Mercedes-Benz is finally ready to show us more of the first CLE-Class in Convertible form. What you see in the gallery below are not official press photos but spy photos taken today by our spies in Germany. It’s definitely not a finished and complete product, although it shows a lot more than previous test vehicles.
The heavy camouflage is finally gone and we can see the whole shape and profile of the vehicle. Having seen the CLE Coupe on a number of occasions, things don’t look too surprising here, but there are details worth noting. First and foremost, there are some clear similarities to the SL Roadster but, again, this shouldn’t come as a big surprise.
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The CLE family will replace a total of four vehicles – the E-Class and C-Class in coupe and cabriolet variants, meaning new vehicle sizes will be among the outgoing products. On the other hand, the CLE convertible doesn’t sit as low to the ground as the SL because the focus is on comfort over pure performance.
Further differences can be seen at the front where the headlights, while similar in shape, will not share the same overall design. It’s the same story with the radiator grille, which in this case has an interesting pattern with a shape reminiscent of the emblem of the German company. Depending on the trim level and engine under the hood, there will be several different grille designs.
The CLE-Class in coupe and convertible versions will use the automaker’s MRA-2 platform which is also found under the skin of the current C-Class. Hardware from the two-door model will be shared with the C, which could also include the AMG C63 trim with the electrified 2.0-liter turbo engine. If so, we’d expect output to be similar to that of the new C63 making 670 horsepower (500 kilowatts) and 553 pound-feet (750 Newton-meters) of torque.
