Mercedes-AMG has revealed the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung, a road-legal, track-focused coupe that becomes the second model in the Mercedes-Benz Mythos Series after the roofless, windscreen-less AMG PureSpeed. Production is limited to 30 examples, all of which were sold before the car’s world premiere, and each is hand-built at AMG’s Affalterbach headquarters on a CLE 53 platform. The car pairs a 637 hp V8 with rear-wheel drive, a curb weight roughly 375 pounds below the donor car, and a widened bodyshell carrying an extensive carbon fiber and aerodynamic package. The Spezialanfertigung designation, which translates to “custom-built,” refers to the extent of the rebuild, which AMG compares to the AMG 300 CE 6.0 “Hammer” of the late 1980s.
The engine is an enhanced version of the AMG M177 EVO 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with a flat-plane crankshaft, and its output of 646 PS (637 hp) at 6,000 to 6,250 rpm gives the car its name. Peak torque of 627 lb-ft is available from 2,500 to 4,500 rpm, and a 48-volt integrated starter generator adds 23 hp and 151 lb-ft. The V8 runs three separate cooling circuits, one high-temperature circuit for the engine and two low-temperature circuits covering charge air, transmission oil, and the 48-volt components, all upgraded for sustained track use in high ambient temperatures. A bespoke high-flow exhaust with a titanium cold end was developed with Akrapovič.
The donor car’s AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system has been removed entirely, with power sent only to the rear axle through the AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G torque converter transmission and an electronically controlled limited-slip differential. Launch control has been recalibrated for the rear-drive layout, and AMG quotes 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds, 0-124 mph in 11.4 seconds, 0-186 mph in 36.2 seconds in the Street aero setting (36.8 in Race), and a 193 mph top speed. Curb weight is 4,178 pounds with a 56/44 front-to-rear weight distribution, and for track use with ESP switched off, AMG TRACTION CONTROL allows rear-axle slip to be preselected across nine stages.
The suspension is a steel-sprung coilover system developed jointly with KW automotive, using four-way adjustable dampers with independent low-speed and high-speed rebound and compression settings. Ride height drops 0.9 inches at the front and 0.6 inches at the rear compared with the standard car, and additional bodyshell reinforcements plus an integrated roll bar increase torsional rigidity. Braking comes from the AMG Ceramic High-Performance Composite system with internally ventilated, perforated ceramic discs measuring 16.5 by 1.6 inches at the front with six-piston fixed calipers, and 14.2 by 1.3 inches at the rear with single-piston floating calipers, all painted gold. A model-specific brake-cooling layout uses enlarged bumper intakes and dedicated airflow guides.
The bodyshell has been reinforced and widened by 2.4 inches at both the front and rear to accommodate the wider track and wheel package. Carbon fiber is used for the front fenders with integrated air outlets, the front fascia, the side sills, the hood with a central cold-air intake, the roof, the rear apron and diffuser, the reinforced trunk lid, and the manually adjustable rear wing mounted on two trapezoidal supports. The rear side windows and rear window are polycarbonate, and a lighter 12-volt starter battery trims further weight. Forged AMG Performance wheels measure 11 by 20 inches at the front and 12 by 20 inches at the rear, wearing 305/30ZR20 and 335/30ZR20 tires developed from technology first created for the Mercedes-AMG ONE and exclusive to this model. The exterior is finished in Mojave Silver Magno at the front and Obsidian Black Magno from the B-pillar rearward, with AMG crests on both doors. Overall length is 194.8 inches on a 113.2-inch wheelbase, with the car measuring 78.2 inches wide and 55.9 inches tall.
The aerodynamic package includes a front diffuser that can be manually switched between Street and Race positions via three fasteners, with the Race setting extended into an inverted wing profile that accelerates underbody airflow and adds front-axle downforce. The center section of the rear wing adjusts to match, while open fender louvers vent the wheel wells, a channel system beside the headlights routes air through the wheel arches, and side-mounted flics on the front apron increase front downforce and improve brake cooling. The front underbody is nearly fully enclosed, and the flat floor carries longitudinal fins that locally accelerate airflow. AMG says the complete system generates well over 550 pounds of downforce at top speed, with drag coefficients of 0.402 in Street and 0.417 in Race.
Inside, the rear seats and acoustic insulation have been removed, the sound system has been simplified, and numerous comfort and assistance systems, including PARKTRONIC, have been deleted. The reduced feature set also cut the number of controls on the microfiber, flat-bottom AMG Performance steering wheel. Lightweight racing bucket seats, the roll bar, and carbon fiber door panels are standard, and an optional Performance Package adds six-point harnesses. Mercedes-AMG has not disclosed pricing.
GalleryPhotos by Mercedes-AMG
