2025 Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Cabriolet combines performance and open-air driving

We recently were able to drive both the new Mercedes-Benz CLE 450 Cabriolet, as well as the Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Coupe. We liked both of them a lot. Though at least at the time, there wasn't a way to combine them. Unsurprisingly, Mercedes wasn't going to leave things that way, and now we get to see the blend of the two: the 2025 Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Cabriolet.

Unsurprisingly, it looks like the coupe with the roof removed. It gets the same revised front end with larger air intakes. It does lack the air vent in the hood of the coupe, but it does have the same widened fenders and wider tracks (2.3 inches wider up front and 3 inches wider in the rear). From the regular cabriolet is the fabric soft top, along with the Aircap wind diverting system in the windshield, and the Airscarf climate vents in the seat backs. As for the interior, it gets sportier faux leather and microsuede seats with red stitching, and a 12.3-inch instrument screen and a 11.9-inch infotainment screen that can be adjusted for angle to avoid glare.

Performance upgrades are identical to the coupe. That includes the mild-hybrid turbocharged inline-six with 443 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque and a nine-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard, along with four-wheel steering. It comes with stiffer suspension with electronically adjustable shocks, and pretty beefy brakes. The front rotors are drilled and ventilated and measure 14.6 inches in diameter. They're clamped by four-piston calipers. At the rear, the ventilated-only 14.2-inch rotors are coupled with single-piston calipers.

There are a number of ways you can further option your CLE 53 Cabriolet. On the outside, you can upgrade to 20-inch wheels over the standard 19s, as well as headlights with projection functions. Even more aggressively bolstered seats and a sporty steering wheel can be added to the interior, along with real leather with a coating to keep the temperature down in the sun. And on the performance side, there's a Dynamic Plus package that adds Race Start and Race drive modes, the latter of which enables the rear-drive-only drift setting. The package also includes active engine mounts.

Pricing hasn't been announced, but the Cabriolet will go on sale in the second half of this year. It will almost certainly be the most expensive variant of the CLE, as it combines the performance upgrades of the CLE 53 Coupe and the expensive top mechanisms of the regular convertibles.

2025 Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Cabriolet combines performance and open-air driving

2025 Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Cabriolet combines performance and open-air driving

2025 Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Cabriolet combines performance and open-air driving

2025 Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Cabriolet combines performance and open-air driving

2025 Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Cabriolet combines performance and open-air driving