When Mercedes-AMG killed off the C63’s twin-turbo V8 engine in favour of a four-cylinder plug-in hybrid powertrain, critics slammed the brand and customers voted with their wallets.
What was once one of the most popular choices in its class became an example of what not to do, while the decision to drop the V8 also impacted the new CLE – a coupe replacement of both the C- and E-Class.
The CLE is still available in AMG guise, though it tops out with a twin-turbo straight-six engine, however the V8 has been tipped to return for the past few years, with prototypes spied testing recently.
Now, Mercedes-AMG has moved one step closer to its reveal, teasing a new model based on the CLE but set to be a part of its limited-run ‘Mythos’ series – following the PureSpeed – suggesting we may still have to wait a while for a readily available CLE63.
Currently being tested in the Swedish winter, the yet-to-be-revealed CLE-based AMG model appears to feature a much more hardcore body than the CLE53, with huge lower air intakes, pumped out guards, a wide rear track and a big GT4-style wing at the rear.
Though there are no interior images, we can see through the glass that there’s a rollcage inside, suggesting this car might be set up for track work and be more akin to AMG’s Black Series models.
Mercedes-AMG hasn’t detailed what’s under the bonnet, though it says the new model is “promising an even more uncompromising appearance and positioning itself as a genuine statement on the road – backed by a correspondingly powerful drivetrain and performance to match”.
The carmaker has previously confirmed it’s working on a new-generation V8 which can remain compliant with stringent emissions standards across the next decade, suggesting the twin-turbo 4.0-litre base will continue but potentially with hybrid assistance.
Ultimately, the new engine is likely to debut in the new Mythos series model but later be used in the CLE63, as well as other Mercedes-AMG products.
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