The Mercedes-AMG CLE Convertible has been spied once more showing off the two-door silhouette with a soft top and performance-focused upgrades. This time, a camouflaged prototype was caught by spy photographers at the Nürburgring, months away from its debut that is expected before the end of the year.

While we can’t be sure if this is the 53 or 63 variant, it is definitely an AMG-badged vehicle as hinted by the multi-spoke wheels shod in Michelin Pilot Sport S rubber and the large-diameter ventilated disc brakes. The AMG variants will also get a sportier bodykit with different bumper intakes, which in this case remain hidden under patches of camouflage. The fact that the wrap doesn’t have holes on the front side intakes could mean they will be purely cosmetic, although there is a high chance they will include brake ducts.

 

The CLE has wider fenders than the C-Class and E-Class four-door sedans, matching the sexier two-door body with more aggressive design features and frameless windows. This prototype is still not fitted with the production lighting units nor the final exhaust, with dual tailpipes being used for the development period. The retractable fabric roof appears to have some sensors fitted for testing, while the rear bumper sports two inlets. The AMG variants of the CLE are expected to be fitted with four-cylinder engines and some sort of electrical assistance. The more powerful 63e 4Matic+, which is rumored to exceed the 600-hp mark, will be a plug-in hybrid, so the absence of special stickers from this prototype could mean it is the lesser but still quite potent 43 or 53 guise.

The CLE is set to replace the Coupe and Cabriolet models of both the C-Class and E-Class range and is based on the MRA platform. Main rivals will include the Audi A5, and the BMW 4-Series which come in three different bodystyle flavors. The four-door coupe role in Mercedes’ range will be covered by the new generation of the CLS. Following the debut of the CLE in late 2022, production will commence in the Bremen factory in Germany, next to the mechanically-related C-Class Sedan and Estate models.