The Mercedes-Benz CLE is set to make its debut quite soon, so it comes as no surprise that the automaker is spending less time applying camouflage. The latest shots of the convertible CLE show more of it than we’ve seen before. The last time we saw the non-AMG version of the CLE convertible testing, it was sporting extra material on top to hide the shape of its soft top. Now, all that’s between us and the car is a densely patterned wrap.
That allows us to see more of the roof and
how it meets the trunk, as well as more of the grille and headlights, though
they remain partially concealed. Overall, the attractive two-door won’t rewrite
any modern Mercedes design conventions and will fit into the lineup quite well.
The CLE is creating a new niche for itself within the lineup as a replacement
for both the E-Class Coupe and the C-Class Coupe. That’s because Mercedes wants
to simplify its lineup to maximize efficiencies and do other German stuff.
The two-door will also be available as a
hard top coupe, which has been seen testing its mettle at the Nürburgring. We
expect it and this convertible to come with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine
that develops 255 hp and 400 Nm of torque for the
base model. Several AMG versions are also expected, and power could range from
402 hp and 500 Nm of torque for the CLE 43, all the
way up to 671 hp and 1,018 Nm of torque for the CLE
63 variant.
Inside, the CLE has been spotted looking
rather similar to the latest C-Class, unsurprisingly. That means a massive
tablet-style touchscreen located beneath three vents between the driver and
passenger, as well as a large instrument screen behind the steering wheel. It
is anticipated that Mercedes will unveil the CLE before the end of the year,
though it doesn’t have a whole lot of time left to do that. Production,
meanwhile, is expected to start next year, with sales commencing soon after.
