It didn’t give in to the four-cylinder
The first examples of the Mercedes-AMG CLE 53, the sportiest version (at least for the moment) of the coupés that took the place of both the C-Class Coupé and the E-Class Coupé. The price list price is 101,361 euros which becomes 106,058 euros for the preparation of the car being tested, Premium Pluswith the richest standard equipment (included in the price are the panoramic roof, the head-up display and the Burmester audio system. Designed starting from the mechanical base of the latest generation Mercedes C-Class, it has a elegant and streamlined design characterized by some specific details such as the glossy black contrasting element that connects the headlights and by the presence under the bonnet of six-cylinder engines, no longer available on the C-Class.
This also applies to the sporty 53 AMG variant which adopts a modern 6 cylinder 3.0 turbo petrol assisted by a system light hybrid at 48 Volt which, in addition to lowering consumption and emissions, offers an extra 23 HP and 205 Nm of torque, especially useful when accelerating from low speeds, when the turbo has not yet come under pressure. Power that is discharged to the ground through an effective four-wheel drive (and an automatic gearbox with 9-speed torque converter) for 0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds and a maximum top speed of 250 km/h which becomes 4 seconds flat and 270 km/h by choosing the AMG Driver’s Package from 2,440 euros.
Wider, more aggressive
But the Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 not only does it have more HP than the other versions of the CLE, but its driving dynamics have also been completely revised: the roadways I am wider 5 cm at the front and 7 at the rear, there are specific electronically controlled shock absorbers, an oversized braking system and ad hoc calibrations for the steering. Everything is controlled through the AMG menu in the multimedia system from which the different ones are selected driving modeincluding the Individual where the driver can independently set the response of the engine, shock absorbers and steering, activate or deactivate the traction and stability control and open or not the exhaust system valves.
Furthermore, almost all of these options can be recalled from two rotors located under the steering wheel spokes, useful for avoiding distractions when on the move. The mechanical changes are also accompanied multiple aesthetic touches which underline the sportier nature of this car, such as the air intake in the bonnet, the widened fenders and the four circular exhaust pipes on the outside and, inside, the AMG steering wheel with the thicker rim, more enveloping seats and dedicated screens of the multimedia system and digital dashboard.
A true GT
What do all these technical features translate into once behind the wheel? There Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 stands out for its excellent balance of soul sporty impressed by the technicians of Mercedes-AMG and that of comfortable traveler of the car from which it derives: using the Comfort mode, the shock absorbers digest all the imperfections of the asphalt well, the automatic gearbox shifts smoothly from one gear to another, while the six-cylinder pushes hard already from low revs guaranteeing easy and smooth ride. However, by switching to the sportier modes the body roll is reduced and thanks to the rear axle steering (up to 2.5° in anti-phase) the car shows remarkable agility even on the most tortuous routes despite the weight (1925 kg) and dimensions of a luxury car.
Even when you pick up the pace, everything is designed so as not to compromise the good ride comfort: the engine doesn’t make its voice heard too much (in “Race” we would have expected a more vigorous sound), the four-wheel drive guarantees “clean” trajectories even by pressing the accelerator hard and the steering is precise, but not very communicative. A behavior from true grand tourism which allows this car to be used on a daily basis while still offering excellent performance and a bit of fun when tackling a mountain road. The gearbox is a little less sporty than the rest of the car, intelligent in automatic mode, but not the most responsive when using the paddles behind the steering wheel.
Technology is king
Added to all this is the good things we already knew about the Mercedes CLE, a modern coupé equipped with an excellent multimedia system with an 11.4″ screen that is reactive and intuitive in its operating logics and menus and with a defined and highly customizable digital dashboard through the buttons on the steering wheel spokes. From these you can also control the head-up display (1,218 euros), large and full of information (also configurable). There are few physical buttons: almost everything is controlled from the large central display, but the most important commands are always in sight and don’t make you regret too much the actual physical commands. All electronic assistants for level 2 semi-autonomous driving are well calibrated and always standard. The interior design is impressive, especially at night with LED ambient lighting configurable in 64 colours.
The assemblies are well made, it’s a pity only for some of the plastics: those in the lower part are generally rigid, while others are in glossy black (like the one located in the center of the console) it gets scratched and dirty more easily than other finishes. The passenger compartment is spacious for the category: finding a comfortable driving position is simple and in the back (despite the lack of centimeters) even two adults less than 180 cm tall can travel in reasonable comfort. Wide the trunk 410 liters of capacity per sofa in use: it can be used well thanks also to the fairly regular shapes of the compartment.
