Let’s cut to the chase: Take a V8 turned up to eleven, stuff it into the brand's most nimble coupe, pair it with crazy-good chassis technology, a massive rear wing, and a highly aggressive body kit. Stir well, and you get the most dynamic, desirable AMG of the moment. Or, to put it in the words of Dr. Stefan Weckbach, Chairman of the Management Board of Mercedes-AMG: "This vehicle came to life because highly rational engineers dreamed of a highly irrational car. We turned that dream into reality in the form of maximum driving dynamics and an unparalleled driving experience."

It all began with a simple question: How can a CLE be developed even further toward maximum driving dynamics? And no, this was not a product development brief, but an idea born within the AMG engineering team. A small group initially began by building a prototype. The goal was not a collection of individual performance upgrades or a conventional special edition. Instead, the vehicle was reimagined as a complete performance system.

At the heart of the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung is the extensively enhanced AMG M177 EVO 4.0-liter V8 biturbo engine, putting out 646 horsepower, 850 Newton meters of torque – and a whole lot of sound. Unleashed onto the rear wheels – and only the rear wheels – it propels the AMG to a staggering 310 km/h. Fitting the figures is the bodywork: A massive front diffuser combined with a wider stance and a towering rear wing means business. In any case, we’re very happy about this raw revival, courtesy of the second car from AMG’s Mythos Series.