Motortrend tested the CLE 450 at at 12.9 seconds at 105 mph, so the CLE 450 is a 12.5-12.9 sec car. The CLE53 has been tested at 12.0-12.2 sec. That sounds reasonable for ~70hp/70ft-lbs, flatter torque curve, and other tweaks.

Tested: 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe Splits the Difference

 

I think the Mercedes and BMW models align as follows:
MB CLE300 <=> BMW 430
MB CLE450 <=> BMW M440
MB CLE 53 <=> BMW M4
MB CLE 63 <=> BMW M4 Comp

Mercedes almost always cost more than their BMW counterpart. I bought a lot of BMWs due to their lower price point.

 

I don’t know what the heck is going on but CD did some how manage to get a 450 to those #’s, you can click on the specs table for the full info.

The cle 53 doesn’t measure up to the M4 non comp in terms of performance and is really a tweener between it and the m440.

I recently sold my M850 coupe, it was a rocket and these things have dynoed bone stock at ~600hp. It will be interesting to see how the cle53 dynos.

My wife’s 53 is due in early-mid Dec but won’t be back in town until late Jan. I’m hoping some of the 24 bugs have been exorcised; any of these with yours?

Looks like someone/Kasual already has a buy back going on for rear wheel clicking noises and squeaky brakes mb cannot fix on his 24

 

I’ve only driven 200 miles so far and haven’t had any issues yet. I will say driving in snow mode works best for my wife.

 

200 miles isn't going to tell us much but t hope as the miles come on it stays good

 

No worries. Wait until the CLE63s comes out which will be more comparable to the M4 (especially the stripped down competition version) and it will be in the same price class as the M4

I don't care if that M4 was 2 seconds faster than 0 to 60 speed test, it's the ugliest car I've ever seen with that front pigs nose. Horrific styling. That BMW also has that break your back suspension which you feel on every bump, dip and crevices on the road. The Mercedes has five different driving mode which includes a bumpy ride all the way to a smooth ride.Straight up, the CLE is a much more beautiful, classy and all better car especially in the convertible.

If you want to make speed comparisons, wait until the gorgeous CLE633s AMG arrives. Then we can go from there.

 

See above.

 

Nice. So it's about a 12 second quarter mile right? What is the 0 to 60? Also, do you have racing mode on your car, which is an extra feature?I have the same car but the convertible. I understand it's .2 seconds slower.

 

I didn't have a way to measure 0-60 but based on the drag strip numbers someone up above in this post estimated it at sub 4sec.

Yes, I have Race Mode and used it at the track. It's pretty cool and works like a 2-step rev limiter: Step on the brake, floor the accelerator and the car squats down and rev's to about 2500rpm. Let go of the brake on the last yellow light and your "off to the races" very quickly.

 

Cool. I read that race mode has that future. I have also heard people who have our car without the risk future doing the same thing with putting their foot on the break and revving it up to 2,000 RPM and then slamming it and achieving less than 4 second times. I read that there's a point .2 difference between cars with race mode and without it

What have you heard?

 

That trap speed is so slow. MB desperately needs to bring out the V8 CLE 63 fast.

 

Not being a butthead however trap speed is a 1980's comparison level of HP. I do understand that it is slow, that I get, and know all about that as you pointed out.

However...if you get to the finish line quicker (not faster) than the other guy, what does it matter? Maybe the real world application of power is street driving versus 1/4 mile drag strip stuff.

Again...not being confrontational, just a viewpoint that I am trying to figure out myself as well and get over trap times.

 

It's as relevant today as ever. Such a weird comment. It's relevant because it shows whether the car is quick off the line but then falls flat or the opposite. Slow out of the hole but starts making up distance on the back half. If you know how to compare the numbers given to each other vs other cars, it can really tell you where theyre making power or relying on AWD traction alone.

 

If I want to win a drag race, I’ll buy or build a funny car.
If I want a nice highway cruiser, looks nice and can be reasonably quick when pushed, I’ll enjoy my AMG CLE 53.

 

Not confrontational at all, makes for a good discussion among enthusiasts which is what mbword is for.

Trap speed tells the truth about high horsepower and separates the quick cars from the fast cars. 60' and 1/4 et tells how well your car hooks, and launches. This isn't to say the 1/4 et doesn't matter, it does if you only care about city light to light racing.
The true measure for fast cars IMO is 60-130 times. This tells all, and isn't just favored towards factory cars that are AWD, Electric boost assisted for short bursts to get a good 0-60 or 1/4 et.


The CLE 53 isn't a replacement for the older 63 cars and nor can it complete wiith any of the M offerings. It's a M340i/M440i competitor. AMG needs to bring back the real 63s to be respectable in the segment again.

 

As the starter of this thread I feel compelled to weigh in here.

The CLE53 is an AMAZING car! As I will elaborate below.

You can bench race all you want by comparing someone else’s “numbers” but PHXAT is correct; getting to the finish line first is all that matters in drag racing. If you want to measure the performance of your car vs others like a BMW M4, go to your local drag strip and line up against them. You can compare HP and Trap speeds all you want but this is where the rubber meets the road.

There are so many factors that factors that determine a car’s performance in the ¼ mile and on the road. Number 1 being the driver: Experience, reaction time, launch technique and overall driving skills.

But the CLE53 gives the driver several other advantages:

1) AMG AWD = lots of traction off the line = faster 60’ times = faster to the finish line

2) Race Mode- gives you a 2-step launch. That means, you step on the brake and floor the accelerator, the engine rev’s to around 2000rpm and when the light turns green you just let off the brake and the car rockets down the track. Very exhilarating from my experience.

3) Electric Turbo – and electric motor spools the turbo to something like 20,000 rpm at the line which generated full boost at launch. F1 technology., yay!

4) The “secret weapon”, the 48V electric motor – generates about 125 ft-lb of torque at launch. This is the factor that skews the standard ET/trap speed calculations because it provides extra boost down low in the power band that’s not usually measured. (look at the RENNtech dyno chart bump at 2500rpm) This lowers ET while making trap speed motor only HP values.

I ran some ¼ mile calculators and my performance for a 4400lb car doing 12.01 and 112mph in run came out to a car with around 500HP

5) Check out the RENNtech dyno numbers, 414hp rear wheel. Using a 20% driveline loss for AWD that calculates to almost 500 flywheel hp! Mercedes seems to underrate their engine power numbers.

6) All that PLUS I get over 30mpg on the highway at around 70mph which is truly amazing for a 2.2 ton car, far exceeding the MB published 27mpg highway. – Your results may vary.

I rest my case. The CLE53 is just about as perfect a car as you can buy, it’s beautiful and fast and I just love mine!

 

I’m not bench racing lol, I go to the drag strip often and have the slips and draggys to prove it.

112mph trap speed is slow. I owned a W205 C63s and many other AMGs before/since, bone stock the W205 used to trap 121+ at around 12sec flat. That’s a huge difference and real racers will know it.

you can like you CLE53 as you should, but its not a fast car and a real CLE 63 is needed for MB to fill this segment and compete with the G80. A stock M3 will embarrass a CLE53 at any drag strip.

 

let’s see some time slips

 

Go look through my post history.