Photo: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
Having made its spy shot debut about a month ago, the Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe has returned to the scoop arena, with a few prototypes spotted testing on and around the Nurburgring.
They look virtually identical to the other testers snapped in mid-July, save for the base colors partially visible from beneath the camouflage, and the wheels. However, if you look closely at one of those that became the focus of the camera lens on the (in)famous German racetrack, then you will see some yellow stickers on the front and rear windscreens.
This is a mandatory feature for prototypes, and it tells the emergency crews that it packs an electrified powertrain in case the car decides to start a barbecue all of a sudden. We don’t know anything about it for the time being, and considering that Mercedes-Benz is said to lift the cover off its body in mid-2023, likely launching it for the 2024 model year, it will be a while until we find out the hot stuff about the oily bits.
Nonetheless, since it will reportedly be underpinned by the same platform as the new generation C-Class, the CLE will likely share most (or perhaps all) of its powertrains. The ‘43’ variant could become real, and on top of that, we’d expect the Affalterbach brand to launch additional sporty models. The possible range-topping ‘63’ may or may not see the light of day, but we reckon that it might, as the normal CLE will take on the likes of the Audi A5 and BMW 4 Series, and these are offered in Audi Sport and BMW M attires.
In addition to the Coupe, the CLE, whose name has yet to be confirmed by the way, will also launch as a Convertible. If the latest intel holds water, then a four-door coupe version could be in the pipeline too. On a final note, it appears that Mercedes isn’t interested in launching the successor to the two-door Mercedes C- and E-Class in the United States, but this has yet to be confirmed.
This is a mandatory feature for prototypes, and it tells the emergency crews that it packs an electrified powertrain in case the car decides to start a barbecue all of a sudden. We don’t know anything about it for the time being, and considering that Mercedes-Benz is said to lift the cover off its body in mid-2023, likely launching it for the 2024 model year, it will be a while until we find out the hot stuff about the oily bits.
Nonetheless, since it will reportedly be underpinned by the same platform as the new generation C-Class, the CLE will likely share most (or perhaps all) of its powertrains. The ‘43’ variant could become real, and on top of that, we’d expect the Affalterbach brand to launch additional sporty models. The possible range-topping ‘63’ may or may not see the light of day, but we reckon that it might, as the normal CLE will take on the likes of the Audi A5 and BMW 4 Series, and these are offered in Audi Sport and BMW M attires.
In addition to the Coupe, the CLE, whose name has yet to be confirmed by the way, will also launch as a Convertible. If the latest intel holds water, then a four-door coupe version could be in the pipeline too. On a final note, it appears that Mercedes isn’t interested in launching the successor to the two-door Mercedes C- and E-Class in the United States, but this has yet to be confirmed.
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