Development is ongoing for the new Mercedes CLE-Class, which is expected to replace the two-door versions of the C-Class and E-Class. That goes for the cooler AMG models, too, and the new video from Carspotter Jeroen on YouTube gave our first live look at what the AMG CLE 63 should look like in action.
The video comes almost a day after our spy photographer captured a prototype of the same AMG in Germany. The video captures the luxury coupe around and at the Nurburgring, where we see it aggressively splitting the track. As you’d expect from AMG, the prototype looks flat and fast but one thing that’s very non-AMG about it is the sound. A Mercedes-AMG hopped on a four-pipe like this would normally give off a clear V8 tone, but the main sound on the track was the squeaking of the tormented tires.
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That’s because we expect the AMG CLE 63 to use the same hybrid powertrain found in the new Mercedes-AMG C63 SE Performance. To refresh your memory, it combines a rear-mounted electric motor with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine up front. The engine itself is good at 476 horsepower, making it the most powerful four-pot production ever offered. The entire powertrain makes 671 hp, driving all four wheels with enough punch to send the C63 to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds.
This particular prototype is easily identified as the ultimate AMG model thanks to the Panamericana grille at the front and the quad exhaust tips at the rear. The camouflage wrap still hides smaller details, and the heavier cover up front hides the specs of the lower fascia, but none of that is missing from the sleek lines of the new coupe. When all is well, the similar styling cues to the C63 sedan are a safe bet.
By the way, we’ve had plenty of sightings of the CLE-Class prototype going back over a year now. Now that the AMG test vehicle is in the mix, we’re likely getting closer to the reveal. That could happen before the end of the year, although the AMG will likely be a 2024 model.
