Mercedes-Benz CLE: Debut confirmed for segment buster

Mercedes-Benz has officially confirmed the C-Class and E-Class two-door ranges will merge to create a new CLE.

The new model will be revealed on July 5 in Europe – the morning of July 6 in Australia. It’s not been locked in for our market yet.

Although it’s an all-new model line for Mercedes-Benz, we have a good idea about how the CLE will shape up.

Design-wise, spy photos reveal the new model retains the company’s signature smooth, rounded look, although there’s also a resemblance to the sharper Mercedes-AMG SL.

Our photographers have now spied almost the entire range, including coupe and convertible body styles and plug-in hybrid and AMG 43 and 63 variants.

It’s likely the CLE will use the new MRA-2 architecture and feature a range of electrified four-cylinder powertrains, as with the redesigned C-Class.

At the top of the range will likely be a CLE 63 AMG, with the high-performance plug-in hybrid all-wheel drive set-up from the AMG C63.

This model uses a re-engineered version of the AMG A45’s 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with total system outputs of 500kW and 750Nm.

Slotting below the C63 is the C43, featuring a version of the mild-hybrid turbo four-cylinder engine used in the SL 43 convertible and producing outputs of 300kW and 500Nm.

There will be more affordable, less powerful versions below these AMG-fettled models, naturally.

One likely option is the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid powertrain of the C300, which produces 190kW and 400Nm.

Previous spy photos have revealed the interior features a similar triple vent design to the C-Class, and we expect a similarly large portrait-style touchscreen infotainment system and free-standing digital instrument cluster to that model.

Mercedes-Benz research and development head, Markus Schafer, told Auto Express it effectively had three convertibles – the SLC and C-Class and E-Class Cabriolets – occupying a part of the market that isn’t particularly profitable.

He conceded, however, that it’s important for a luxury car brand to continue to offer coupe and convertible models.

As Mercedes-Benz expands its range of electric vehicles to include models like the EQE and EQS built on a dedicated EV architecture, it’s cognisant its model range can’t get too large and unwieldy.

The low-volume SLC has already been axed and no coupe or convertible versions of the redesigned Mercedes-Benz S-Class have been announced.

Merging the two-door C-Class and E-Class ranges is reminiscent of the days of the CLK.

Sold for two generations from 1997 to 2010, the CLK used the C-Class’s platform but with E-Class styling cues, and was available with a range of engines ranging from four to eight-cylinder configurations.

It was replaced by the E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet, which continued to use C-Class mechanicals but was quickly joined by a C-Class Coupe and Cabriolet.

In 2017, Mercedes-Benz finally returned an E-Class-based coupe and convertible to the E-Class line, while the C-Class range continued to offer two-door variants.