Open Air Affair

BY ISAAC BOUCHARD

Convertibles, which once roamed the automotive landscape, are on the verge of extinction as a breed.

Mercedes used to offer over half a dozen at any given time. Now they are down to two: the SL and the CLE. Thankfully, the new AMG-ified CLE53 is one of their best ever—a sleek and muscular statement piece that is fast, comfortable and even quite practical.

Based on the MRA2 platform, it’s a C- and E-class combo meal that is big enough to offer back seats that actual humans can fit into for shorter trips. They’re also ideal for any luggage that won’t fit in the trunk, which shrinks when the soft top is stowed. The CLE53’s cockpit is solidly built and pleasingly styled, with eye-catching, LED-backlit air vents and an 11.9-inch infotainment screen that can power itself into a position less prone to reflections when the multi-layer top is dropped.

This can be done at speeds up to 37mph, which proved very helpful on an extended trip from New York City to the Berkshires, where rain showers were a constant companion. Roof up, the Mercedes is extremely refined and quiet. Once the sun came out, this topless AMG was back to its best: slicing through sweeping high-speed corners and devouring the short, tree-lined straights of the Northeast’s byways.

Its air springs and 2-valve dampers combine superb ride quality — even on the bigger, 20-inch wheels and ultra-high-performance tires — with excellent road holding. The steering is precise and has enough heft, and the CLE53 has excellent body control over roller-coaster roads even at very high speeds, though one rarely forgets it is a big, hefty Grand Tourer, not a sports car.

Its métier is bolstered by its ability to keep the air within the cabin calm up to triple-digit speeds, thanks to a powered rear wind blocker and slick (if noisy) air deflector called Aircap, that pops up from the windshield header at the touch of a but- ton. Heated seats and the latest version of Airscarf, which blows warm air from just below the front headrests, make low-temp touring possible with the top down, though a heated steering wheel is missed.

The said helm is overly congested with spokes and small buttons (as in all AMGs) but one does get used to it. The standard seats are comfortable but don’t have enough lateral support; that can be remedied by opting for the Performance versions.

There are fewer CLEs: the 4-cylinder 300 and the 450, motivated by an inline-6. While both fulfill the sunseeker remit, it is the AMG that grabs bystanders. It’s fun to watch heads swivel and people walk all around its voluptuous, bulging body, taking in details like the 3-inch wider fenders, gaping air intakes and the deeply dished wheels. And it’s almost impossible not to turn back around to grab a last look at it once the CLE53 is parked.

No one should feel shortchanged by the 443 horsepower 3-liter that powers it; 60 arrives in under 4 seconds, and it pulls hard up to the legal limit. While its 48-volt hybrid system and battery pack fill in when the turbo is off-boost, full torque of 443-lb-ft is only available in 10-second bursts and acceleration tails off when used for repeated, high-speed passes.

This inline-6 sounds throaty and purposeful, but there’s absolutely no comparison to the M177 AMG twin-turbo V8 that came in previous models, and is still to be found in several Mercedes. The only transmission is a 9-speed automatic, whose twin clutches smoothly slur shifts in Comfort and Sport, and thump home ratio-changes with just the right amount of drama in Sport+ and Race modes.

Rear-bias 4Matic+ all-wheel drive is standard, making the CLE53 a true 4-season beast, and massive brakes (14.6 inches front and 14.2 in back) with 4-piston front calipers grant massive stopping power and decent feel. One other great feature of this AMG is the standard rear-wheel steering, which tightens the turning circle, allows quick turn-in and stabilizes the car at high speeds.