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Spy Shots Reveal a Brutal New Cabriolet
The 2027 Mercedes-AMG CLE 63 Cabriolet has been photographed testing in wintry conditions, and the latest spy images leave little doubt about what AMG has in store. The prototype bears clear 63-series cues: aggressive rear styling, a reworked diffuser and — most telling of all — trapezoidal quad exhaust outlets mounted in pairs at the outer edges of the rear bumper.
Design tweaks and the star motif
While this particular mule doesn’t show the three‑point-star taillight signature, it’s expected to appear on the facelifted CLE Cabriolet. Mercedes recently introduced that star-motif lighting on the redesigned CLA, and the element has been migrating across the range — most notably to the headlights. Up front, the familiar Panamericana grille appears largely unchanged from the current 53 model, but the lower side intakes in the front bumper are new, and the hood seems to have been reshaped to match the fresher face.
AMG has clearly restyled the rear to match the more aggressive exhaust layout. The new diffuser looks beefier and cleaner compared with the outgoing 53 series — a change driven partly by the robust exhaust packaging required by the turbo V8 and partly by emissions and sound-control engineering.
Engine: a revised V8 and mild-hybrid help
Under the skin the 63 won’t borrow the old cross‑plane M177; instead AMG appears to be moving to the M177 Evo, a flat‑plane V8 that benefits from technology developed alongside the M178 LS2. The LS2 variant itself is rare in Mercedes applications and has found a home in the limited-run Aston Martin Valhalla, but the Evo tune in mainstream Mercedes use (for example the S 580 4MATIC) already delivers about 530 horsepower and 553 lb‑ft (750 Nm).
Expect the CLE 63 Cabriolet to match or exceed those numbers. A 48‑volt mild-hybrid system — likely featuring a 23‑hp integrated starter-generator (ISG) — will assist the V8 at low revs with roughly 151 lb‑ft (205 Nm) of torque, smoothing power delivery, enabling engine-off coasting and improving efficiency.
Weights and packaging: coupe vs. cabriolet
History suggests the Cabriolet will be heavier than the coupe. For reference, Mercedes lists the V8-equipped coupe and cabriolet at about 4,420 and 4,597 pounds respectively in the U.S. market — a difference of roughly 80 kg (around 177 lb). Swapping the inline‑six for a turbo V8 adds mass, and packaging the additional cooling and the larger exhaust keeps the rear end visually distinct.
Noise rules shaping AMG’s sound
Another important factor influencing exhaust design is regulation: from November 2026 the EU caps new passenger cars at 68 decibels. That law isn’t the same as Euro 7 emissions rules, but it forces engineers to tame exhaust noise while trying to preserve character. The result for the CLE 63 will likely be a more refined, yet still muscular, soundtrack engineered through exhaust geometry, active valves and electronic sound enhancement.
Highlights:
- Trapezoidal quad exhausts integrated into revised rear bumper
- Likely M177 Evo V8 with at least S‑Class S 580 output (≈530 hp)
- 48V mild‑hybrid ISG adding low‑end torque and coasting features
- Updated front bumper intakes, reshaped hood and new diffuser
"Spy photos don’t tell the full story, but the body language is unmistakable: this is a proper 63‑series Cabriolet, tuned for performance and new regulatory realities," says an industry observer.
Market positioning and expectations
Mercedes‑AMG will position the CLE 63 Cabriolet as the top of the CLE line — a rival to other high‑performance compact convertibles. Expect AMG to balance raw performance with emissions and noise compliance, so the final car should feel strong in a straight line while being more refined than earlier, louder 63 models.
Official specs and pricing will arrive with AMG’s launch timetable, likely during late 2026 or early 2027. Until then, the spy shots give a convincing preview: a visually aggressive, technically advanced V8 cabriolet that aims to keep AMG’s trademark performance while adapting to a quieter, cleaner regulatory era.
Source: autoevolution
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