There are moments in the automotive world when you look at a new car and think, “That is clever.” Then there are moments when you look at something like the Mercedes AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung and wonder whether somebody in Affalterbach was left alone with a set of keys and an unreasonable amount of caffeine. This is a CLE that began life as a perfectly respectable sports coupé and then went through what can only be described as an extremely enthusiastic midlife crisis. The straight six has been shown the door, four wheel drive has been abandoned, the rear seats have disappeared, comfort has been reduced and a 4.0 litre twin turbo V8 has been installed. It produces 646 hp and 850 Nm. In other words, Mercedes AMG has taken a perfectly usable coupé and asked a rather important question: what happens if we make it considerably less sensible?
The CLE Gets A V8
The answer begins with the AMG 4.0 litre V8 biturbo M177 EVO. It produces 646 hp and 850 Nm between 2,500 and 4,500 rpm, with a flat plane crankshaft reducing rotating mass and helping the engine rev more eagerly. There are also three cooling circuits, because when you have this much mechanical violence happening under the bonnet, keeping everything at sensible temperatures becomes rather important. The exhaust system gets its own high performance treatment, developed with Akrapovič at the cold end and using titanium to save weight. The result should provide exactly the sort of soundtrack you would expect from an AMG V8. Quiet, it probably isn’t.
Forget Four Wheel Drive
Perhaps the most entertaining decision is what AMG has removed. The standard AMG Performance 4MATIC+ system is gone, and the CLE 646 sends its power exclusively to the rear wheels. This is not because Mercedes AMG suddenly forgot how four wheel drive works. It is because the engineers wanted a more direct and engaging car. An electronically controlled rear axle limited slip differential manages torque between the rear wheels and can, under suitable conditions, help the driver indulge in controlled drift manoeuvres. Power reaches the rear axle through the AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G transmission. The result is a 0 to 200 km/h time of 11.4 seconds and a top speed of 310 km/h. Quite frankly, that is brisk enough to make most other traffic look as though it has been parked.
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It Has Been Put On A Diet
The CLE 646 is not merely a bigger engine stuffed into a CLE. AMG has effectively rebuilt the car around the idea of driving dynamics. Its weight has been reduced by approximately 170 kg compared with the standard model, while the body structure has been reinforced. The track is 60 mm wider at both the front and rear axles, while carbon fibre is used extensively for the fender flares, front apron, bonnet, roof, rear apron, diffuser, boot lid and rear wing. The rear windows are polycarbonate, because apparently glass was getting ideas above its weight class. The suspension is a specially developed steel coilover system created with KW automotive, featuring four way adjustable dampers. The result is a chassis that can be tuned for everything from road driving to serious track work.
Stopping a car capable of 310 km/h is generally considered useful, so AMG has fitted ceramic high performance composite brakes. The front discs measure a frankly enormous 420 x 40 mm and use six piston fixed callipers, while the rear gets 360 x 32 mm discs. There is also dedicated brake cooling, helping the system maintain performance during heavy track use. The reduction in unsprung mass from the ceramic setup should also sharpen steering response and handling.
It Looks Like A CLE After A Fight
The CLE 646 still resembles a CLE, but it has clearly spent some time in the gym. The widebody construction, carbon fibre components, enlarged air intakes, widened arches, massive rear wing and two tone Mojave Silver Magno and Obsidian Black Magno finish make the ordinary CLE look rather timid. The aerodynamic package is not merely decorative either. The front diffuser can be manually adjusted between Street and Race settings, while the rear wing can be configured to increase downforce. At top speed, the aerodynamic package generates more than 250 kg of downforce.
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Comfort Has Been Fired
Inside, AMG has followed the same philosophy. The rear seats are gone. Acoustic insulation has been removed. Comfort equipment has been reduced. The sound system has been downsized. Even driver assistance systems and features such as PARKTRONIC have been omitted. Instead, you get lightweight racing bucket seats, carbon fibre door panels, a roll cage and a motorsport inspired steering wheel. An optional Performance Package adds six point harnesses. This is not a luxury coupé pretending to be a race car. It is a race car that happens to be road legal.
Hand built at AMG’s Affalterbach headquarters, the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung is the second model in Mercedes Benz’s Mythos series. Only 30 examples will be produced, making it considerably rarer than your average AMG. And there is one final twist. The entire production run had already sold out before the car’s world premiere. Which, when you think about it, makes perfect sense. Because if somebody offers you a hand built 646 hp V8 coupé, rear wheel drive, carbon fibre everywhere, 310 km/h capability and a complete disregard for the modern obsession with making everything sensible, you probably don’t spend too long wondering whether you need one. You simply ask where to sign.
