An All-New, V-8-Powered Mercedes-AMG CLE63 Is in the Works

A new family of V-8 engines designed with North America in mind is making it all possible.

Take heart: A Mercedes-AMG CLE63 equipped with a powerful new V-8 engine is coming, and the executives we spoke with about it say it’s phenomenal.

Mercedes has yet to confirm the timing of the all-new CLE63 coupe and convertible, but it exists, and executives have driven early prototypes. Although we won’t see it this year, according to Adam Chamberlain, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, it’s going to be an unbelievable car, and he says it will be worth the wait.

A car like this matters for Chamberlain and his team, because some 95 percent of CLE63 sales are expected to be in North America. The new CLE63 is being developed as an American-spec car specifically for the American market.

As for the car’s V-8, Mercedes-Benz has developed a new family of V-8 engines that retain a high-performance character but with lower emissions in order to meet future regulations. The new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 with a flat-plane crankshaft is already available in the new 2027 S-Class and will power the upcoming 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE580 and GLS580 SUVs, both of which just made their global premieres. In those vehicles, the engine produces 530 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. Not surprisingly, AMG has said it will be tuning performance variants of the new V-8.

Does this mean we’ll see a V-8 in a future high-performance E-Class or C-Class? That’s unconfirmed at this time, Chamberlain said. Like many enthusiasts, he’d love an E63 wagon, but the business case is questionable with North America as its only real market. And buyers already have a good option in the E53 wagon, which is powered by plug-in-hybrid-boosted version of the automaker’s 3.0-liter inline-six with 577 hp.

A similar version of that six-cylinder engine with 443 horsepower is under the hood of the most powerful CLE at present, the Mercedes-AMG CLE53 (pictured at top and bottom), although it doesn’t use a plug-in hybrid system like the wagon. Presumably, any CLE63 would generate more power from an AMG-tuned version of the new twin-turbo V-8.

Renewed North American Focus

The CLE63 is a reflection of Mercedes’ renewed focus on North America, Chamberlain said, where V-8-powered cars remain far more desirable than in other markets. There are another two or three products coming as well that are being developed specifically for North America, which are being built on a new platform that will also presumably be able to support a V-8.

It’s all part of a huge global product offensive: 40 vehicles within three years for Mercedes-Benz and its Mercedes-AMG and Maybach offshoots, offering internal combustion engines, hybrids (including plug-in hybrids), and fully electric vehicles.

Committed to V-8s for Us in U.S.

Investing in V-8s shows a real commitment to the powerplant, said Mercedes-Benz Group CEO and Chairman of the Board of Management Ola Källenius. More broadly, it shows a commitment to meeting the needs of its U.S. customers, where the V-8 has been a staple in high-end and high-performance Mercedes vehicles for decades.

The V-8 for the more discerning Mercedes owner is launching in the new S-Class, providing quiet but dominant performance; still a beast but in the background. “That is the wolf in sheep’s clothing,” Källenius told MotorTrend. “But then the wolf really comes out with the AMG version, so there will be a wolf and an Alpha wolf coming,” he said. “V-8 fans in the U.S. are absolutely going to love that.” From what we can tell so far, they’re going to love what’s coming under the hood of the new CLE63.