The Mercedes CLE53 AMG Is An M3 Fighter In Disguise

With the C63 now relegated to four cylinders, the inline-six powered CLE53 might be AMG's true answer to the M3.

Photo by: Motor1.com

Chris Rosales

By: Chris Rosales

Mar 8, 2025 at 10:00am ET

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C63, CLE53, GLC43, GT63. All names of modern Mercedes-AMGs with little-to-no bearing on what the hell the product actually is. It would be easy, then, to miss the new 2025 Mercedes-AMG CLE53–An inline-six powered, C63 beating revelation hidden within a confusing lineup. Despite it being the “middle” AMG, it might just be the best one Affalterbach makes right now.

Big statement, I know. Considering the V-8 isn’t dead, it’s hard to truly say CLE53 is better than a V-8-powered AMG GT63. But where it isn’t outright better, it is a much nicer balance. The newest AMG GT isn’t quite what it used to be, being built on the SL platform, and it suffers from it. There is no current E63, only the hybrid inline-six E53. And the C63 is a hybrid four-cylinder powered disappointment.

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But what is a CLE? Effectively, it replaces the C-Class coupe and convertible, using a C-Class interior with some E-Class powertrain options. Hence, the inline-six is used. While the naming is confusing, every variant of CLE has been a consistently nice product—wWell executed and not too ridiculously overwhelming, like some other new Benzes. There are rumors that the CLE63 will use a V-8 in the future, but the CLE53 is the top-dog CLE for now. In the grand scheme of AMG, it’s still lost in the doughy middle.

I drove it for our newest YouTube video and walked away pleasantly surprised by how good it was. More importantly, how well-executed it was. Watch and learn why this might be the only AMG taking the fight to the BMW M3.