Mercedes CLE Cabriolet Review - Drop-top motoring is a civilised affair
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. Nothing.
I found myself in B&Q the other day looking for some paint. How is it possible to have so many variations of white?
Anyway, Mercedes had a problem. Loads of its 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 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.
A wealth of engine options
Under the bonnet, you’ll find various petrol engine choices and (shock) 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 meaning the 0-60mph time drops to 4.2 seconds; the 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, going from 0-60mph drops to 4.0 seconds, and you get a drift mode which is perfect for when you go to the tip.
A more spacious interior, but not exactly roomy
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.
Mercedes has been working on the Cabriolet’s aerodynamics. The Airscarf idea, which blows warm air around your neck, works really well, and I was even brave enough to drop the roof on a breezy mid-December morning. It felt remarkably civilised. An electrically deployable wind deflector at the rear of the car reduces any wind buffeting. The leather seats you sit in have a special coating that stops them from getting too hot in sunny weather.
How much will the CLE Cabriolet cost?
The 2.0 litre CLE 300 is likely to be the most popular in the UK, with prices starting at £53,030 (Dec 24), but the model I tried was the in-line 6-cylinder 450, which gets a 9-speed auto ‘box and 4-wheel drive. It ain’t cheap at £70,320, but if you enjoy long-legged, relaxed cruising, then this is the car to go for. Go easily and Mercedes reckons you’ll crack 35mpg which, to be fair, for a car of this size and weight (2.1 tonnes) is half decent. 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 which, to be fair to the car, isn’t something it’s meant to be. We’re looking at long-legged, effortless cruising here. It’s also handy that you can drop the Cabrio’s roof in around 20 seconds at up to 37mph. Roof up when on the motorway, roof down when you trundle up the exit to the roundabout.
What equipment comes with it?
As for trims, both the CLE cabriolet and coupé kick off with AMG Line. The equipment levels are decent. 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. The 12-inch one in the centre of the fascia controls just about everything else. It’s a bit fiddly to use but at least things like the temperature controls are big enough for you to stab at while on the move. You can adjust the angle to ensure you aren’t affected by sunshine when driving with the roof down. As standard, you get 18in alloys, dual climate control, heated front seats and leather upholstery. The 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.
Needless to say, the interior quality is excellent. Current C-Class owners will be seriously impressed. It looks and feels like a mini S-Class, while E-Class owners might feel that it’s not quite what they expected from the new model. Swings and roundabouts, I suppose.
Glamorous cruising doesn’t get much better
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. The ride is uncannily smooth. And of course, it can seat up to four people as you head to the beach.
When it comes to cruising along in a glamorous-looking car, they don’t get much better than this.
words: Graham Courtney
pictures: Mercedes-Benz
