Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet review

The price hike over a CLE Coupe ranges from four to seven grand, depending on spec… such are the vagaries of equipment lists. But when a Fiat 500e asks for almost £3,000 more to go topless it’s clearly par for the course. Here you do at least get all those Aircaps, Airscarfs and Airwhatnots as standard to help pad out the premium. Beware the Airscarf’s highest setting… you might just air-fry your neck.

Prices start at £53,030 for a CLE 200 in AMG Line spec, which is the tiniest whisker more than a (smaller) BMW 420i M Sport Convertible. For that you get 18in alloys, heated front seats, smartphone integration (with wireless charging) and a reversing camera, while black leather seats and a black fabric roof are standard (the former can be optioned red, white or tan and the latter red or grey if you please). Only the CLE 200 and 220d are available in this spec, mind you.

Another £1,750 upgrades you to AMG Line Premium and a choice of all five engines. It also adds smart digital headlights, 19in alloys and a 360-degree parking camera system to help you avoid biffing them into kerbs.

AMG Line Premium Plus is a further £4,000 and ups the alloys to 20-inchers while also yielding lots of interior luxe: a head-up display, a stocky Burmester sound system plus fragranced air con, massaging seats and an ‘Energising Comfort’ system that brings the two together to soothe your specific woes.

A Premier Edition for a bit more cash adds black 20in alloys, Nappa leather, carbon interior trim and a heated steering wheel.

As for the AMG? That’ll be £77,075, rising to £82,825 for the catchily titled AMG Night Edition Premium Plus. If you want the Race mode (which drops 0-62mph from 4.4 to 4.2s, adds much faux-suede trip, swish sports seats and the RWD Drift Mode) then it’s another £7,500… and only on Night Edition cars. So yes, all of the headline performance stuff you crave in an AMG balloons the price up to £90k – and beyond if you want some matt paint to complete the look. Naughty.

Merc expects the CLE 200 and 300 to be the best sellers in Britain. They use different tunes of the same engine and in like-for-like for spec, the 300 commands another £5,000 precisely. That said, it does add 4Matic AWD and slices over a second from the 0-62mph time (6.6 vs 7.9s) while claiming similar, circa 40mpg fuel economy.

The six-cyl CLE 450 asks for another £10k jump again over the CLE 300 but does offer a 4.7s sprint to 62mph alongside its more scintillating soundtrack. The economy champ is, as discussed already, the diesel-powered CLE 220d. It’s a more niche player than it might have been a decade ago (you still see lots of diesel SLKs about) but at least this one is ULEZ compliant. The list price is two grand higher than the 200, but its BIK rate is 30 (rather than 35) per cent. Bougie business cars ahoy.