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# Mercedes-AMG’s latest V8 coupe is a German Mustang GTD
- URL: https://torquecafe.com/car-news-2027-mercedes-amg-cle-646-v8-revealed/
- Published: 2026-09-10T23:24:22.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-10T23:24:22.000Z
- Description: The limited edition Mercedes-AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung marks the return of high-power, twin-turbo V8s in the AMG lineup.
- Author: Jordan Mulach
- Tags: News, Performance

Mercedes-AMG has been teasing us with the return of a dynamic, high-power V8 coupe for a while now, finally arriving in the form of the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung.

Based on the CLE coupe – which amalgamated the old C- and E-Class two-doors into a single product – the new model is the latest from the Mercedes Mythos Series, with just 30 examples set to be handcrafted by its Affalterbach team.

Translated directly as ‘custom-made item’, the Spezialanfertigung is perhaps one of the most aggressive non-GT-badged AMG models since the old Black Series line, with its aggressive bodywork and stance almost reminiscent of the Ford Mustang GTD, rather than any Mercedes we’ve seen before.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/mercedes-amg-cle-646-Spezialanfertigung-1.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/mercedes-amg-cle-646-Spezialanfertigung-2.jpg)

Mercedes-AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung

To give it track credentials, the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung has been stripped down by about 170kg, utilising carbon fibre for its wider front guards, bumper, side skirts, bonnet, roof, rear bumper/diffuser, boot lid, and rear wing, while polycarbonate replaces the glass rear and rear-side windows.

There’s been lightweighting inside the cabin too, after AMG removed the rear seats and acoustic insulation materials from the CLE, taken away “various drive modes and assistance systems” to simplify the steering wheel, and fitted racing bucket seats with carbon fibre door panels.

Of course, you can’t just take weight out of a car and expect that to be enough to make it faster, with the CLE’s bodyshell scoring extensive modifications (such as an integrated roll-over bar) to increase its rigidity, while the front and rear track width has been increased by 60mm.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/mercedes-amg-cle-646-Spezialanfertigung-3.jpg)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/mercedes-amg-cle-646-Spezialanfertigung-4.jpg)

Riding 22mm lower at the front and 16mm lower at the rear than a standard CLE53 AMG, the 646 Spezialanfertigung has benefitted from the fitment of forged 20-inch wheels, measuring 11 inches wide up front and 12 inches wide at the back, shod in tyres based on those developed for the Mercedes-AMG One.

It’s a good thing it has grippy rubber too, because it needs as much as possible to handle what’s coming from under the bonnet.

The AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung is powered by Mercedes’s latest ‘M177’ Evo engine, a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 with a flat-plane crankshaft, a part which it says “improves revving characteristics and promotes exceptionally responsive throttle response”.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/mercedes-amg-cle-646-Spezialanfertigung-5.jpg)

Developing 475kW (or 646hp, hence the name) and 850Nm, it’s one of the most powerful engines fitted to an AMG road car, and adopts a revised cooling system and high-performance Akrapovič exhaust to make it stand out.

Unlike the all-wheel drive six-cylinder CLE53 AMG, the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung is rear-drive only, featuring an electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential.

Its nine-speed torque-converter automatic transmission has also been revised to be sharper than ever, helping it to row through the gears quick enough to reach 100km/h from a standstill in just 3.9 seconds, and onto a top speed of 310km/h.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/mercedes-amg-cle-646-Spezialanfertigung-8.jpg)

“For me, the Mercedes‑AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung represents the very essence of AMG,” said Mercedes-AMG CEO, Dr. Stefan Weckbach. 

“This vehicle came to life because highly rational engineers dreamed of a highly irrational car. We turned that dream into reality in the form of maximum driving dynamics and an unparalleled driving experience."

Given production is only in left-hand drive, we're unlikely to see this special-edition model come to Australia.