- Mercedes-Benz is replacing the two-door versions of the C-class and E-class with a new model called the CLE-class, and it announced pricing today.
- The four-cylinder CLE300 will start at $57,650, while the six-cylinder CLE450 will cost $66,800.
- The smaller 2021 C300 coupe started at $48,250 and the 2023 E450 coupe—roughly the same size as the CLE—was $70,800.
The 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE-class has its work cut out for itself, as it’s set to replace two separate model lines when sales begin during the first quarter of this year. When the CLE-class debuted last year, it was unclear whether its pricing would more closely align with the smaller C-class coupe or the E-class coupe. Now Mercedes-Benz has announced pricing for the 2024 CLE-class and the new two-door model is coming in cheaper than expected, starting at $57,650.
The sub-$60K starting price is for the base CLE300, which is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four producing 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. While the horsepower is unchanged from the C300 coupe, torque is up substantially and there’s now a 48-volt hybrid system on board. Mercedes-Benz will also offer the CLE300 Pinnacle trim, which comes packed with standard features—such as a head-up display and 360-degree camera—and will start at $60,250.
Buyers who want more oomph can upgrade to the CLE450, which packs a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six churning out 375 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. Like the CLE300, it uses a nine-speed automatic transmission and a 48-volt hybrid system, and produces 13 more horsepower than the similar powertrain in the outgoing E450 coupe. Pricing for the base CLE450 starts at $66,800, while upgrading to the Pinnacle trim moves the total to $69,400.
The 2024 CLE-class’ pricing falls neatly between the now-discontinued C-class coupe and E-class coupe. The former, when it was last on sale for 2021 as the C300, started at $48,250. The latter, last available in 2023 as the E450, started at $70,800. The CLE-class is actually a tad longer than the old E450 coupe, but so the six-cylinder models are effectively $4000 cheaper than before. The four-cylinder model is nearly $10,000 more than the old C300 coupe, but the CLE300 stretches 6.5 inches longer. The cabin in all CLE-class models is nearly identical to the layout found in the current C-class sedan. Sales begin in the first quarter of this year.
Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.