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That sound you just heard is Mercedes-Benz AMG bowing to enthusiasts screaming as it shoves the venerable twin-turbo V8 engine into the CLE coupe. You won. We all won? The turbo-four plug-in hybrid lost.
You are looking at the street-legal Mercedes‑AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung that debuted with surprisingly little fanfare on Thursday. Yes, that’s the car’s real name. And most importantly there’s a V8-powered CLE entering the universe. Well, a handful of them, anyways.
This latest model is part of the Mythos Series, and only 30 will be made (that’s not a typo). It’s already sold out. Sorry, fam.
Mercedes-AMG
The important bits? There’s a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 under the hood spitting out 637 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. The engine features a flat-plane crank that Mercedes-Benz AMG said reduces rotating mass and improves revving characteristics. Translation? Those 30 lucky owners should experience exceptional throttle response that delights. This AMG is also going to have quite the battle cry as it breathes through a custom Akrapovič exhaust system.
Importantly, the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung ditches the AMG-specific 4Matic all-wheel-drive system from the donor CLE. It’s rear-wheel drive. To control the situation, there’s an electronically-controlled limited-slip differential.
AMG’s controversial plug-in hybrid system is nowhere to be seen or mentioned, as the 646 uses a more traditional 48-volt setup. The entire powertrain gets three cooling circuits: A high-temp circuit is dedicated for engine cooling, while two low-temp circuits handle air and transmission oil cooling, along with the 48-volt components.
Yes the V8 lives, but if you thought there would be a manual transmission, I have a monorail to sell you. A 9-speed automatic transmission is the only method of shifting, but the AMG team was quick to point out this torque-converter setup can execute multiple downshifts in rapid succession. We shall see.
A revised launch control program enables a 0-62 mph spring of 3.9 seconds, 0-124 mph run of 11.4 seconds, and a top speed is listed at 193 mph.
Mercedes-AMG
The looks are divisive at best. The wide-body deign adds 2.4 inches of width at both the front and back of the CLE. The front fenders are made from carbon fiber and feature integrated air outlets with a focus on large cooling ducts for the powertrain. The hood itself features a central cold air intake that is said to be functional. The trunk lid was reinforced and features a huge, adjustable carbon fiber wing mounted on trapezoidal supports.
The flared fenders cover huge forced wheels running staggered 305/30ZR20 tires up front and 335/30ZR20 in the rear. Those wide wheels hide 16.6-inch carbon ceramic rotors up front with six-piston fixed calipers along with 14.2-inch carbon ceramic rotors in the rear with single-piston floating calipers.
Mercedes-AMG
Mercedes said lightweighting shed 375 pounds from the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung, including “numerous comfort and assistance systems, including Parktronic parking assistant.” Along with all the carbon fiber body bits to save weight, Mercedes swapped in polycarbonate side and rear windows. Even the 12-volt starter battery is lighter than normal.
The sound system has been simplified in the name of weight, the rear seats and acoustic insulation have been removed, and the deletion of drive modes and assistance systems reduced the number of controls on the steering wheel. Ultra-lightweight racing bucket seats and carbon fiber door cards have been swapped in, along with a roll bar in the name of support and rigidity. A six-point harness for both driver and passenger can be optioned in the Performance Package. All in, the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung weighs 4.178 pounds.
Whether we’ll see the V8 shoved into any other CLE models is yet to be seen, but for now, a precious few buyers in the world will have the privilege to move past the plug-in hybrid turbo-four era at AMG.
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As Director of Content and Product, Joel draws on over 15 years of newsroom experience and inability to actually stop working to help ensure The Drive shapes the future of automotive media. He’s also a World Car Award juror.
