Choices, Choices, Choices.  

Sometimes, too much can be a bad thing. Most of you reading this will have had the same experience. You plonk yourself in front of the telly and scroll through hundreds of channels trying to find something to watch. Nope…there’s nothing.

It was exactly the same in B&Q the other day when I was looking for some paint. How is it possible to have so many variations of white?

Anyway, Mercedes had a similar problem. Loads of their cars overlapped in terms of size, style and power. Before you’d even started considering options and colours, the choice for a particular model was overwhelming. Consequently, what you see here is a rather delicious example of how Mercedes is sorting the problem. There is no longer a Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet AND an E-Class Cabriolet. They’ve been merged together to form the Mercedes CLE Cabriolet. It’s also available as a swoopy coupé.

In terms of size, this CLE is much the same as the departing E-Class but the interior is very much C-Class which means it’s dripping in hi-tech stuff.

Under the Bonnet

Under the bonnet, you’ll find various petrol engine choices and, unbelievably, a diesel. They’re mirrored in both the coupé and cabriolet. The entry level CLE 200 (201bhp) and CLE 220d (194bhp) both hit 60mph in 7.9 seconds using rear wheel drive. Move up to the 255bhp CLE 300 (0-60mph in 6.6 seconds) or CLE 450 (0-60mph in 4.7 seconds) and you’ll get all-wheel drive. If you like the sound of an engine, go for the 6-cylinder, 3-litre CLE 450 or AMG CLE 53 models. The AMG 53 churns out a beefy 443bhp, which means the 0-60mph time drops to 4.2 seconds; top speed is 155mph. If you’re feeling a bit daft, spend a further £7.5k on the AMG 53 model but go for the Pro Performance Package. The top speed rises to 168mph and the 0-60mph time drops to 4.0 seconds, and most importantly, you get a drift mode, perfect for when you go to the tip.  

Additional Engine Choices

In addition to the above engine choices, the coupé also gets a PHEV version branded as the CLE 300e. Mercedes reckons it’ll do almost 70 miles on battery power alone. If you’re fortunate enough to have a car like this on your user-chooser list, this version makes sense for business users.

My Experience

I went on the launch of these two highly desirable cars. Lady Luck worked everything in my favour as the day I chose to drive the drop-top was sunny and dry. I actually think I looked rather good in it. However, those journos who decided to wait for the following day were unlucky as the heavens opened.

Space and Comfort

One advantage of merging the C-Class and E-Class coupé and drop-tops together is that the interior has more space. This is a 4-seater car and, okay it’s not what you’d call roomy, the adults in the rear no longer have knees rammed up against the seat in front. It’s also a tad wider.

Aerodynamics and Comfort

Mercedes has also been working on the cabriolet’s aerodynamics. There’s very little wind buffeting at 70mph and the Airscarf idea which blows warm air around your neck works really well. You also get leather seats which have a special coating that stops them getting too hot in sunny weather.

Popular Models in the UK

The 2.0 litre CLE 300 is likely to be the most popular in the UK. It’s a good engine to have because you’ll get decent economy - up to 40mpg is predicted - more than acceptable performance and, unless you hammer it, the exhaust note is reasonably muted. All in all, it’s a relaxed cruiser. The handling is aimed more at the comfort end of the spectrum. Okay, you can hustle the car along a country lane but it’s not seriously sporty. It’s also handy that you can drop the Cabriolet’s roof in around 20 seconds at up to 37mph. Put the roof up when on the motorway and down when you trundle up the exit to the roundabout.

Trims Levels and Pricing

As for trims and prices, both the CLE cabriolet and coupé kick off with AMG Line. The Cabrio costs £53,030 while the coupé starts at £46,305. Equipment levels are decent and the interior gets a pair of display screens. The one in front of the driver is controlled by touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel while the one in the centre of the fascia controls just about everything else. It’s a bit fiddly to use but you can adjust its angle to ensure you aren’t affected by sunshine when driving with the roof down. There are 18-inch alloys, dual climate control, heated front seats and leather upholstery all as standard. AMG Line Premium is worth considering because it adds park assist, bigger alloys and a 360 degree parking camera. This is particularly handy with the coupé which is a bit tricky to see out of over-the-shoulder. 

Quality

Needless to say, the interior quality is excellent. Current C-Class owners will be seriously impressed while E-Class owners might feel it’s not quite what they expected from the new model. Swings and roundabouts.

The CLE Coupé, especially the AMG 53 model, looks terrific. I’d call it purposeful but in a quietly understated way.

Final Thoughts

As wind in the hair, flies in the teeth motoring goes, the CLE Convertible is a great car. Super-stylish, oozes quality, wafts along with very little wind buffeting. Sounds good too if you go for the 6-pot models. And of course it can seat up to four people as you head to the beach.

Now all we need is some sunshine.

words: Graham Courtney
pictures: Mercedes-Benz