Mercedes-AMG CLE 63 spied at Nurburgring with possible V8 engine

It’s no secret that the latest Mercedes-AMG C 63 has struggled for sales since it was unveiled two years ago, so the German brand will be hoping the sleeker CLE 63 coupe version will fare a little better. 

The C 63’s sales stumble is largely attributed to the model’s hybridised four-cylinder engine, despite having a whopping 671bhp and 1,020Nm. The car became synonymous with V8 power after the rowdy naturally-aspirated 6.2-litre unit of the W204 generation and the wonderful bi-turbo 4.0-litre found in the previous model, so it’s perhaps understandable that the hybrid has failed to convince petrolheads. 

We’ve spotted the CLE 63 testing numerous times over the past few year, and what has become a prolonged development period suggests Mercedes may have made a U-turn on the car’s proposed hybrid tech – even though it has said only larger models (such as the E 63) will only get V8 power in future.

The CLE sits on the same MRA2 platform as the C-Class, but also the larger E-Class, so fitting a V8 under the bonnet shouldn’t be too much of a task – especially when you consider the CLE 450 uses an in-line six-cylinder. 

We don’t expect the CLE 63 to come with as much power as the C 63 hybrid, although it should exceed the 503bhp bi-turbo unit of the old car. It is also likely to weigh a bit less than the C 63, given it will probably only use a mild-hybrid system. 

These latest pictures, taken at the Nurburgring, reveal new side vents and wheels, although we’ve already got a good idea as to how the CLE will look in its hottest form. Compared with the standard car, we’ll see wider wheel haunches housing a larger, bespoke set of wheels with a beefier brake set-up behind. To the front there will be the same ‘Panamerica’ grille but with a special AMG insert. The lower part of the front bumper will be revised to add extra cooling to the engine bay, and give the AMG model a more aggressive look. 

A core design trait of full-fat AMG models is the quad-tip exhaust layout, clearly visible on the test car we’ve spotted. There could also be a new rear light signature, while on the bootlid there’s a small lip spoiler.

Rather than go down the route of the new E-Class’ interior with the optional ‘Superscreen’ dash layout, the CLE will borrow plenty of elements from the C-Class. Inside the CLE 63, we expect the same overall cabin at the standard CLE, but with the typical AMG garnish of sportier bucket seats, an AMG steering wheel and some extra performance-focused driving modes.

What do you think of the new Mercedes-AMG CLE 63? Let us know in the comments below...