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Motor 1
4 hours ago
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Mercedes-AMG CLE53 Cabriolet: The Good and the Bad
These days, convertibles are a rare breed, let alone convertibles with actual performance to boot. Most of them died decades ago, never to be seen again. The 2025 Mercedes-AMG CLE53 Cabriolet, then, is one of the last examples of a dying breed. The CLE53 has all the qualities that make a mid-range AMG great: A silky smooth engine, excellent cornering abilities, and a luxurious cabin loaded with technology. Add to that unlimited headroom, and Mercedes-AMG managed to produce a genuinely fun, open-top performance car. Not many automakers can say they still have one of those. Quick Specs 2025 Mercedes-AMG CLE53 Cabriolet Engine Turbocharged 3.0-Liter Inline-Six Hybrid Output 443 Horsepower / 413 Pound-Feet 0-60 MPH 4.4 Seconds Base Price / As Tested $83,750 / $93,150 (est.) The Good Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 Lovely Powertrain Excellent Cornering Abilities Premium Cabin No Roof Convertible or not, the CLE53's powertrain is sublime. The turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six mild-hybrid setup makes 443 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, which sends the sporty convertible to 60 miles per hour in a respectable 4.4 seconds (or 4.2 seconds with the optional Race Start package, which includes launch control). The top speed is limited to 155 mph. It's managed via a nine-speed automatic transmission, and power is sent to all four wheels. It's a punchy setup. The CLE53 Cab rips off the line and races to 60 with impressive acceleration. There's an immediate burst of torque from the mild-hybrid setup, while the inline-six is sumptuously smooth up to redline. The nine-speed shifts quickly, responding at a moment's notice when you tug at the paddles. In the corners, the CLE53 exhibits excellent body control. The suspension is tight and the steering is quick; Mercedes added a good bit of extra rigidity to the chassis to make up for the lost roof, and it works wonders. Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 If you've been in any modern Mercedes, the CLE53's cabin should look familiar. There's a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster ahead of the steering wheel and an 11.9-inch touchscreen on the dash, both running the latest version of the brand's MBUX software. No Hyperscreen , thankfully. One thing you'll get in the CLE53 Cabrio that you won't find in any of Benz's hardtops is the ability to tilt the screen to avoid glare. The CLE53's screen tilts at up to 40 degrees to keep your view unobstructed, even in the brightest environments. It's a pretty neat feature. The Bad Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1 A Little Stiff Clunky Software For as expertly as the suspension handles tight corners, it can be a little rocky for everyday use. In either Sport or Sport+ mode, the ride stiffens up and sends more of those road imperfections to your rump. Every piece of broken pavement is transmitted to your backside; thankfully, Comfort mode tones down the ride harshness significantly. On the infotainment side, MBUX works well enough, with a clean home screen and crisp, modern graphics. But don't go digging too deep into the screen while driving. There are so many options that trying to access even basic functions while on the move is a dangerous task. Otherwise, it's hard to find fault with the CLE53 Cab. At $83,750 to start, it's certainly not cheap, asking more than the 386-hp BMW M440i Convertible ($74,225). But the Benz is significantly less than the BMW M4 Competition droptop ($97,175). In that respect, you won't find much better for the price. Competitors BMW M440i Convertible More Pros And Cons GMC Hummer EV 3X: The Good and the Bad Ram 1500 RHO: The Good and the Bad 2025 Mercedes-AMG CLE53 Cabriolet Engine Turbocharged 3.0-Liter Inline-Six Mild-Hybrid Output 443 Horsepower / 413 Pound-Feet Transmission Nine-Speed Automatic Drive Type All-Wheel Drive Speed 0-60 MPH 4.2 / 4.4 Seconds Maximum speed 155 Miles Per Hour Weight 4,597 Pounds Efficiency 19 City / 26 Highway / 22 Combined Seating Capacity 4 Cargo Volume 9.6 Cubic Feet Base Price $83,750 As-Tested Price $93,150 (est.) On Sale Now Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Auto Express
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
New Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Cabriolet 2025 review: performance to match its looks
While the latest C 63 has driven into a plug-in hybrid cul de sac, the Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 offers the kind of driving experience that AMG buyers will be familiar with. The hybrid tech makes up far less of the powertrain, so you can revel in the sound and power of the six-cylinder engine, especially in Cabriolet guise. Sharp looks and decent all-round performance complete the package, but at a hefty price. Advertisement - Article continues below The latest Mercedes-AMG C 63 caused consternation among fans of the brand. Gone was the twin-turbo V8 of the previous model, replaced by a plug-in hybrid powertrain based upon a 2.0-litre turbo unit. To say it wasn't very well received is a bit of an understatement, because while it was rapid, the PHEV element had sucked the soul out of the flagship model. With the arrival of the new CLE to replace both the C-Class and E-Class Coupé and Cabriolet ranges, we were expecting a CLE 63 variant to join the line-up, too, but for now the top of the range is this, the CLE 53. While the C-Class AMG models stick with four-cylinder power (for now), the CLE versions come with Mercedes' turbocharged in-line six and the mild-hybrid system used on a range of the company's other models. The CLE 53 doesn't carry the badge, but it's been given an aggressive look that's in keeping with past two-door versions of the C 63 AMG. There are swollen wheelarches, and the AMG version is 75mm wider than the standard CLE. It features the obligatory big 20-inch wheels wrapped in low-profile tyres front and rear, while upgrading to the Night Edition, as tested here, brings a matt-black finish with a machined edge. The Night Edition also adds gloss black exterior trim, while AMG's signature Panamericana grille completes the makeover when compared with the standard CLE. Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below View CX-5 View Tucson View Captur View C-HR The 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six packs 443bhp, so it's on a par with old V8-powered AMG models, while the hybrid element of the powertrain is designed to improve its responses as well as the efficiency. Claimed economy of 29.4mpg for the drop-top model doesn't sound promising, but it's around 5mpg better than the last C 63 AMG Cabrio achieved. The system is smooth and pretty unobtrusive, too, with an easy and smooth stop-start action when coming to a halt and pulling away. The straight-six has a distinctive note, with a hint of a rumble familiar from AMG's V8 machines. Off the line, the hybrid system uses a compressor to help spool up the turbo for faster responses, and with four-wheel-drive traction at its disposal, the drop-top CLE manages 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds, just two tenths slower than the Coupé. You need to select the Sport or Sport Plus driving modes to make the most of the drive system, because Comfort offers a more relaxed approach. In this mode and off the throttle, it can take the powertrain a moment or two to sort itself out before accelerating away. There are no such issues in the sportier settings, while the standard-fit adaptive dampers add a firmness to the ride that emphasises the car's dynamic character. Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below The steering feels meaty and the chassis responds keenly, but as ever with a convertible, the extra weight of the drop top and strengthening (110kg on top of the two-tonne Coupé) mean this car is better suited to cruising. But that's something the CLE is adept at, top up or down. The cabin is hushed even at motorway speeds, while opening the fabric roof takes just 20 seconds (at up to 37mph), allowing you to enjoy the exhaust note. Mercedes' excellent Airscarf neck warmer helps keep you comfy, while the Aircap pop-up header rail means the cabin is largely unruffled by the breeze even at 60mph. And, of course, the cabin is built to the standard you would expect from Mercedes, with plenty of premium materials, metallic switchgear, multicoloured ambient lighting and even a central touchscreen that moves between 15 and 40 degrees to reduce reflections when the top is down. The Night Edition adds carbon-fibre trim, a head-up display, a Burmester sound system and massage seats, but there's a hefty price to pay for it – at £85,000 it's a £7,000 hike over the most expensive non-AMG CLE 450, although it does look more purposeful and delivers a sportier drive. Model: Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Cabriolet Night Edition Price: £84,485 Powertrain: 3.0-litre 6cyl in-line turbo mild-hybrid Power/torque: 443bhp (+22bhp hybrid)/560Nm Transmission: Nine-speed automatic, four-wheel drive 0-62mph: 4.4 seconds Top speed: 155mph Economy/CO2: 29.4mpg/219g/km Size (L/W/H): 4,853/1,935/1,435mm On sale: Now Ford Fiesta set to return? Icon could be reborn with a little help from Volkswagen Ford Fiesta set to return? Icon could be reborn with a little help from Volkswagen The Ford Fiesta could be coming back from the dead, and our exclusive image previews how it might look New Renault 4 2025 review: as good as the Renault 5 with the bonus of extra space New Renault 4 2025 review: as good as the Renault 5 with the bonus of extra space The new Renault 4 takes everything that's good about the Renault 5 and adds extra cabin and boot space Car Deal of the Day: The almighty Hyundai Ioniq 5 N for under £500 per month Car Deal of the Day: The almighty Hyundai Ioniq 5 N for under £500 per month Our Deal of the Day for 4 May is the reigning Auto Express Performance Car of the Year
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Next Mercedes-AMG C63 Will Get A PHEV Six-Cylinder Motor As Rumors About Its Powerplant Continue To Swirl
I know you're tired of hearing what motor is going to be under the hood of the next Mercedes-AMG C63. Hell, I'm getting tired of writing about it. It seems like every couple of weeks, there's a new piece of information or a new rumor about what sort of engine will power Benz's compact sports sedan. Well, the current flavor of the week is a plug-in hybrid straight-six motor. The change from the current C63's much-maligned PHEV turbo-four to the new turbo-six is expected to come as part of a midcycle refresh of the sedan in 2026, according to Autocar. Mercedes-Benz confirmed to the outlet that it will move on from the four-popper it introduced in 2022. Despite the fact the 2.0-liter engine and rear-mounted electric motor put out 671 horsepower and 752 pound-feet of torque (making it the most powerful C63 ever), it never really won over consumers who missed the big ol' V8 previous C63s had. Now, the German automaker is going to try something new. When the facelift comes around next year, the C63 will be powered by a new-ish plug-in hybrid drivetrain with a 3.0-liter six-cylinder motor. I say "new-ish" because it's not really a new engine. It's just an updated version of what can already be found in the E53, GLC53 and CLE53. It'll just have even more horsepower than it does in those applications, Autocar reports. Specs aren't exactly pinned down yet, but it's expected the motor will put out well over 650 hp and 650 lb-ft torque. I wouldn't be shocked if it bested the numbers set by the I4 C63. You can't have a new car that's less powerful than the old one. That's sacrilege. It's also expected to do away with the rear-mounted electric motor in favor of an electric motor placed between the engine and gearbox. Read more: Nobody Does Land Yachts Like Cadillac, And These Are Five Of The Best Ones It isn't just the C63 that is doing away with the idea of an F1-inspired four-cylinder PHEV motor, either. The upcoming CLE63 coupe and convertible will get a flat-plane-crank version of AMG's M177 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8. It would be sort of confusing — and honestly, a non-starter for most — if the CLE63 made do with a four-popper while the CLE53 got a straight-six. We previously reported on rumors that the V8 would find its way into the C-Class as well, but for now, that doesn't seem to be the case. Here's more on why there's not going to be a V8 under the hood of the C63, from Autocar: Engineers involved in the C-Class programme say packaging constraints within the model's MRA platform make the adoption of the new AMG V8 unfeasible. "It requires more space, not just in terms of physical dimensions but also for associated cooling systems and crash protection measures," Autocar has been told. The current C-Class's engine bay, optimised for four- and six-cylinder engines, would require significant structural changes to accommodate the V8 - changes that would likely necessitate a fresh round of crash testing and regulatory approval, which our sources suggest isn't viable at this stage of the model cycle. The other big update coming to the C63 is sure to piss off the anti-screen crowd. Get ready for the Superscreen display and the MB:OS operating system to make an appearance in the new AMG. Sorry to let you all down. Regardless, if this report from Autocar is to be believed (and I've got no reason to doubt it), it finally puts to bed the question of what'll be under the hood of the next C63, and I — for one — am grateful for that. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Mercedes-AMG Releases a Racy 2026 CLE53 Manufaktur Edition
Mercedes-AMG is building the raciest-looking yet in the form of the Manufaktur Edition coupe and convertible. A limited number of each will be built, and hasn't released a price yet. Each version has unique matte paint and styling elements on the exterior, plus interiors designed to match. If the standard CLE53 coupe and convertible are a little too subdued for your taste, Mercedes-AMG is launching a special edition version that's anything but subtle. The Manufaktur Edition of each body style wears unique styling elements and interior treatments, and only a limited quantity of each will be produced. The hardtop coupe comes painted in a matte gray called Graphite Grey Magno which is overlaid by bright-yellow AMG graphics on the body sides. A yellow rim runs across the front apron too. The black-painted 20-inch wheels with a yellow rim are unique to the Manufaktur Edition coupe. Opt for the convertible—which Mercedes calls a cabriolet—and you'll get a matte-finished Starling Blue Magno paint with black AMG side graphics and silver-painted 20-inch wheels with black accents. The interior of each model has upholstery that matches its exterior, with the coupe getting black nappa leather seats with yellow stitching and the convertible coming with white nappa leather with black inserts on the seatbacks. Both models come with carbon-fiber interior trim, special floor mats with Manufaktur Edition branding, and illuminated doorsill protector plates. There are no performance upgrades here, though. The cars come with the same powertrain as their less-limited siblings: a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 443 horsepower, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive. Both the coupe and convertible are essentially loaded, though, as they are built on the Pinnacle trim variants. The AMG Dynamic Plus package is also standard and includes upgraded brake calipers and dynamic engine mounts. The coupe comes with the AMG Night Plus package (black exterior elements including badging, front apron, grille, and exterior mirrors), while the convertible gets the Carbon Fiber I and II packages, which add all kinds of carbon-fiber exterior trim. Mercedes-AMG hasn't revealed the price of the CLE53 Manufaktur Edition yet, nor has the company released production numbers for either the coupe or convertible. If you're interested in adding one of these special editions to your collection, we'd suggest contacting your AMG dealer soon. The company says deliveries are expected to start later this year. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Affalterbach battle: Can a CLE 53 keep up with a CLK Black Series?
Old meets new: does the CLE 53 capture some of the CLK's magic? The arches give it away. The Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Coupé arrived on a wave of exciting claims – ones we knew we would have to put sternly to the test. But given that AMG had gone to the effort of extending its rear wheel arches by 75mm (accommodating a similarly widened axle and wheels wrapped in bespoke Michelin rubber), it was safe to assume it would hit harder than the 53s before it. And it promptly did. Golly, did AMG need the shot in the arm that the CLE 53 brought too, after its reputation had been more than a little shaken by the response to a hybridised C63 with half the usual cylinder count. That car had proved a far cry from the AMG glory days – a time perhaps no better represented than by this gleaming white CLK 63 Black Series. Launched in 2007, the model became a bona fide modern classic very soon after. It's a pure distillation of the DNA scattered more sparingly beneath the CLE's skin. The perfect barometer to see just how 'AMG' this 53 really is, it also has bruising rear arches, although it wears them like uncouthly tacked-on shoulder pads. On a biting winter's day like today, when the roads are cold and greasy, the newer car should be the more immediately inviting of the two, but the scarcity of the CLK makes its door handle impossible to resist. Just 30 were allocated to the UK at its launch, and while this left-hand-drive example suggests a few might have sneaked over since, reckons just 28 remain in Britain. No wonder it's worth more now than its 'frankly ridiculous' £99,517 at launch. Yes, those are the words of our ever-scrupulous testers… 'This is the most extreme Mercedes currently on sale, including the SLR,' we declared when we drove it in January 2008. The gawps and guffaws it still elicits at mere walking pace prove its enduring shock value. And there is true substance to back up its style. This was the contemporary Formula 1 safety car wearing a pair of numberplates. Over and above the 'regular' CLK 63, it gained 26bhp, revisions to its gear ratios, brakes and steering and a newly adjustable suspension set-up (albeit manually), with wider tracks – 75mm front, 66mm rear – necessitating those cartoonish arches. There was extra bracing in the engine bay and swathes of carbonfibre just about everywhere – even across the chasm left empty by its absent rear seats. Yet its kerb weight matched its base car, despite a bank of blanked-out switches; there's not even a parking sensor to be found, somewhat terrifyingly, given the car's value. However, this doesn't immediately feel like the track-hardened, driver-focused weapon it was lauded as in the late noughties. Sure, its engine fires ferociously into life, practically rocking the bodywork around you. But the steering wheel looks mundane Merc, no aggressive wings or roll-cage latticework fill your mirrors and a fiddly lever operates an occasionally reticent automatic gearbox. It's a world away from the lightened flywheels and chuntering revs of other Stuttgart-born specials of the era. Like the very best driver's cars, though, the Black Series' magic is easily found. While the transmission does feel ponderous under interrogation (even its sportier modes need a mental 'one… two…' between shifts), every other element of the car feels so constantly alive that you'll never pine for anything else. Beyond the Comfort, Sport or Manual modes of the 'box, there's nothing left to press beyond the ESP button (which does 'on' or 'off' with a mere tap), so you can get right into the thick of driving it. It's surprising how compliant the ride feels. We're used to the gnarliest specials rattling our teeth and spine in road use, but the Black Series is never anything other than a fast, ferocious Mercedes-Benz, smoothing the edges of Britain's road surfaces. You could spend hundreds of miles ensconced in its bucket seat and feel brilliant. There's certainly little need to trailer it to a track day, even if an SUV with a tow hook might deliver better fuel efficiency. But you will almost certainly set an early alarm so you can take the long route there. This is a real 'last gallon on Earth' contender, a car designed with its focus almost unwaveringly on fun. And despite its incongruous comfort, it's no softie, providing the feel and fidelity of some of the greatest track specials yet demanding little of their commitment. Its steering bubbles away, telegraphing the movements of a car that teeters on the edge of mimicking a V8 Caterham in its swagger. You feel the moment its driven wheels begin to relinquish grip, as the rear starts to arc wide, and it's your choice whether to feed in more power and indulge it or back off and neaten things up. It can do neat and tidy, but it feels at its most authentic moving around, smearing the Tarmac even with the ESP on. And, boy, is it quick once you're pointing straight, bounding forwards in a way that belies its 1.7 tonnes. It's a car I simply don't want to hand back. If it's this spectacular now, what must it have felt like at the time? The CLE 53 can never match such large heart and character, but it exhibits real dynamism right from the off. Its 4Matic+ four-wheel drive continually shifts power around but has a definite rear bias and, allied with all-wheel steering (a first in a 53 model), it demonstrates more urgency than its endlessly plush (and pixel-rich) cabin might otherwise suggest. There's certainly no bank of blank switches in here. Mind, it's disarmingly easy to manoeuvre compared with the burly Black Series. The rear steer and an abundance of parking cameras make moving it around a doddle, yet as soon as you're rolling, there's evident nous to the more mechanical bits beneath. It exhibits real tension in the ride, whichever of the multitudinous modes you've selected, and a pleasing snarl from the six-cylinder up front in its sportier settings. The whooshes and hisses of turbocharging that are proudly absent in the vociferously atmo CLK bring welcome character to the progress you make in here. Although it will never match the gargling war cry of that venerable 6.2-litre V8, this CLE sounds good. Its powertrain is largely free of lag too (gaps in the power delivery are papered over by a 22bhp mild-hybrid element), but the keener among us are still encouraged to wring out the revs. Just shift up slightly below the limiter in manual mode: it cuts in keenly. Even though its headline accelerative benchmark betters that of the Black Series, the CLE 53 doesn't feel as outrageously quick, its 58 fewer horses and 165 extra kilograms taking some of the blame. I like its relative modesty, though: it's not as outlandishly, unusably fast as some sports saloon rivals have become and you can at least feel like you're exploring its performance and approaching its limits like in the more slapstick CLK. This CLE represents a much more rounded package and can't help feeling a bit staid in such company. But even a cursory scroll through its bewildering mix of modes unleashes something that can thrill, something that will provide depth as an ownership proposition. It's never going to imitate the slightly unhinged hot rods it shares those evocative three letters with, and it definitely prefers grip to slip, but its rear wheels can still scrabble naughtily on dank days. You can take it by the scruff on the right road. A whole suite of AMG Dynamics stuff keeps the 4WD, rear steering and stability control systems in check through a range of 'difficulty levels' from Basic to Master. Spec the optional £7500 Pro Performance Package (not present here) and you even get a higher, Black Series-matching 186mph top speed and a RWD-only drift mode, once you have loosened the electronic helpers to enable it. But this AMG is an involving car without it, even if you do need to be laying on at least a little aggression to unleash its mischievous side. It only ever moves under your duress, whereas the old CLK is unashamedly, belligerently itself and drags you along with its whims while keeping you fully versed on its intentions. The CLE 53 makes you go looking for its own, cloaking them beneath a few more layers of luxury and awaiting your command to loosen its inhibitions. But crucially, it still will. Just as those arches promised. ]]>
