Mercedes-AMG CLE 646 Is Basically a Race Car for the Road

Mercedes-AMG has created one of its most extreme road-going coupes yet with the new CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung, a machine that takes the familiar shape of the CLE and transforms it into something much closer to a street-legal track car.

The CLE 646 is the second model created under Mercedes-Benz Mythos, the company’s highly exclusive program for limited-production vehicles. Production is restricted to just 30 cars, and anyone hoping to place an order is already too late. Every example has reportedly been sold.

Although the CLE 646 is based on the Mercedes-AMG CLE 53, the similarities become much harder to find once you look beneath the bodywork. Instead of the standard powertrain, Mercedes-AMG installs a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter flat-plane-crank V8 engine producing 637 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque.

Power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels through a 9-speed AMG Speedshift transmission. That rear-wheel-drive configuration immediately separates the CLE 646 from many modern high-performance Mercedes-AMG models that rely on all-wheel drive to put their power down.

Mercedes-AMG has also worked with Akrapovič to develop a high-performance exhaust system, giving the flat-plane-crank V8 an exhaust note appropriate for such an unusual machine.

With Launch Control activated, the CLE 646 can accelerate from 0 to 62 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds. It reaches 124 miles per hour in 11.4 seconds and 186 miles per hour in 36.8 seconds. Maximum speed is listed at 193 miles per hour.

But straight-line performance is only part of the story. Mercedes-AMG has given the CLE 646 adjustable traction control and a specialized coilover suspension with steel springs and 4-way adjustable dampers. The front sits approximately 0.9 inches lower, while the rear has been lowered by around 0.6 inches.

The braking system is equally serious. Massive ceramic brakes measure 16.5 inches at the front and 14.2 inches at the rear. The front brakes use 6-piston calipers, while single-piston calipers are fitted at the rear. They sit behind lightweight 20-inch wheels.

Mercedes-AMG also dramatically changed the proportions of the car. The CLE 646 is approximately 2.4 inches wider than a regular CLE 53, giving it a much more aggressive stance. Extensive use of carbon fiber contributes to a weight reduction of approximately 375 pounds.

Carbon fiber is used for major exterior components including the fenders, hood, roof, front fascia, side sills, and rear bumper. These changes are not simply cosmetic. The body has been shaped around a serious aerodynamic package designed to generate more than 550 pounds of downforce at maximum speed.

An adjustable front diffuser helps manage airflow underneath the car, while openings in the fenders improve ventilation. Mercedes-AMG has even incorporated airflow channels alongside the headlights. At the rear, a large adjustable wing provides additional aerodynamic control.

The weight-saving philosophy continues inside. Mercedes removed the rear seats and reduced acoustic insulation while eliminating several driver-assistance systems and simplifying the audio equipment. Comfort features that would normally be expected in a Mercedes coupe have also been reduced in the pursuit of lower weight.

Ultra-lightweight bucket seats dominate the cabin, joined by carbon-fiber door panels and a roll bar. Even the conventional rear glass has been replaced, with polycarbonate used for the rear side windows and rear window.

Buyers could also specify a Performance Package that adds 6-point harnesses, pushing the CLE 646 even further toward its track-focused mission.

One of the most distinctive visual details is the exterior finish. The paint transitions from Mojave Silver Magno at the front into Obsidian Black Magno around the B-pillar, giving the car a dramatic appearance without hiding the functional changes underneath.

With 637 horsepower, rear-wheel drive, a flat-plane-crank V8, extensive carbon fiber construction and genuine aerodynamic downforce, the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung represents a very different side of modern Mercedes-AMG. Only 30 people will get to own one, making it as rare as it is extreme.