Another spy video of the Mercedes-Benz CLE is out again. In a blink and you’ll miss moment, a seven-minute clip shows the convertible in action on the road, which you can watch here.
The Mercedes CLE in the new video from walkoART is not that different from the ruggedly camouflaged version we have been seeing in previous spy photos lately. It is still completely wrapped in a zebra-patterned cover with a roughly patched fabric top. The car’s body also appears to be padded within the covers making it look too bulky. With that, the outline of the prototype does not reflect yet in any way the final design of the CLE production version. The distorted body of the test car is obviously intended to mask its true form.
The Mercedes CLE is groomed to replace the C-Class and E-Class convertible models. Reports say that Mercedes-Benz USA already served its notice to its network of dealerships regarding the matter.
The streamlining effort is influenced by the thinning sales of both the C-Class and E-Class coupe and convertible models. Apparently, this move has been in consideration even before the pandemic has put a major dent in the three-pointed star marque’s global operations.
The Mercedes CLE convertible is expected to debut either in the last quarter of 2022 or the first quarter of 2023. It will likely inherit the 2.0-liter mild-hybrid engine used by the upcoming AMG C63. Whether or not it will have a coupe variant or it be an AMG-exclusive like the SL remains to be seen.