Mercedes-AMG CLE 63 spied: the V8 AMG coupe is officially making a return
New images of Mercedes-AMG's upcoming V8-powered CLE 63 coupe have surfaced ahead of its official reveal
Whether or not Mercedes-AMG would return to V8s has been up for debate since it embarked on hybrid four-cylinder power with its unpopular 63 models, but now we know it will. We also happen to know that it will officially make its way into the squat, aggressive two-door CLE 63 coupe we see in these spy shots. Rumours indicate a launch date towards the end of the year, but until then, here's everything we know.
The trademark trapezoidal exhaust tips of previous 63s are present and correct, as is a subtle boot spoiler and the Panamericana grille at the front flanked by a pair of aggressive intakes. This latest mule is also wearing the same deep-dished multi-spoke wheels seen on the CLE 53, now sitting neatly into the arches thanks to what appears to be a lower ride height. The body itself doesn’t look to have gained any width over the wider-than-standard CLE 53, but the front and rear bumpers have both seen substantial upgrades to increase the aggression and cooling capabilities, which is a very handy thing indeed...
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Mercedes has confirmed that this model will adopt the same M177 Evo V8 first seen in the S-class, and more recently in the GLE and GLS 63. This is a new take on AMG's previous 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8, now utilising a flat-plane crankshaft solution that has the ability to produce a sound near-identical to the iconic, lumpy cross-plane AMG V8 we all love, without the use of speakers. Given it produces 604bhp in the GLE and GLS 63 SUVs, we'd expect to see a similar figure here to put it ahead of BMW's alternative in terms of output.
The new CLE model line was created to consolidate two-door C-class and two-door E-class models into one range to rival the BMW 4-series and Audi A5, with the range to be topped by the CLE 63 spotted here. Much of the CLE’s styling and interior closely channels the C-class too. Slim LED head and tail lights feature, plus a high-tech interior with Mercedes's latest MBUX interfaces and a multitude of driver modes and settings.
After a fair while of waiting, it looks as if we might get our first official look at the new Mercedes-AMG CLE 63 later this year.
