From a 1993 concept and the C208 to the pillarless C209 and the 2023 CLE: what each midsize Mercedes coupe offered, how fast the AMG versions were and when the CLE 63 arrives.
The Mercedes-Benz CLK was a midsize coupe and convertible built on C-Class platforms in two generations, the C208 from 1997 and the C209 from 2001 to 2009. The CLE coupe and cabriolet, launched in 2023, replaced the C-Class and E-Class coupes.
In 2005 a Mercedes-Benz called the CLE was rumoured, with an arrival expected in mid-2006. It never came. The name stayed unused until a coupe and a cabriolet carrying it were launched in 2023, replacing the C-Class and E-Class coupes. The path to that car runs through the CLK, a midsize coupe Mercedes built in two generations.
What was the Mercedes-Benz CLK C208?
The 208 series is the first CLK, a two-door grand tourer. The C208 coupe was built by Mercedes-Benz in Bremen from 1997 to 2002, and the A208 convertible was assembled by Karmann in Osnabruck from 1998 to 2003. It replaced the two-door versions of the W124.
Production totalled 233,367 coupes and 115,161 convertibles before the 209 series arrived in 2002. The car was based on the 202-series C-Class, launched three years earlier. Its styling and some of its parts came from the W210 E-Class, and Mercedes gave it a higher level of equipment than that E-Class, even though it sat on the cheaper C-Class platform. It created a new niche for the company.
The idea dates to 1993, when Mercedes showed a Coupe Concept at the Geneva Motor Show. It was a four-seater with four headlamps in a front end similar to that of the 1995 W210, a panoramic tinted-glass roof, and a fastback tail that went further than the production CLK. Under the bonnet sat a 5.0-litre V8 producing 235 kW (320 PS; 316 hp), with 470 N m (347 lb ft) of torque. Patents on the design were lodged in Germany on 25 February 1993 and in the US on 25 August that year.
A car named CLE was rumoured in 2005 and never arrived, until the name finally reached production in 2023.
Which engines did the C208 CLK use?
Three models were available at first: the CLK 200 with 136 PS (100 kW; 134 hp), then two supercharged Kompressor versions, the 200 at 192 PS (141 kW; 189 hp) and the 230 at 193-197 PS (142-145 kW; 190-194 hp). The 3.2-litre V6 CLK 320 coupe followed in the 1997 model year with 218 PS (160 kW; 215 hp).
A facelift in late 1999 for the 2000 model year brought a bigger multifunction display, steering wheel controls, a Tiptronic automatic gearbox, revised bumpers and indicator repeaters in the mirrors. The CLK 430 Cabriolet, with a 4.3-litre M113 V8 of 279 PS (205 kW; 275 hp), arrived in the same year. In 2000 the 200 Kompressor was detuned from 192 to 163 PS as an EVO engine, with a stronger block, new head, coil-on-plug ignition and the Eaton M45 supercharger in place of the M62. Both Kompressor models now had a six-speed manual as standard.
The CLK 200 Kompressor had an odd origin as an export version for markets such as Italy, Greece and Portugal, because cars above 2.0 litres of displacement were taxed at higher rates there.
Why was the CLK 55 AMG special?
The CLK 55 AMG, introduced first in Europe in October 1999, used a hand-assembled 5.4-litre V8 making 347 PS (255 kW; 342 hp) and 510 N m (376 lb ft). It was built in both coupe and cabriolet form, and a specially modified version served as an F1 safety car in 1997 and 1998, ahead of the customer car.
The engine had a forged steel crankshaft, forged rods and pistons matched for weight, and a single overhead camshaft per bank with three valves per cylinder. It carried eight coil packs and 16 spark plugs, a bore and stroke of 97 mm by 92 mm, and a compression ratio of 10.5:1. A dual-resonance intake manifold with tuned runners helped power and torque.
AMG fitted higher-rated springs, firmer dampers and bigger anti-roll bars, along with Michelin Pilot Sport tyres, thicker and vented rear discs, and Monoblock wheels 7.5 inches wide at the front and 8.5 inches at the rear. In America, the CLK 430 could be ordered with a Sport Package carrying the AMG look and wheels, and it pulled 0.83G sideways, with 66.5 mph (107.0 km/h) through the slalom.
What special CLKs came from the first generation?
Mercedes built several limited versions of the C208. The 2001 Master Edition coupe was inspired by the DTM race car, in a season when Bernd Schneider won six races in 2000 and took both driver and team championships, then did it again in 2001. Portugal received only 30. The Cabriolet Final Edition was an end-of-production edition for the first-generation convertible.
The Master Edition started from Avantgarde trim and added AMG wheels, exhausts and a full bodykit. The Final Edition added Cubanite silver paint, 17-inch five-spoke wheels, grey Nappa and Alcantara upholstery and burr walnut trim. Mercedes also used the CLK instrumentation, grille and four headlamps on the V12-powered, mid-engined CLK-GTR built for the 1997 FIA GT Championship, for which 25 road cars were built between winter 1998 and summer 1999. A first-generation CLK DTM race car was built for the 2000 DTM season, while in 2001 Mick Doohan took a CLK 55 AMG round Targa Tasmania.
How did the C209 change the CLK?
The second-generation C209 coupe and A209 convertible were produced between 2001 and 2009 and based on the W203 C-Class platform. Steering became rack-and-pinion rather than recirculating ball, the front suspension was three-link and the rear aluminium multi-link. Against the first generation it gained 61 mm (2.4 in) in length, 18 mm (0.7 in) in width and 28 mm (1.1 in) in height.
The coupe was unveiled at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show and dropped the B-pillar altogether, leaving the side windows unbroken. The CLK Cabriolet followed at the 2003 Geneva show with a three-layer electric soft top, which can be operated by key fob or at up to 8 km/h (5 mph) and takes 20 seconds. The convertible was first built by Karmann in Osnabruck in 2003, and production moved to Bremen in 2004.
At introduction there was a 3.2-litre V6, a 5.0-litre and a 5.4-litre V8, and a five-cylinder diesel, all replaced by 2006. ABS, stability control, power seats and dual-zone climate control were standard on all of them. Elegance cars had green-tinted glass, a grey grille, 16-inch wheels and wood trim; Avantgarde cars had blue-tinted glass, a black grille, 18-inch wheels, aluminium trim, stiffer springs and a ride height 15 mm (0.6 in) lower.
What changed in the C209 facelift?
A facelift in June 2005 redesigned the bumpers, cut the grille from four louvres to three, restyled the taillights and added the DVD-based COMAND-APS system with iPod integration. The new 7G-Tronic automatic replaced the 5G-Tronic, and the CLK 240, CLK 320 and CLK 55 AMG gave way to newer models.
A Sports edition arrived in 2005 on Avantgarde specification, with six-spoke 18-inch wheels, cross-drilled brake discs and bi-xenon headlights, along with an AMG Sports package. In 2007 the CLK 550 and CLK 63 AMG joined the range. The CLK 550 was still sold as the CLK 500 in most markets. The earlier tweaks in 2004 had been smaller: modified axle bearings and more direct steering.
What were the AMG specials of the C209 era?
The CLK DTM AMG celebrated the racing CLK's win in the 2003 DTM season, with 100 coupes and 80 convertibles built for Europe only. Its supercharged 5,439 cc V8 made 428 kW (582 PS; 574 bhp), reaching peak power at 7000 rpm, with 800 N m (590 lb ft) arriving at 3500 rpm, good for 322 km/h (200 mph) and 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds at 1,742 kg (3,840 lb).
The CLK 63 AMG Black Series, made from 2007 to 2009, used the 6.2-litre M156 V8, which develops 630 N m (465 lb ft) at 5,250 rpm and 373 kW (507 PS; 500 bhp) at 6,800 rpm. Of 500 built, 349 went to the United States and 120 were right-hand drive. It had Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tyres, a limited-slip differential, a KW suspension that can be adjusted by hand, bucket seats, 19-inch wheels and carbon fibre spoiler, diffuser and fenders. The rear seats were removed to save weight, and top speed rose to 300 km/h (186 mph).
The CLK also appeared on F1 grids: the CLK 55 AMG served as the safety car in 2003, and the CLK 63 AMG in 2006 and 2007. As a racer, the C209-based CLK DTM first competed in 2002 and took the 2003 title.
How do the CLK and CLE compare?
| Model | Years | Platform | Body styles | Key figure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLK C208/A208 | 1997 to 2003 | W202 C-Class | Coupe, convertible | 233,367 coupes, 115,161 convertibles |
| CLK C209/A209 | 2001 to 2009 | W203 C-Class | Pillarless coupe, convertible | 61 mm longer than C208 |
| CLE C236/A236 | 2023 on | Engines from W214 E-Class | Coupe, cabriolet | 191 inches long, 112.8-inch wheelbase |
What is the Mercedes-Benz CLE?
The CLE is a grand tourer in two bodies, the C236 coupe and the A236 cabriolet, both launched in 2023. It takes the place of the C-Class and E-Class coupes together, part of Mercedes' effort to simplify its line-up. Series building of the coupe started in October 2023, with the convertible following in April 2024.
The CLE stretches 191 inches from bumper to bumper, which is 1 inch more than the E-Class coupe it replaces and 6.5 inches more than the C-Class coupe. The growth is mostly overhang; the 112.8-inch wheelbase sits within an inch of both predecessors. For its side glass the coupe followed the C-Class, with a B-pillar and fixed rear windows, instead of the E-Class pillarless layout that let the rear windows roll down.
Styling comes from a rounded single-bar grille with honeycomb mesh, headlights in the C-Class manner and sporty air intakes, plus LED taillights, an angular boot with an integrated spoiler and a curved bumper with no exhaust cutouts. Inside is the latest MBUX system, with an 11.9-inch vertical touchscreen and a 12.3-inch instrument cluster. KEYLESS-GO and the GUARD 360 degree system monitor surroundings and alert the owner of a collision through the Mercedes me app. The cabriolet adds an acoustic soft top, an AIRCAP electric wind deflector, AIRSCARF neck-level heating and an electric cargo divider.
Which engines does the CLE use?
The CLE shares its engines with the W214 E-Class, all with a 48-volt EQ-boost mild hybrid system. An integrated starter-generator adds 23 hp and 148 pound-feet. Four models were available at launch: the petrol CLE 200, CLE 300 and CLE 450, and the diesel CLE 220d.
The CLE 300 uses the M254, a turbocharged 2.0-litre inline-four with 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet. The CLE 450 has the M256, a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six making 375 hp and 369 pound-feet.
What is the AMG CLE 53?
Mercedes introduced the CLE 53 AMG in December 2023, also available as a cabriolet. It has a mild-hybrid, AMG-enhanced version of the M256 3.0-litre inline-six, with an exhaust gas turbocharger and an electric auxiliary compressor, plus fully variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive and steering on the rear axle.
The CLE 53 makes 443 hp and 413 lb ft (560 N m), rising to 433 lb ft (587 N m) for 10 seconds when overboost is called on. Its 48-volt starter-generator adds 23 hp and 151 lb-ft at lower engine speeds. Cars based on it compete in Argentina's Turismo Carretera championship.
What is the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung?
The AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung, meaning custom-made, was teased in January 2026 and unveiled on 10 September 2026. It is the second car in Mercedes' extreme Mythos series, limited to 30 units, and is based on the CLE 53 with new front and rear fascias and a body 60 mm (2.4 in) wider.
Carbon fibre parts, polycarbonate rear windows and a lighter 12-volt battery make it 170 kg (375 pounds) lighter than the CLE 53. A new front splitter, a bigger rear diffuser and a fixed rear wing whose middle section can be adjusted together produce more than 250 kg (551 lb) of downforce at the car's top speed. Inside, sound deadening, some steering wheel controls and the rear seats are gone, replaced by racing bucket seats with an optional six-point harness.
Instead of the CLE 53's six-cylinder and all-wheel drive, it has a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with a flat-plane crankshaft and rear-wheel drive, producing 475 kW (637 horsepower; 646 PS) and 850 N m (627 lb ft). Mercedes claims 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, 0-200 km/h in 11.4 seconds and a top speed of 310 km/h (193 mph). Three cooling circuits look after the engine, turbochargers, transmission oil and 48-volt system. Coilover suspension with four-way adjustable dampers is fitted, along with carbon ceramic discs of 420 mm (16.5 in) at the front and 360 mm (14.2 in) at the rear, and a titanium exhaust developed with Akrapovic.
When does the AMG CLE 63 arrive?
A Mercedes-AMG CLE 63 is planned for 2027, using a twin-turbo V8 like previous generations. Where the CLE 53 uses an inline-six, the CLE 63 moves to a V8.
