The newest two-door product portfolio from Mercedes-Benz aims to consolidate this brand’s proud Coupé-Luxury lineage into one broadly appealing package. We have our say on the new CLE Coupé and Cabriolet.
Image: Peet Mocke
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A brand lauded since the 1950s for its sleek and stylish coupé offerings, Mercedes-Benz is suitably proud of its modern “Coupé-Luxury” family of vehicles. Where just a few years ago there were two-door versions of most of the brand’s traditionally best-selling products, including C-, E- and S-Class, a recently self-imposed mandate on refocusing resources has consolidated this line-up into a lone new CLE portfolio, complete with a Coupé and Cabriolet offering.
Assembled alongside the Mercedes-AMG SL (Sport Light) in Bremen, and sharing its underpinnings with the modern C-Class, the CLE aims to blend the dynamic appeal of C with the level of luxury and sophistication expected from a member of the executive E-Class family. With this in mind, until a new CLE53 arrives in the coming months, the four-model local line-up (two Coupé and two Cabriolet derivatives) features an upgraded AMG Line exterior – including 19-inch alloy wheels – and a generously appointed interior.
A 25 mm wheelbase stretch compared with the C-Class donor car frees up interior space while offering a generally more composed ride quality than its donor car. The CLE Coupé has 60 litres more luggage space than the previous C-Class Coupé (measuring 420 litres) and the Cabriolet offers a claimed 385 litres of packing space, regardless of whether its canvas roof is open or stowed.
Incorporating the brand’s Easy-Entry setup for easier access to the rear, the specially designed front seats in the Coupé can be ordered with integrated speakers as part of a Burmester audio system upgrade. The Cabriolet’s items feature the brand’s Airscarf system that directs heated air onto the back of an occupant’s neck, making open-top motoring in cooler months a comfier affair. In both cases, the rear seats remain best suited to smaller-framed individuals.
Image: Peet Mocke
Multi-layered for improved insulation, and available in grey, black or red, the CLE Cabriolet’s canvas roof can be raised or lowered in 20 seconds at speeds up to 60 km/h. With this item folded, the combination of an aerodynamically optimised Aircap that raises from the top of the windscreen and a wind deflector screen that lifts between the rear seat headrests aims to limit buffeting within the exposed cabin while on the move. It’s a clever solution, though, in our experience, drop-top motoring remains best enjoyed at boulevard cruising speeds.
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Until the six-cylinder CLE53 arrives, the CLE range is sold with a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbopetrol engine in two states of tune. For improved efficiency, a 48 V mild hybrid system with a second-generation integrated starter generator provides an additional 17 kW and 205 N.m when required. The CLE200 models offer 150 kW and 320 N.m of torque directed to the car’s rear wheels via a 9-speed automatic transmission. The CLE300 ups the ante to 190 kW and 400 N.m while incorporating the brand’s 4Motion all-wheel drive technology.
Image: Peet Mocke
As showcased in these accompanying images, we would opt for the more powerful CLE300 4Matic in the Coupé body style. Including the firmer dampers and lowered ride height introduced with the standard sport suspension setup, the fixed-roof CLE offers the poise and dynamic ability better suited to enthusiastic driving. From a low-slung driving position, the relatively nimble CLE feels notably closer to its C-Class cousin than the modern E-Class sedan. Mercedes-Benz claims a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 6.2 seconds, and we averaged 9.8 L/100 km during our time behind the wheel.
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The elephant in the room, of course, is the fact that the more affordable BMW 440i xDrive Coupé remains an altogether faster and more engaging prospect – complete with a six-cylinder soundtrack – than the otherwise polished four-cylinder CLE300 4Matic.
While there’s been a concerted effort to reinforce the CLE Cabriolet’s structure to compensate for the absence of a fixed roof, a resultant weight penalty of around 130 kg compared with the 1 715 kg Coupé fitted with the same powertrain, together with a still noticeable amount of scuttle shake through the car’s body means we’re inclined to “keep it simple” and opt for the CLE200 in this application – even if the difference in the asking price to the 300 is only R60 000.
We averaged 9.6 L/100 km on a suitably leisurely test run in the CLE200 Cabriolet, the only caveat being the firmer sports suspension is less forgiving on anything but billiard table-smooth roads. Something that could be a welcome inclusion in more modern Mercedes-Benz products is the ability to adjust the angle of the large portrait-style infotainment display in the cabin of the CLE Cabriolet away from unwanted glare.
For the most part, this suitably sleek pair of modern two-door Mercedes-Benz products complete their mandate of bridging the gap between the previously available C-Class Coupé and Cabriolet and the extended E-Class family. Like the last E-Class Coupé that was already built on W204 C-Class underpinnings, the CLE siblings do feel closer to the modern C-Class in terms of perceived build quality, dynamics and interior appointments than they do to the newer, altogether more sophisticated and arguably better built E-Class family.
Prices include a 5 year/100 000 km maintenance plan
Find the full feature in the February issue of CAR Magazine.
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