New 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLE set to snub V8 power for a turbocharged four-cylinder

The performance-focused AMG 63 version of the CLE is coming soon

An all-new model from Mercedes arrived in 2023, in the form of the CLE, and these latest spy shots suggest it’ll get the full-fat AMG 63 treatment soon.

Having first caught it undergoing testing back in 2022, we expect the CLE 63 to launch in early 2024. The CLE line-up includes coupe and cabriolet bodystyles, which in effect provide a two-door option for the C-Class and E-Class ranges. This AMG variant we’ve spotted looks to be the range-topping 63 model, which will go up against the BMW M4 Competition and even the Porsche 911.

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It’s obvious this is a more performance-focused CLE because there are bulging wings, larger air intakes to the front, bigger wheels and brakes and, of course, the AMG staple of a quad-exit exhaust system. 

The front of the 63 will feature a unique bumper with a more aggressive look than the regular CLE. We also expect to see some bonnet bulges to hint at the extra power on offer. This 63 is the cabriolet model and its soft-top should be identical to the regular CLE’s. 

Alongside the 63, we’ve also caught the new 53 testing. It too will gain some cosmetic tweaks, such as a revised exhaust system, plus new wheels and bumpers, to signify its position as a sportier offering, but nowhere near as many as the 63. 

Despite the new CLE using the flexible MRA-2 platform (which underpins both the C-Class and S-Class models) and being able to accommodate a six-cylinder engine, it is likely the CLE 63 will have the same hybridised turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine as the new Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance. 

This engine is mated to a 6.1kWh battery pack and a rear-mounted electric motor that produces up to 201bhp. This set-up will allow for power outputs of up to 670bhp, easily beating the current BMW M4 Competition Convertible's 503bhp.

What do you think of the new Mercedes-AMG CLE 63? Let us know in the comments below…

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