We were recently able to drive both the new Mercedes-Benz CLE 450 Cabriolet and the Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Coupé. We liked both very much. However, at least back then, there was no way to combine them. Unsurprisingly, Mercedes didn’t want to leave things that way, and now we can see the mix of both: the 2025 Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Cabriolet.
Unsurprisingly, it looks like the coupe with the roof off. It gets the same revised front end with larger air intakes. While it lacks the coupe’s hood vent, it features the same flared fenders and wider tracks (2.3 inches wider at the front and 3 inches wider at the rear). The fabric top, the Aircap wind deflector system in the windshield and the Airscarf air vents in the seat backs come from the regular convertible. The interior features sportier leatherette and microsuede seats with red stitching, as well as a 12.3-inch instrument screen and an 11.9-inch infotainment screen, the angle of which can be adjusted to reduce glare.
The performance upgrades are identical to those of the coupe. These include the mild-hybrid turbocharged inline-six with 443 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque and a nine-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard, as is four-wheel steering. It features a stiffer suspension with electronically adjustable shock absorbers and fairly powerful brakes. The front rotors are drilled and vented and are 14.6 inches in diameter. They are clamped by four-piston brake calipers. At the rear, the 14.2-inch ventilated brake discs are coupled with single-piston calipers.
There are a number of ways you can further equip your CLE 53 Cabriolet. Externally, an upgrade is possible to 20-inch wheels compared to the standard 19-inch wheels, as well as headlights with a projection function. The interior can be equipped with even more aggressively padded seats and a sporty steering wheel, as well as genuine leather with coating to keep the temperature down in the sun. And on the performance side, there’s a Dynamic Plus package that adds Race Start and Race driving modes, the latter of which allows the drift setting with rear-wheel drive only. The package also includes active engine mounts.
Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but the convertible will go on sale in the second half of this year. It will almost certainly be the most expensive variant of the CLE, as it combines the performance upgrades of the CLE 53 Coupe and the expensive top mechanisms of the regular convertible.