Mercedes-AMG has changed considerably from the days when stuffing an enormous V8 into a relatively compact coupe seemed like standard procedure. Electrification, downsized engines, and all-wheel drive have increasingly become part of the formula, leaving some longtime AMG fans nostalgic for the brand’s wilder years.
Apparently, Affalterbach hasn’t completely forgotten how to build something outrageous. The new Mercedes-AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung combines a twin-turbo V8, rear-wheel drive, aggressive aerodynamics, and extensive weight reduction in a road-legal package.
According to Mercedes-AMG, the limited-production coupe is the second model in its ultra-exclusive Mythos series, following the PureSpeed. Only 30 examples will be produced, and every one has already been sold.
The Spezialanfertigung — roughly translating to “special build” or “custom-made” — might not carry the famous Black Series badge, but its specification certainly evokes those legendary AMGs. This is about as far removed from an ordinary CLE as Mercedes could reasonably go while retaining license plates.
A Twin-Turbo 4.0-Liter V8 Sends 637 HP To The Rear
Under the hood is AMG’s 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 producing 637 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. Its flat-plane crankshaft reduces rotating mass and helps improve throttle response, while three cooling circuits manage temperatures throughout the powertrain.
The engine exhales through a specially developed exhaust created with Akrapovič that uses titanium to reduce weight. Power reaches only the rear wheels through a nine-speed automatic and electronically controlled limited-slip differential.
AMG claims 0-62 mph in a swift 3.9 seconds, 0-124 mph is equally impressive and dealt with in 11.4 seconds, and it goes on to reach a top speed of 193 mph.
AMG Put The CLE On A Serious Diet
Mercedes-AMG says the CLE 646 weighs approximately 375 pounds less than its donor vehicle. Carbon fiber is used extensively across the hood, roof, front bodywork, fenders, side skirts, and rear bumper, while the rear and side windows are polycarbonate.
The rear seats and some sound insulation have disappeared, too. Carbon-fiber door panels, racing bucket seats, and a simplified audio system further emphasize the car’s track-focused mission.
A specially developed coilover suspension features four-way adjustable dampers. Carbon-ceramic brakes are standard, with enormous 16.5-inch front discs squeezed by six-piston calipers.
It Looks As Wild As It Sounds
The CLE 646 is 2.4 inches wider than the donor car and wears huge 305-section front and 335-section rear tires. Giant fender vents, an aggressive diffuser, and stacked quad exhaust outlets ensure nobody mistakes it for a CLE53.
Then there’s the enormous manually adjustable rear wing. Mercedes-AMG says the aerodynamic package generates over 550 pounds of downforce at top speed, explaining why subtlety wasn’t particularly high on the design brief.
Pricing hasn’t been announced, although that’s largely academic since all 30 cars are spoken for. For everyone else, the CLE 646 serves as reassuring evidence that somewhere beneath AMG’s increasingly sophisticated modern lineup, the old instinct to build ridiculous V8-powered rear-drive coupes is still alive.