Electrified 3.0-litre turbo straight-six swaps plug-in hybrid assistance, for mild-hybrid ‘help’ capable of producing an additional 17kW/205Nm for short spells.
The new Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 is said to combine the best of two worlds — the agility and sportiness of the C-Class with the space and status of the E-Class, and you would have to be blind not to like what you see here.
Electric but no plug
I don’t want to get over technical and lose you in the details, because so many buyers switch off immediately, for lack of better words, the moment anybody starts to talk about electric cars.
Whereas the new AMG E53 is a plug-in hybrid that must be plugged in to be fully charged as the name suggests, the AMG CLE 53 is a mild-hybrid, and it does not need to, nor cannot not be plugged in to be fully charged, and it charges itself up from the conventional petrol engine and via brake regeneration.
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As with the E53, the CLE 53 makes use of a 3.0-litre straight-six turbocharged engine, but omits the plug-in hybrid for a 48-volt mild-hybrid system aided further by a new exhaust gas-driven turbo and electric compressor.
The result is 330kW/560Nm, but for 12 seconds, an overboost function which lifts torque to 600 Nm is activated. What’s more, the mild-hybrid system, known as EQ Boost, adds 17kW/205Nm of its own for short bursts.
According to Mercedes-AMG, this means a top speed of 250km/h or 270km/h with the optional AMG Driver’s Package included, and 0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds.
As with the E53, drive in the CLE 53 is directed to all four wheels through the 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive via the nine-speed MCT transmission.
When driving moderately and in situations where all-wheel drive is not required, the front axle is completely decoupled. This increases efficiency.
From the ESP Sport setting onwards, the driving behaviour is more rear-focused. And in drift mode, the car’s programmed as a rear-wheel drive vehicle across the entire speed range.
Typical visual identifying features are the long hood embedded in the front end with two powerful power domes.
The sloping windshield and the elongated roof, which slopes towards the rear, also reference this. The passenger cell, which is set far back, leads to the sporty, short rear via the rear window, which is also flat.
Price
Priced from R2 065 982, the AMG CLE 53’s price includes a five-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.
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