AMG UNLEASHES THE CLE 53 4MATIC+ COUPé – WHERE ELEGANCE MEETS EVERYDAY PERFORMANCE
Mercedes-AMG has officially taken the wraps off its latest weapon in the luxury performance space - the CLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé. Designed to bridge the best of both worlds, it blends the agility and footprint of the C-Class with the stature and interior comfort of the E-Class. The result? A sharp, low-slung coupé that hits hard with six-cylinder punch, all-wheel drive grip, and all the tech you’d expect from Affalterbach’s finest. Under the hood lies a seriously reworked version of AMG’s 3.0-litre inline-six turbocharged engine (M 256M). It’s not just boosted - it’s twin-boosted, courtesy of a traditional exhaust gas turbo and an electric compressor. The numbers are solid:
330 kW
560 Nm, with 600 Nm available on overboost for 12 seconds
An added 17 kW and 205 Nm from the integrated starter-generator (ISG)
That ISG isn't just there for hybrid vibes - it smooths things out, assists with starts, supports regenerative braking, and helps optimise efficiency. Flat-out, the CLE 53 can hit 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds, and top speed is 250 km/h (or 270 km/h if you tick the AMG Driver’s Package box). A nine-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G transmission sends the power through all four wheels via the fully variable 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system. You get crisp shifts, rev-matching downshifts, and multiple driving modes thanks to AMG DYNAMIC SELECT, including Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, and Individual.
There’s no mistaking this for anything but an AMG. The CLE 53 Coupé oozes street presence with a long, sculpted bonnet with power domes, a signature “shark nose” front with a distinctive AMG A-shaped grille, sharp full-LED headlights with DIGITAL LIGHT tech available for projection wizardry, and a broad, muscular rear with two-part LED taillights and integrated round tailpipes It rolls on 19-inch wheels as standard (20s optional), with flared fenders and wide tracks that give it a proper squat, aggressive stance. A trunk spoiler adds subtle aero, or go bolder with the AMG Styling, Night, or Carbon Packages for more visual attitude - blacked-out accents, flics, diffusers, and carbon detailing and the like. Inside, the CLE 53 continues to blur the line between performance machine and luxury lounge. The cockpit layout is tech-forward and immersive, anchored by a 12.3-inch digital driver display, a central 11.9-inch infotainment screen in portrait format and ambient lighting in 64 colours, spilling across the dash and into the rear. Seats are trimmed in ARTICO synthetic leather and MICROCUT microfibre, complete with AMG-specific graphics and contrast stitching. Nappa leather is available, complete with embossed AMG crests on the headrests. Step up to the AMG Performance seats and you’ll get deeper bolsters, better support, and ventilated cut-outs for spirited driving.
Here’s a quick glance at what makes this machine tick:
Engine: 3.0-litre inline-six petrol, twin-turbo + electric compressor
Output: 330 kW @ 5,800–6,100 rpm
Torque: 560 Nm (600 Nm with overboost) @ 2,200–5,000 rpm
ISG Boost: 17 kW / 205 Nm
Transmission: AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G
Drive: AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive
0–100 km/h: 4.2 seconds
Top Speed: 250 km/h (270 km/h optional)
Fuel Economy (WLTP): 9.3–9.7 L/100 km
Pricing: The Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé lands in South Africa at R2,065,982, VAT included. That also buys you a 5-year/100,000 km PremiumDrive Comfort Care plan, covering service and maintenance.
Take a look at the YouTube video from the chaps at The Straight Pipes as they take a close look at the latest AMG CLE 53 - and they ask the question about the car being better than a BMW equivalent, like the M4: BETTER than BMW? 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLE53 Review | TheStraightPipes
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