Divisive in terms of exterior styling but noticeably more luxurious and techier compared to its predecessor, the W214 is coming to a dealership near you for the 2024 model year. Not long now, it's going to be joined by two more siblings. Or – better said – four if we also include the new CLE.
European customers will be presented with a more practical body style of the E-Class, dubbed T-Modell and internally referred to as S214. This codename also carries over to the All-Terrain, which has already been confirmed by documents filed with the EPA for the US market with a six-cylinder turbo mild-hybrid mill.
Merc's recent EPA filing reveals that multiple versions of the CLE Coupe and CLE Convertible are heading to showrooms for the 2024 model year as well, meaning that Mercedes will debut both in the coming months. Technically similar to the E-Class, down to the MRA II platform, the CLE twins are codenamed C236 for the coupe and A236 for the soft-topped convertible.
The CLE replaces the E-Class Coupe and Convertible, plus the C-Class Coupe and Convertible. Think of it as Mercedes cleaning house, a decision that makes plenty of sense given that coupes and convertibles are pretty hard of a sell nowadays. One of the best carparazzi out there has recently spied a camouflaged prototype of the C236 doing its thing near the Nordschleife, joined by a camouflaged prototype of the E-Class T-Modell.
Both appear to be non-AMG variants, and both are visually distinct. In addition to the body panels, the headlights and taillights are different as well. It's not clear, however, if the wagon and coupe will feature the three-pointed star taillight signature of the sedan.
Automotive Mike filmed the wagon at the Nordschleife as well. From the sound of the tires and the way it rolls from one side to the other, depending on the corner, there's no denying that we're dealing with quite a heavy vehicle. For reference, the lightest W214 for Europe is the E 200 at 1,825 kilograms, which converts to 4,023 pounds. The heaviest of the bunch is the E 400 e 4MATIC, a plug-in hybrid that tips the scales at 2,265 kilograms (4,993 pounds).
According to Merc's press release for the US-spec W214, as well as the aforementioned EPA filing, the United States market is getting a four-cylinder mild hybrid (E 300) and a six-cylinder mild hybrid (E 450). Only the former lump comes standard with RWD.
The CLE ships with 4MATIC across the range, with the four-cylinder CLE 300 being the entry-level choice. Further up the spectrum, prospective customers will be offered the CLE 450 and AMG-ified CLE 53. Both of them feature a six-cylinder powerplant, which sadly isn't an AMG design.
Mercedes will also sell the E-Class All-Terrain in North America, but solely as the E 450 4MATIC All-Terrain. In this application, the 3.0-liter I6 engine produces 375 horsepower and 369 pound-feet (500 Nm) of torque. For brief moments, the integrated starter generator can assist the straight-six mill with up to 22 horsepower and 148 pound-feet (201 Nm).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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