05/06/2024
Mercedes is releasing a convertible version of the Mercedes-AMG C53 coupe that will have up to 443 horsepower.
All-wheel drive and rear-wheel steering are both standard, and there's an optional Drift mode.
U.S. buyers will get the CLE53 Cabriolet in the second half of this year.
As night follows day, coupes spawn convertibles. As we have just driven the new Mercedes-AMG CLE53 coupe for the first time, the time is now right to be getting details of its softtop sibling. The CLE53 cabriolet will reach U.S. dealerships in the second half of the year and—as you would expect—most details translate directly from the coupe.
Mercedes now applies 53 branding to two different AMG powertrains, with the CLE 53 cabriolet getting the less powerful one. That means a 443-hp 3.0-liter straight-six which is boosted by both a turbocharger and a 48-volt electric compressor—in essence an e-supercharger—that helps to build boost at low revs and also helps to deliver what is called an overboost function.
The engine also has a 48-volt starter-generator to lend assistance; it's able to contribute up to 23 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque, but not to add to the overall peak output. Nor can this CLE53 cabrio operate under pure electric power, unlike the much more potent 576-hp PHEV Mercedes-AMG E53 hybrid. Mercedes quotes a torque peak of 413 pound-feet for the CLE53, with the overboost raising that to 443 pound-feet for up to 10 seconds. As in the coupe, the transmission is a nine-speed automatic, although one that uses a torque converter rather the clutch pack of punchier AMG variants. All-wheel drive will be standard.
Look Closer
Like the coupe, the CLE53 cabriolet is wider than its non-AMG sibling, with fenders having gained enhanced musculature to cover a 2.3-inch increase in front track and a 3.0-inch stretch at the back. Visual aggression has been increased further with a new vertically slatted radiator grille, bigger air inlets in the front bumper. and a powerful-looking hood vent. Sadly, this turns out to be mostly blocked out, with only around a third of it open to help with the extraction of hot air. What look to be exit vents in the front fenders are also blanks, despite the chrome trim that attracts attention to them, as are the ones apparently set into the sides of the rear bumper. Should AMG not be more make it than fake it? At least the quad exhaust tailpipes are all ultimately connected to the engine.
Mercedes says that suspension settings are slightly softer than those of the CLE53 coupe, but the basic system of steel springs and standard adaptive dampers is shared. The standard rear-wheel-steering system is able to countersteer by up to 2.5 degrees at lower speeds to improve maneuverability and to steer in the same direction as the front wheels by up to 0.7 degree at speeds above 60 mph to help improve stability. Buyers will also be able to specify the AMG Dynamics Plus package. It includes a launch-control-branded Race Start that cuts the claimed time to 60 mph from 4.3 to 4.1 seconds. Also, somewhat improbably, the package brings a Drift mode: won't the driver's hair get all messed up?
The folding multilayer soft top will be available in black, red, or gray and features sound-deadening acoustic layers. Operation up or down takes around 20 seconds at speeds of up to 37 mph. An electrically powered wind deflector that rises behind the rear seats will be standard, and Mercedes includes the neck-warming Airscarf system for front-seat occupants. One other difference over the CLE coupe is the ability to move the central 11.9-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen around a pivot point at its base to reduce reflections with the roof open. The leather upholstery also receives a special coating to reduce the amount of heat absorbed in direct sunlight.
We don't have pricing details yet, but we expect a chunky supplement over the $68,100 starting price of the Mercedes CLE450 cabriolet, which sits below the CLE53 AMG in the lineup.
YouTube: https://youtu.be/hNhUuwyoohk
