The Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe has arrived in Australian showrooms as a replacement for the C-Class and E-Class coupes, but its pricing is much closer to the latter.
UPDATE, 06/08/2024 – Our review of the CLE Coupe is now live. We’ve also updated this article with additional specification details.
The outgoing C 200 coupe was priced at $79,200 before on-roads and the E 300 was priced at $112,969 before on-roads, while the base version of the new car – the CLE 200 – rings up at $102,815 before on-road costs.
Both models come standard with the AMG Line appearance package, the Night Package which brings black trim elements, and the Digital Light package.
The latter brings a projection function for the headlights, plus two daytime running light ellipses and “blue illumination of the headlight base”.
Pricing
| Model | Price before on-road costs |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz CLE 200 Coupe | $102,815 |
| Mercedes-Benz CLE 300 Coupe | $123,815 |
Drivetrains
| Specifications | CLE 200 Coupe | CLE 300 Coupe |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 2.0L turbo 4cyl | 2.0L turbo 4cyl |
| Power | 150kW | 190kW |
| Torque | 320Nm | 400Nm |
| 0-100km/h time (claimed) | 7.4 seconds | 6.2 seconds |
| Transmission | 9-speed auto | 9-speed auto |
| Driven wheels | Rear-wheel drive | All-wheel drive |
Both models use a nine-speed automatic transmission with an integrated starter generator.
This provides support at lower speeds and can allow the vehicle to coast, while the electric motor provides a boost of 17kW and 205Nm in either model.
Efficiency
| Specifications | CLE 200 Coupe | CLE 300 Coupe |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy (claimed) | 7.2L/100km | 7.4L/100km |
| Fuel tank capacity | 66L | 66L |
| Fuel requirement | 95 RON | 95 RON |
| CO2 emissions | 163g/km | 169g/km |
Dimensions
| Dimensions | CLE Coupe |
|---|---|
| Length | 4850mm |
| Width | 1860mm |
| Height | 1428mm |
| Wheelbase | 2865mm |
| Cargo capacity | 420L |
The CLE sits 15mm lower than C-Class and E-Class sedans thanks to standard sport suspension.
It’s closer to the defunct E-Class coupe (4841mm long) than the C-Class coupe (4708mm) in terms of overall length. It’s also the same width as the larger of the two coupes, though Mercedes-Benz has still been able to increase rear shoulder room by 54mm and rear elbow rom by 36mm.
It has an extra 60L of luggage space over the C-Class coupe, bringing total volume to 420L.
Servicing and Warranty
| Running costs | Mercedes-Benz CLE |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 5 years, unlimited kilometres |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 25,000km |
| Capped-price servicing | Three-, four- or five-year pre-paid service plans |
| Total capped-price service cost | $3325 (three-year plan) $4535 (four-year plan) $6800 (five-year plan) |
Safety
The Mercedes-Benz CLE has yet to be tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Adaptive cruise control
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Pedestrian and cyclist detection
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Lane-keep assist
- Surround-view camera
- Traffic sign recognition
The optional Plus Package includes Mercedes-Benz’s Driving Assistant Package Plus. This is the name for an expanded suite of active safety technology, and includes:
- Active speed limit assist
- Front cross-traffic alert
- Safe exit warning
- Evasive steering assist
- Cyclist, pedestrian and vehicle detection
The more sophisticated adaptive cruise control system in the Plus Package also includes:
- Extended automatic restart function on motorways
- Route-based speed adaptation with end of traffic jam function
- Active Stop-and-Go Assist
- Active Steering Assist with hands-off warning
Standard Equipment
Both CLE models have largely the same level of standard equipment.
CLE 300
The CLE 200 comes standard with the following equipment:
- Sports suspension
- AMG Line exterior and interior package
- Night Package with black trim elements
- Digital Light package with adaptive LED headlights
- Semi-automatic parking assist
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 11.9-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen infotainment system
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Augmented reality satellite navigation
- Wireless phone charger
- Burmester sound system with Dolby Atmos
- Head-up display
- 64-colour ambient lighting
- Artico leatherette upholstery
- Heated front seats
- Automatic seatbelt feeder
- Easy-Entry function for rear-seat passengers with Nappa leather loop
The CLE 300 adds leather upholstery.
Options
The optional Plus Package costs $4900 and includes:
- Driving Assistance Package Plus
- Ventilated front seats
- Multicontour front seats
- Memory Parking Assistant
- Air-Balance Package
- Guard 360° Vehicle Protection Plus
Colours
There are a range of interior and exterior colours available.
Interior colourways are:
- Black
- Tonka Brown/Black
- Macchiato Beige/Black
- Power Red/Black (CLE 300 only)
The following exterior finishes don’t cost any extra:
- High-tech Silver metallic
- Polar White
- Graphite Grey metallic
- Obsidian Black metallic
- Spectral Blue metallic
The following finishes are cost options:
- Manufaktur Patagonia Red metallic ($1700)
- Opalite White metallic ($1700)
- Manufaktur Alpine Grey ($2900)
