When AMG swapped the C63’s thunderous V8 for a four-cylinder plug-in hybrid, a lot of longtime buyers quietly walked. The 63 badge had meant eight cylinders for years, and trading that for a turbo four felt like ordering a steak and getting handed a protein shake. So here’s the good news: we’ve gotten our hands on exclusive shots of the final CLE 53 and CLE 63 prototypes, and the big 63 is keeping a V8.
The CLE 63 finally gets its V8
The headline from our cars sits under the hood of the 63. AMG is dropping a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with mild-hybrid assistance into the CLE 63, the engine purists have been begging for ever since the C63 went four-cylinder. Output isn’t official yet, but everything we’re seeing points to somewhere in the 650 to 700 horsepower range, which would make this comfortably the most powerful CLE going. Treat the exact figure as a target until Mercedes puts a number on it.
This matters because AMG spent the last couple of years learning a hard lesson about downsizing. The C63’s four-cylinder plug-in hybrid made monster numbers on paper but lost the V8 bark that made the badge worth paying for, and plenty of buyers stayed home. AMG has since walked back the four-cylinder 43 and 63 models across the lineup, and the CLE 63’s V8 is the clearest sign yet that the message landed.
The back end finally has its stars
We’d already seen the finished front on earlier prototypes, with the AMG Panamericana grille and the three-pointed-star lighting signature that’s been spreading across the entire Mercedes range. What we hadn’t seen until now is the rear. The final back section is installed on these cars, taillights and all, and here’s the surprise: the rear light graphics carry the Mercedes star motif too. The brand has been tucking little stars into its headlights for a while, but seeing them worked into the taillights is the kind of detail that only shows up when a car is basically done.
Beyond the lights, this is a mild facelift. New front fascia, refreshed rear, and not much drama in between. That tracks for a car that only launched as a 2024 model and still looks current.
The CLE 53 keeps its six
If the V8 is the exciting news, the CLE 53 is the reassuring one. It hangs on to its AMG-enhanced 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with mild-hybrid help, which, per Mercedes-Benz, currently makes 443 horsepower and 413 lb-ft and runs 0-60 mph in about 4.2 seconds. No four-cylinder shrinking here either. The 53 stays the sensible-but-quick option, starting around $77,000 today, while the 63 plays the unhinged one parked above it.
When it lands, and the wilder one above it
Our read is that the refreshed CLE arrives as a 2027 model, with the reveal most likely landing late this year. There’s no firm on-sale date yet, so don’t expect to be building one next week. It’s also a different animal from the hardcore CLE 63 Mythos, a strictly limited run that sits above the standard coupe and cabrio as a halo car. The one in our shots is the mainstream 63, the version actual people will be able to buy without winning a lottery. And after everything the C63 went through, the fact that it turns up with eight cylinders is the whole story.
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