Mercedes-AMG has turned the CLE Coupe into something far more extreme with the new CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung, a hand-built, limited-production special designed to deliver maximum performance on both the road and the racetrack.
Part of Mercedes-Benz’s ultra-exclusive Mythos Series, the CLE 646 is limited to just 30 examples worldwide. And despite its rarity, this isn’t simply a collector’s car with a few cosmetic upgrades. AMG has extensively reworked the CLE’s chassis, body, drivetrain, aerodynamics and interior to create what is essentially a road-legal track weapon.
The car was already sold out before its world premiere. “The Mercedes-AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung represents the very essence of AMG,” says Dr. Stefan Weckbach, Chairman of the Management Board of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. “This vehicle came to life because highly rational engineers dreamed of a highly irrational car.”
637 HP, rear-wheel drive and a serious weight cut
At the heart of the CLE 646 is AMG’s 4.0-liter M177 EVO twin-turbo V8, producing 646 PS, or 637 horsepower, and 627 lb-ft of torque between 2,500 and 4,500 rpm.
The engine uses a flat-plane crankshaft to reduce rotating mass and improve throttle response and engine response. AMG has also developed dedicated engine mapping and upgraded the cooling system for sustained high-load operation.
That includes three separate cooling circuits, with additional upgrades specifically designed for the CLE 646’s track-focused operating profile.
The exhaust system is also bespoke, with increased flow capacity and a more aggressive sound signature. Its cold-end components were developed with Akrapovič, while extensive use of titanium helps keep weight down.
And then comes one of the biggest changes: AMG removed the 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system entirely.
The CLE 646 sends all of its power exclusively to the rear wheels through an electronically controlled limited-slip differential. That saves weight while giving the car a dramatically different character, including the ability to generate controlled oversteer and drifts when conditions allow.
The nine-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT transmission remains in place and has been recalibrated for the new rear-wheel-drive configuration. Performance is serious, with the CLE 646 reaching 124 mph from a standstill in just 11.4 seconds and continuing on to a 193-mph top speed.
375 pounds lighter than the donor car
The CLE 646’s transformation goes considerably deeper than the engine and drivetrain.
Compared with its donor vehicle, AMG has removed approximately 375 pounds, while extensively modifying and reinforcing the bodyshell.
The car receives a bespoke steel-sprung coilover suspension developed jointly by Mercedes-AMG and KW automotive. Its four-way adjustable dampers allow independent adjustment of low- and high-speed compression and rebound, allowing the chassis to be tailored for everything from road driving to individual racetracks.
AMG has also fitted its Ceramic High-Performance Composite Braking System, featuring massive 16.5-inch front ceramic rotors with six-piston fixed calipers. At the rear are 14.2-inch ceramic discs.
Dedicated cooling channels, large front air intakes and airflow-management components help keep brake temperatures under control during repeated hard stops.
A wild wide-body design
The visual transformation is just as dramatic.
The CLE 646’s bodyshell has been widened by 2.4 inches at both the front and rear, creating additional track width and room for enormous wheels and tires.
The body is packed with carbon fiber, including the widened front fenders, front fascia, side sills, hood, roof and rear apron. The trunk lid and manually adjustable rear wing are also made from carbon fiber.
The rear side windows and rear glass are constructed from polycarbonate, while a lighter 12-volt starter battery contributes to the weight reduction.
Sitting underneath those swollen fenders are 20-inch AMG Performance forged wheels, measuring 11 inches wide up front and 12 inches at the rear. The wheels are wrapped in enormous 305/30 ZR20 front and 335/30 ZR20 rear tires based on technology originally developed for the Mercedes-AMG ONE.
The car’s distinctive two-tone finish combines Mojave Silver Magno up front with Obsidian Black Magno from the B-pillars rearward. AMG has also lowered the car by 0.9 inches at the front and 0.6 inches at the rear.
More than 550 pounds of downforce
AMG hasn’t simply bolted a giant wing onto the back and called it a day. The CLE 646’s aerodynamic package was developed as an integrated system, incorporating the front diffuser, fender louvers, underbody aerodynamics and rear wing.
The front diffuser can be manually switched between Street and Race positions. In Race mode, its inverted-wing profile accelerates airflow beneath the car to generate additional front-end downforce. The rear wing can also be manually adjusted to increase rear downforce and maintain aerodynamic balance on the track.
Open louvers in the front fenders help evacuate air from the wheel wells, while channels beside the headlights direct airflow through the arches and out through the fender vents. Additional aerodynamic flicks on the front bumper also help generate downforce while improving brake cooling.
The flat underbody features longitudinal fins designed to accelerate airflow, and AMG says the complete aerodynamic package produces more than 550 pounds of downforce at top speed.
Nine levels of rear-wheel slip
For drivers willing to explore the CLE 646’s limits, AMG has installed a dedicated AMG TRACTION CONTROL system. With ESP switched off on a closed circuit, the system allows the driver to select between nine levels of rear-wheel slip. The idea is to provide progressively less electronic intervention as tire temperatures and driver confidence increase.
It’s another indication that AMG isn’t treating the CLE 646 as a traditional luxury coupe with a performance package. This car has been engineered around the driver and the limits of the chassis.
That philosophy even extends to the equipment list. AMG has removed a number of comfort and driver-assistance features, including PARKTRONIC, while reducing the number of available controls and drive modes to save additional weight.
The interior loses the luxury treatment
Inside, the lightweight philosophy continues. The rear seats are gone. Acoustic insulation has been removed, comfort equipment has been reduced and the sound system has been simplified.
In their place are ultra-lightweight racing bucket seats with substantial lateral support, a motorsport-inspired microfiber steering wheel with a flattened bottom and lightweight carbon-fiber door panels. An integrated roll bar increases bodyshell rigidity while reinforcing the car’s track-focused character.
Buyers can also specify a Performance Package with six-point harnesses for both occupants. This isn’t a CLE designed to pamper its occupants. It’s a CLE designed to make every corner feel like an event.
The ultimate CLE?
The CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung represents the second model in Mercedes-Benz’s Mythos Series, following the 250-unit Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed.
While the PureSpeed went to an extreme open-top, two-seat configuration, the CLE 646 takes a different approach: retain a roof and road legality while pushing the underlying coupe architecture dramatically toward racetrack performance.
Every example is hand-built at AMG’s headquarters in Affalterbach, following in the tradition of ultra-special AMG creations such as the legendary 300 CE 6.0 “The Hammer.”
With only 30 cars being produced, 637 hp, rear-wheel drive, a 193-mph top speed, a 375-pound weight reduction, massive carbon-fiber bodywork and more than 550 pounds of available downforce, the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung is arguably one of the most extreme road-legal versions of the CLE yet.
And given that every example was already spoken for before the car was officially unveiled, AMG clearly didn’t have to convince collectors that this one was special.
