If you like a sports car with too many things going on across the exterior (read: very loud visually and possibly literally) that also goes very, very, very fast, well, the new Mercedes-AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung has you covered.
This beast of a sports car is visually striking. It sports a gaping “mouth” to suck air into an AMG M177 EVO 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine that produces 646 hp (475 kW) and turns out 850 Nm (627 lb-ft) of torque. The power is put to good use at the rear wheels through an AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G transmission, enabling it to wipe out the 0–200 km/h (0–124 mph) sprint in 11.4 seconds. The top speed is pretty nerve-wracking, too, coming in at 310 km/h (193 mph).
As always, an AMG is never only about brute power. There is tuning that makes maximum torque available across a broad engine-speed range from 2,500 to 4,500 rpm, along with some serious changes to the engine itself. For example, the flat-plane crankshaft reduces rotating mass, improves revving characteristics, and promotes an exceptionally agile throttle response.
And yes, it is literally loud. A bespoke titanium high-performance exhaust, developed with Akrapovič, ensures that nobody mistakes those 646 horses for an electric mobility scooter.
The CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung started as a prototype dreamed up by a small group of AMG engineers who, according to their chairman, were “very rational” people pursuing a “very irrational” car. Based on the production CLE Coupé, it sheds around 170 kg (375 lbs) through extensive carbon fiber use and a ruthless approach to anything resembling comfort.
The rear seats and acoustic insulation are gone. In their place are carbon-fiber door panels, ultra-light racing bucket seats, and a roll-over bar. Infotainment, driving modes, and assistance systems have also been reduced. In other words, this is not the CLE for chauffeuring your in-laws to brunch.
Its wide-body shell adds 60 mm (2.4 inches) at both axles, accommodating wider wheels and tires. Meanwhile, a manually adjustable front diffuser offers Street and Race settings, working with wing louvers, underbody aerodynamics, front flics, airflow channels, and that enormous rear wing to keep the car planted.
Four-way adjustable coil-over suspension, carbon-ceramic brakes, and an electronically controlled limited-slip differential complete the package. The latter supports controlled drifting, while Launch Control has been specifically calibrated for rear-wheel drive. Sensible behavior remains technically possible, but it does not appear to be the central theme.
The CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung is the second model in Mercedes-Benz’s ultra-exclusive Mythos series after the PureSpeed. Each example will be built entirely by hand at AMG headquarters in Affalterbach. Mercedes-AMG has not announced the production number, price, or availability, presumably because anyone who needs to ask is still browsing the regular CLE catalogue.
Images: Mercedes-AMG.
