Mercedes-Benz said its upcoming midsize coupe will be the largest in the segment.
The 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe will arrive in the U.S. early next year. A fabric-top convertible variant will follow in the first half of 2024.
At a meeting last spring, Mercedes told dealers that the two-door model would replace the C-Class and E-Class coupes, Automotive News reported at the time. The move was seen as a prudent cost-saving measure in a declining segment.
A 48-volt electrical system paired with an integrated starter generator can add up to 23 hp for short periods.
The four-passenger coupe is built on Mercedes-Benz’s MRA-2 platform. It starts production in Bremen, Germany, this summer, according to AutoForecast Solutions.
The CLE Coupe features a long wheelbase, a sharply angled A-pillar, a short front overhang and slightly longer rear overhang, pronounced shoulders and large wheel arches.
An extended wheelbase gives the coupe a roomier interior than the C-Class Coupe. It features an athletic profile with a forward-leaning, aero front end, a low-slung hood and flat LED headlights. An optional Digital Light system projects symbols onto the roadway to warn the driver in particularly challenging situations.
A character line runs from the headlight to the mirror and from the taillight to the door handle. The muscular rear sports two-part LED taillights connected by a dark red design element.
Anchoring the cockpit are a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an 11.9-inch portrait-oriented central display. A light band sweeps from the center console along the lower edge of the instrument panel to beneath the outer air vents on each side.
Like the new E-Class, the CLE Coupe features a new electronic architecture and Mercedes’ third-generation MBUX infotainment system. This latest version of the system delivers greater personalization by learning a driver’s frequently used comfort settings and enabling programmable routines, Mercedes said.
A central computer enables faster data transfer and snappier performance, MBUX boss Michael Hafner told Automotive News in February.
Hafner said that unified computer architecture saves hardware costs and makes software development more efficient.