The Mercedes-AMG CLE has just gone completely unhinged. Meet the new Mercedes-AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung — an ultra-limited Mythos Series creation built from the CLE 53 platform, comprehensively rebuilt in Affalterbach with one goal: maximum driving dynamics.
At its heart is the M177 EVO 4.0-litre V8 biturbo, producing 646 hp and 850 Nm — but this is far more than simply putting a V8 into a CLE. AMG has given it a flat-plane crankshaft, removed the 4MATIC+ system entirely for pure rear-wheel drive, cut around 170 kg, massively widened the body and fitted a bespoke track-focused chassis developed with KW.
The result looks almost like the CLE Black Series AMG never made: enormous 305 front and 335 rear tyres using technology developed from the AMG ONE, extensive carbon fibre bodywork, polycarbonate rear glass, manually adjustable aero and well over 250 kg of downforce at top speed.
And yes — despite looking like a racing car with number plates, it is road legal.
In this video:
Full first look at the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung
New V8 M177 EVO flat-plane-crank explained
Rear-wheel drive, electronic LSD and 9-stage traction control
AMG/KW four-way adjustable steel coilovers
170 kg weight reduction & kerb weight
Full widebody and carbon fibre breakdown
AMG ONE-derived 305/335 tyres
Street/Race aerodynamics
Titanium exhaust developed with Akrapovič
Stripped-out two-seat interior and racing buckets
The Normal he V8 CLE 63 it previews
Only 30 examples of the CLE 646 will be made, and AMG says every car was already sold before its world premiere. So realistically, almost none of us will ever own one.
For me, the real excitement is what some of this engineering and design could potentially tell us about the series-production V8 CLE that follows. If AMG can bring even a fraction of this Spezialanfertigung’s attitude to a CLE the rest of us can actually buy, things could get very interesting indeed.
