2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet

2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet - design review

OVERALL GRADE = C+
AVERAGE

Front End: C
    Good: Grille accents
    Bad: Cheap, black, plastic
Rear End: C
    Good: Brake cooling
    Bad: All too clean
Side: B-
    Good: Enough character
    Bad: Bland rims
Overall Appeal: C+
    Good: Luxury appeal
    Bad: Simple, clean lines​

​Score: 57.63%
Grade: C+
Rating: AVERAGE
AutoLooks Rating: 5.8 out of 10

Front End: 55.93%
Rear End: 52.70%
Side: 62.76%
Overall Appeal: 59.13%

AutoLooks Buy List: NO
Recommended Tuner: YES
Trent Setter: NO
Future Classic: MAYBE
Stock Value: SAME

                Whoever said the convertible market was on its last legs may have been right.  It really is, as your average consumer has nearly no interest in them as there are none within the standard marketplace.  But, when it comes to the luxury world, this market is still alive and kicking.  Well, at least in Germany, as Mercedes, BMW and Audi, seem to be the few companies still holding onto the world of two doors.
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                Mercedes-Benz has stated in the past, that they are looking to move away from limited marketplaces.  This would mean the coupe, convertible, saloon and sports cars markets.  As we have all seen 

​them drop vehicles like the SLK and CLS in recent years, it seemed like it was only a matter of time before the rest of the CL market was going to be dropped.  So, to see a new CLE just seems a bit off, as MB told us that these markets were not profitable for them to stay in.  Guess someone didn’t get the memo.
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                Although products like the C and SL class convertibles may be gone, the E-class seems to be hanging onto to this market.  As both BMW and Audi still have their A5 and 6-Series coupes, Mercedes-Benz seems to hanging onto this one competitor just long enough to keep their competition on their feet.

​                As with most Mercedes models from the past decade, the new CLE is all about smooth clean lines.  This is true as you look at the front, as there are hardly any hard lines present.  A good thing to have, but it seems that MB has added in a few extra character features to make the front a bit harder than the rest of the car.

                Fake air intakes seem to be all the rage at the Mercedes house, as the oversized plastic intakes give some aggression to the front.  Next time Mercedes should think about doing away with the cheap plastic and replacing it with a functional grille, as the vast expanse of plastic brings down the overall luxury factory from the front.   This is also true when you look at the central intake, as this same cheap plastic has been given some extra cheap plastic chrome accents.  Guess someone was a bit hurried on the finishing touches to the lower half of this vehicle.
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                One thing the front of most Mercedes have going for them these days are the size and amount of product symbols they have.  Anyone from miles away can see the centre logo, as its sizes dwarfs everything else on the front end. This is good, as we all need to know who makes this generic looking product.  Add to that the use of the three-pointed star for the grille inserts and you have  one car which seems to be in love with itself.

​                Along the side Mercedes has once again opted for clean look.  With only the addition of a few character lines breaking up the smooth look, Mercedes has once again given us a very simple car.  The addition of something, anything else could add to the bland appearance of this side profile.  We could say the rims do help break up the look, but that is only true about the colour of them, not the design.   All too simple rims add to the comfort factor of this luxury ride, but still do nothing to enhance the overall appeal of this car.
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                Our one saving grace for the side, would be the chrome accent which breaks the top half from the bottom.  Add to this a few accents on the mirror and you do have a few key features riding along the side of this luxury cabriolet.

​                Out back is where you might find something else.  But that is only true when look a bit further down, as the top half of the rear is void of any true defining character lines or features.  Simple lines and a perfectly blended tail light fixture, don’t add much to the rear of this car.  And with an overly simple outline, the tail light really doesn’t add anything but a break in colour to this rear.

                Up top you will find a small window which really won’t help you back up.  This is neither complemented nor enhanced by the rear light band.  A required fixture, which does not blend into is surroundings as it stands out and above everything else.
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                The bottom of the rear is where you will find everything you are looking for when it comes to some great design aspects.  Chrome accents, air inlets, a license plate station and a properly integrated exhaust ports make up the best part of this car.  These all seem to come together to make the bottom half of this car stand out from all the rest.  They all seem to scream performance as they come together surrounded by some cheap plastic left over from the front end.  But don’t worry as the darker the colour you get for this car, the better this part will blend in and look.

                All around the new CLE Cabriolet is an all too simple car which lacks any true character of its own.  Remove the badges and add on some from a Kia or Genesis and no one would ever think it wasn’t made by them.  When you want a car to stand out, you add on key features which make it all of its own, but when it comes to Mercedes design house, this seems to be all but true, as their products have turned into basic eggs moving around in a basic basket of life.

Everett J.
​#autolooks

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​​​COMPETITION:
Audi A5 Cabriolet - 46.67%
BMW 8-Series Convertible - 56.68%