022 C300 we tested. Inside, the CLE is impressive in terms of design, materials, and the initial impression of the dual-screen layout. One look at AMG's current C-sedan offerings is all it takes to imagine where that's headed. They also won't confirm or deny any subsequent AMG-branded models, but that seems inevitable. Rear-wheel-drive models have been on the coupe menu in the past, but Mercedes isn't ready to say if they'll return. Each mill comes paired with Benz's nine-speed automatic transmission, and power flows from that into a standard 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. Both varieties will top out at 130 mph, according to Mercedes.ĭownstream, there are no choices to make. ![]() As for the CLE450, we reckon it'll be a second quicker. We expect the CLE300's 60-mph time to be no more than a tenth of a second off the 4044-pound C300's 5.3-second effort. Mercedes hasn't disclosed the CLE's curb weight or estimated acceleration times, but our test of a 2022 C300 provides a clue. Neither engine sounds particularly enthralling, but the 450's inline-six motivates the car without hesitation. The ISG doesn't bolster either engine's total output, but it does paper over turbo lag and make start-stop episodes virtually unnoticeable. Both engines feature an integrated starter-generator (ISG) that allows the 48-volt hybrid system to add as much as 23 horses and 151 pound-feet at opportune moments. Step up to the CLE450 and you get a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six that makes a cool 375 horsepower and 369 pound-feet. It makes 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, the latter representing a 22-lb-ft increase over the old C300. Under the hood, the base CLE300 has the same uprated turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder first seen in the 2022 C300. Two Engines, One Transmission, 4Matic Only Theoretically, these should ride smoother than that sounds when you're driving straight because they will develop less damping when the shocks are near mid-stroke. CLE300 base models in the United States will get passive dampers, while the CLE450 will come with position-sensitive passive dampers as part of a sport suspension setup. It absolutely accomplished that, but the cars we tested had a Europe-spec calibration with adaptive dampers and rear-wheel steering that we won't see. We'd like to say the suspension filtered out the rough stuff and took the edge off when the 20-inch Continental tires encountered unpleasant pavement, but we can't. There's accuracy and predictability in abundance, but the driver feedback loop isn't adequately developed. Unfortunately, the C-class similarities don't end there, as it also displayed the same driving-simulator steering and brake feel that we bemoaned during our C300 road test. This gave the CLE poise and balance on a sinuous drive route along the coastal roads of northern Spain. Instead, the underpinnings consist of the same sort of multilink front and rear suspension layouts as the C-class. All told, there's a hint of AMG GT coupe in the proportions, even though the CLE shares nothing with that high-performance two-seater. In fact, the "cab backward" description of the fifth-gen C-class sedan is even more apparent here, as the CLE's extra body length makes the hood look considerably longer. But this doesn't harsh the vibe, as its flanks are smooth and flowing, with subtle fender creases that further elongate the shape. In short, the CLE's dimensions make it a credible tweener, but it rides on the shorter C-class's wheelbase, which makes more sense for a coupe.įans of the pillarless E-class coupe will be saddened to learn that the CLE has a door pillar like the C-class coupe. The CLE's overall length of 191.0 inches falls roughly halfway between the two, while its 73.2-inch width hews a bit closer to the E-class. It's an inch longer than the outgoing C-class coupe, but well short of the gargantuan 116.6-inch wheelbase of the upcoming E-class. The CLE shares its 112.8-inch wheelbase with the new C-class sedan.
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