2024 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE 53 4Matic+ brings great coupe fun

Driving the tight mountain roads on the Spanish island of Tenerife, the 2024 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE 53 coupe bites for the bit. The coupe is too big to feel comfortable on thin roads with short run-off areas that vary between steep slopes and densely packed barriers. He could fly in the worst ways. Still, it’s too powerful to stay behind a wave of Toyota pickups and Citroen C3s milling about on island time.

The AMG 53 coupe is the most extreme model yet in the new CLE range, which combines elements of the outgoing C-Class and E-Class coupe and convertible models (Cabriolet). It is the widest, most powerful and best-performing model yet in a range that includes CLE 300 and CLE 450 coupes and droptops. While it has some track capability, it’s still a grand tourer, and the most extreme, most track-capable one is likely to come in the form of an AMG CLE 63 SE Performance plug-in hybrid.

Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE 53: Faster, quicker, more agile

Although it combines elements of compact and midsize cars, the CLE 53 coupe is downright midsize, and its performance suspension requires it to be wider than the already substantial CLE 450. It is 0.6 inches longer than the previous E-Class coupe and has a wheelbase of 0.1 inches. centimeters longer. The fenders are 2.3 inches wider in the front and 3 inches wider in the rear compared to the CLE 450 coupe to give it a planted, serious look and make room for a 2.2-inch front and 2.4-inch wider rear track and a staggered size 265/35 front and 295/30 rear tires on 19- or 20-inch wheels.

My tester’s optional Michelin Pilot Sport S5 summer tires provide excellent grip, allowing me to position the car precisely when I can shoot past the slowpokes. These S5s, Michelin’s latest generation of performance tires, are much stickier and squeal much less in fast corners than the Continental EcoContact 6Q summer tires I experienced on the CLE 450 4Matic Cabriolet earlier in the day.

AMG-tuned steering helps too. It’s a heavier, quicker version of the familiar steering of current Mercedes models: quick, a bit light but firmer in Sport modes, and with a fair amount of road feel.

AMG also throws more chassis technology at the AMG 53 than at other CLE models. It comes standard with adaptive dampers and rear-wheel steering, both of which are not available on the CLE 300 and CLE 450. The rear-wheel steering can turn up to 2.5 degrees relative to the front tires at a speed of 100 km/h, and turns with the rears above that speed. The chassis is also stiffer thanks to a strut tower brace, a sliding plate under the engine and stiffer suspension mounting points.

I can’t go all out on these tight roads, but the twists and turns show that the CLE 53 turns in faster, stays flatter in the corners, and responds to my steering, acceleration, and braking inputs more quickly than other CLEs. A performance screen on the dashboard shows that the rear-wheel steering only slightly shortens the turning circle, by 0.2 to 0.3 degrees of rear steer in the 60 km/h corners, and perhaps 0.7 degrees in the tighter 30 to 40 km/h. The full 2.5 degrees would be reserved for parking speeds. The handling feels balanced in these tight corners, and it’s fun to push it despite the steep grades and encroaching guardrails.

Stronger brakes also come in handy here. It gets 14.6-inch ventilated front brake discs with four-piston calipers and 14.2-inch internally ventilated rear brake discs with single-piston calipers. They can handle whatever I throw at them on uphills and, more importantly, downhills without fading or getting hot enough to give off the scent I smelled in the CLE 450.

AMG says the CLE 53 is tailored to the performance and agility of the C-Class with the comfort and elegance of the E-Class. The adjustable adaptive dampers have three settings that change depending on the driving mode selected, and Mercedes says they have a wider spread of softness and performance than the latest E-Class coupe. I find myself using the Sport and Sport+ settings in the corners and switching back to Comfort mode on the long straights.

I can change the modes with a dial on the right side of the steering wheel. I can also use an Individual mode to personalize the dampers, engine, transmission, sound and AMG Dynamics settings. With a rotary knob on the left side of the handlebar I can also adjust different control systems individually. I could choose the Sport engine setting with the Comfort damper setting in everyday driving, but for now I’ll let the modes determine the character of the car.

The AMG Dynamics system controls the stability control and all-wheel drive. The settings include Basic, Advanced, Pro and Master, and they also change depending on the riding mode. Sport and Sport+ allow more freedom to spin the tires or kick out the tail, and I detect no intervention from the stability control when using either of these modes, despite brisk driving. The sportier modes also send more power to the rear wheels for the fully variable all-wheel drive system that AMG calls 4Matic+.

An available Dynamic Plus package adds an additional driving mode called Race, a launch control function called Race Start, a drift mode, red brake calipers and active engine mounts that firm up in corners for even more body rigidity.

What’s missing is also notable. A track car would add a limited-slip rear differential to better connect the car when exiting corners and even bigger brakes with a higher number of calipers for sustained performance on the track. Without those elements or strict tuning, this car doesn’t chase track times like a CLE 63 would, and that gives it enough comfort for daily driving.

Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE 53: twin turbos, but not the usual ones

The AMG CLE 53 shares its engine with the CLE 450, but here it’s AMGified. It’s a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 ​​with an electric turbocharger that fills the boost until the exhaust turbo spools up. It’s rated at 443 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque, which can go up to 443 lb-ft for 10-second bursts with an overboost function. A 48-volt starter generator in the transmission can add another 23 hp and 151 lb-ft at lower speeds to aid takeoff. Power flows through a 9-speed automatic transmission with torque converter (not the wet clutch as in AMG 63 models).

The engine becomes particularly chatty in Sport+ mode, with clicks and crackles on acceleration and subtle burps between gears accompanying the gentle growl. The power comes on quickly and builds strong, making getting to those Toyota pickups a breeze. However, the power lacks the sudden and unrelenting nature of an AMG V-8, and the 53 isn’t noticeably quicker than the CLE 450, with an equivalent 0-60 mph time of 4.2 seconds. Race Start mode reduces the time to 4.0 seconds.

The transmission shifts smoothly in Comfort mode and responds more quickly in Sport and even more so in Sport+. When it’s time to pass the Islanders or exit a corner to go to the next, Sport+ usually chooses the right gear to harness the best power. However, the transmission sometimes becomes confused when cornering in quick succession, sometimes causing abrupt downshifts and disrupting the car’s balance.

Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE 53: Special on the inside

The AMG CLE 53 also feels a little more special on the inside than the standard models. It combines the dashboard of the C-Class with the space of the latest E-Class coupe. It’s a luxurious, high-tech cabin with some sporty extras like standard sports seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel and some AMG-specific performance displays in the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 11.9-inch central touchscreen.

The digital displays include a Supersport theme for the instrument cluster and performance displays on the touchscreen including front and rear steering angle, damper movement, tire temperature, brake and accelerator percentage, g-forces, real-time horsepower and torque , and an IWC view timer.

Leather upholstery is standard and the sports seats provide good lateral support, while leaving plenty of room for my overly wide rear. Nappa leather is optional, as are form-fitting AMG Performance seats with suede inserts, a suede steering wheel, carbon fiber trim and red seat belts. It’s all high quality and well assembled, with the options or not.

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE 53 coupe will go on sale this summer. Pricing will be announced closer to launch, but expect to be at least $10,000 more than the $66,800 CLE 450 4Matic coupe. For that money, buyers get a powerful, sinister-looking and seriously sporty car that isn’t too edgy or too track-oriented. If you can get in, look for a winding road that’s wider than what you’ll find in Tenerife, and be sure to quickly put the slowpokes in your rearview mirror to unleash the fun.

Mercedes-Benz paid Motor Authority’s travel and lodging expenses to bring you this first-hand report.