2024 Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 revealed

Head-turning looks help this premium coupe stand out in the traffic, while hybrid tech helps to boost its performance.

It’s not design-department trickery that makes AMG’s coming CLE53 look more muscular than the Mercedes-Benz model it’s based on. This new AMG coupe really does have broader, beefier shoulders.

They cover the wider front and rear axles of the Mercedes-AMG CLE53. Compared to the Mercedes-Benz version of the CLE, the growth is significant; 58mm at the front, 75mm at the rear.

New body panels had to be designed to enclose the wheels. And this meant AMG-specific stamping tools, the massive slabs of steel used to press sheet metal into shape, had to be created.

This kind of change isn’t cheap, but then affordability isn’t what turns AMG customers on. What they’re looking for is hot looks, herds of horsepower and the exclusivity that comes with high prices.

How high? The Mercedes-AMG CLE53 arrives in Australia late in 2024, and its price won’t be announced until much closer to that time. But it’s certain to be more costly than the closely related and similarly sized Mercedes-AMG E53 sedan, which indicates a $200,000-plus price tag.

Whatever the exact amount, it will buy a handsome car. As well as the widened bodywork, the CLE53 benefits from a bunch of AMG-specific add-ons. These include the brand’s trademark “Panamera” grille, while the rear has a discreet spoiler and a different diffuser.

The interior of the CLE53 is furnished with AMG sports front seats and AMG steering wheel. The large and sharp central display runs the latest version of Mercedes’ easy-to-use MBUX infotainment system, and carbon-fibre instrument panel trim is an option.

Under the CLE53’s vented bonnet is a 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder engine with two turbochargers – one of them electric – and mild-hybrid tech. The same 48-volt system powers the electric turbo and the 17kW power-boosting electric motor between the AMG’s engine and nine-speed transmission. This motor is also used to start the engine.

This set-up was introduced in the now-discontinued CLS53 four-door coupe, then went into the E53 sedan. Updated for the new CLE53, the system delivers a little more power, up 10kW to 330kW.

It’s enough to shove the CLE53 from standstill to 100km/h in just 4.2 seconds. That’s quick in anyone’s language, though not in the same league as more elite sports stars … or just about any all-wheel drive EV on the market.

The CLE53 will come equipped standard with tech that should make it a pleasure to drive around corners, as well as in a straight line. Its adaptive shock absorbers are intended to allow drivers to choose comfort- or handling-oriented settings, while its rear-wheel-steering system should boost agility.

Mercedes-AMG admits the biggest market for the CLE53 will be the USA, where coupes still sell relatively well. They’re not so popular in Australia, which means this broad-shouldered new AMG will be both elusive and exclusive.

Originally published as 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 revealed