As early as a few years ago, there was gossip that Mercedes-Benz would launch the CLE model and would be introduced to the market as the successor model of CLS. However, with the vertical replacement of CLS, the rumors were broken. Recently, foreign media have once again exposed the CLE model and supplemented by spy photos as evidence. It is said that in the future, the car will replace both C-class and E-class coupe models.
The test car photographed on the spy photo is undergoing winter testing in Sweden, and the sizeable brake calipers and rims indicate the identity of its AMG model. In addition, the distance from the ground clearance of the chassis and the tires to the wheel arches is not difficult to see, and the test car is equipped with a sport suspension that focuses on handling.
According to past experience, usually the exhaust pipe of the camouflage car will be hidden, but in the rear picture we can clearly see its bilateral double exhaust layout, from another point of view, this may also indicate that the completion of this test car is not high. The same rudimentary taillights and inconsistent wheel shapes at the front and back support this. In addition, the convertible had several spoiler accessories on the roof, and it was not known what the intention was.
1997 Mercedes-Benz CLK (c208)
In terms of power, according to foreign media speculation, the new car will be equipped with a four-wheel drive hybrid system of 2.0T engine + electric motor on the new generation of Mercedes-AMG C63 in the future.
The new cars on these spy photos are reminiscent of the mid-size coupe CLK launched by Mercedes-Benz in the 1990s using the C-class platform and E-class exterior design. Due to the awkward positioning and the lack of competitiveness in the design and model itself, CLK is not successful in terms of both word of mouth among fans and market sales. The success or failure of Mercedes-Benz's new car may not be known until it is officially launched in 2023.