Mercedes-AMG LCE 53 Cabriolet

Does the hottest CLE model yet signal a return to form for the AMG brand? We get behind the wheel to find out

- Dean Gibson

ESSENTIALS
Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Cabriolet Night Edition

Price: £84,485 On sale: Now
Powertrain: 3.0-litre 6cyl in-line turbo mild-hybrid
Power/torque: 443bhp (+22bhp hybrid)/560Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic, four-wheel drive 0-62/top speed: 4.4 seconds/155mph
Economy/CO2: 29.4mpg/219g/km
Size (L/W/H): 4,853/1,935/1,435mm

THE latest Mercedes-AMG C 63 caused consternation among fans of the brand. Gone was the twin-turbo V8 of the previous model, replaced by a plug-in hybrid powertrain based upon a 2.0-litre turbo unit. To say it wasn't very well received is a bit of an understatement, because while it was rapid, the PHEV element had sucked the soul out of the flagship model.

With the arrival of the new CLE to replace both the C-Class and E-Class Coupé and Cabriolet ranges, we were expecting a CLE 63 variant to join the line-up, too, but for now the top of the range is this, the CLE 53. While the C-Class AMG models stick with four-cylinder power (for now), the CLE versions come with Mercedes’ turbocharged in-line six and the mild-hybrid system used on a range of the company's other models.