Ditch the brylcreem and headscarves — the 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet is about topless luxury

'AirCap' deflects wind so there is less turbulence in the cabin. (Photo: MBSA)

29 Nov 2024

From ‘greased lightning’ to Bridget Jones’s windswept hair disaster, the drop top has been a movie star for decades. Now, the 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet is here to make its own mark, blending classic convertible style with cutting-edge comfort.

Over the years, the cabriolet — also known as the “drop top” or “convertible” — has become quite the pop icon. These open-top rides have featured in so many movies that they’ve almost become characters in their own right.

My first memory of a cabriolet was in my final year of primary school. The movie Grease was all the rage. I was desperately — and I mean desperately — in love with John Travolta, who played Danny Zucco in the movie, along with his red 1948 Ford Convertible. It had white lightning bolts and a transparent Plexiglas hood. Over four decades later I can still hear Danny belting out how his wheels were “automatic, systematic and hydromatic” as it got transformed in a repair shop. “Why, it’s greased lightning!” — me and my school buddies all sang as we did our Travolta moves.

In Bridget Jones’s Diary there’s the hilarious scene where Daniel Cleaver (played by Colin Firth) takes Bridget away on a dirty country weekend in his 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE convertible. Along the way there’s so much wind and turbulence in the drop top that she loses her head scarf and arrives at the larney hotel looking like she’s been dragged through a bramble bush.

And then of course, who can forget the iconic scene at the end of Thelma and Louise, when Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis plunge off into the Grand Canyon in their 1966 Ford Thunderbird after their mayhem-filled, epic road trip.

Some nifty features include heated and cooled leather seats that also have a massage function. (Photo: MBSA)

Mercedes-Benz Cabriolet 2024

With all this in mind, I was rather excited to get behind the wheel of the all-new Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet, launched in Cape Town a couple of weeks ago. Released globally in April 2024, heritage-wise, it’s the convertible version of the CLE Coupé that replaced the C-Class and E-Class coupés in 2023.

In recent years Mercedes-Benz has substantially trimmed down their model line-up and when it gets to their convertible range, the company now only offers the SL, and the one I was driving, the CLE Cab. In fact, on local ground, Merc is one of the few companies that still offers drop tops to convertible-loving customers. When it comes to rivals, the BMW 4-Series and Audi S5 drop tops are Merc’s only real competition.

Launch day

Launch day started off with a chill in the air, accompanied by plenty of Cape wind. As superficial as it sounds, my main concern at this stage was not my ride’s kilowatts and torque, but how to prevent my newly styled, flat-ironed locks from becoming a Bridget Jones hedge as we sailed off, topless, on our route. (Those with long hair – or toupees – may relate to my aesthetic concerns.) I was also worried about developing a crick in my neck from the early morning chilly air.

Read more: A fortuitous convergence — the Sun King, Mahindra’s new crossover and a birthday bash at The Palace

You can only imagine my relief, when during the press briefing, we were informed of some pretty nifty German tech that prevents one’s hair from becoming a bush, and one’s neck from becoming an iceberg.

The Thunderbird after a mayhem-filled, epic road trip. The CLE 300 Cabriolet reaches 0-100kms in 6.6 seconds. (Photo: MBSA)

‘Aircap’ and ‘Airscarf’

First up, there’s “AirCap”, which is essentially a high-tech wind deflector. Basically an extending spoiler atop the windscreen, with a pop-up windbreak behind the rear seats to ingeniously curve air over the cabin rather than letting it swirl around inside. And then there’s “AirScarf”, which is truly next-level, bad-ass luxury. Technically, it’s a series of vents built into the headrests of the front seats, which blow warm air directly onto the driver and passengers’ necks, mimicking a “virtual scarf” of warm air. Merc has somehow managed to combine the freedom of a convertible with the practicality of a temperature-controlled, windproof bubble. This made me very happy.

The drive

So, as we hopped into our sporty, shark-nosed cab, dropped the fabric roof (it takes 20 seconds to come down and can be operated while cruising at speeds up to 60km/h), and drove off on our road trip, it felt like AirCap was working like some futuristic force field, ensuring that not a single strand of my sleeky hair was out of place. And no matter that I’d forgotten my jacket and beanie at home because AirScarf ensured that warm air blew onto my neck throughout the trip.

Lest I sound like I’m writing a hair (and neck) review, let’s move under the hood. Currently there are two models on offer: the CLE 200 and CLE 300.

First up on launch was the CLE 300 4Matic, which offers 190kW and 400Nm. While it’s by no means a crazy boy racer, along the scenic route I experienced the ride quality as top-notch. It’s a sporty-feeling, supple cruiser, with excellent suspension that soaks up road imperfections like it’s almost got an air mattress built into it. Unlike a lot of convertibles I’ve driven in the past, it’s also pretty quiet inside — no annoying creaks or rattles when the roof is down.

On the other hand, while it shares most of these bells and whistles with its 300 compatriot, the CLE 200 left me a little underwhelmed when I pushed it on the open road. The 150kW and 350Nm of power, augmented with a bit of electric juice, doesn’t feel punchy enough for a car that costs almost as much as the 300. It’s perfectly fine for daily commutes, but in my books, the CLE 300 is by far the more satisfying choice, especially if you’re someone looking for that extra pep without having to pay much more. While it may not be the sportiest of convertibles, the CLE 300 has enough oomph to make highway cruising memorable.

'AirCap' deflects wind so there is less turbulence in the cabin. (Photo: MBSA)

Interior detail

Inside is where the CLE really shows off. The 11.9-inch touchscreen takes centre stage and is as user-friendly and intuitive as a modern-era Merc gets with its MBUX “Hey Mercedes” AI-assisted programme. It can even tilt to avoid sunlight. The heated and ventilated massage-enabled leather seats turn the cab into a luxury spa, and the Burmester stereo equals most good home audio systems. Unlike many drop tops, the boot space is generous, offering 385 litres with the roof up, and even with the roof stowed, you still get a decent 295 litres. There’s also 60:40-split folding back seats, making it surprisingly practical for a convertible.

Like most Mercedes products, safety-wise, the CLE is a bit of a fortress with 12 airbags, including head airbags for the rear, along with an array of high-tech safety assists. It helps to know how well cocooned you are when you’re cruising with the roof down at 120km/h.

In essence, the Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet effortlessly combines iconic drop top charm with cutting-edge tech and comfort. While you won’t be taking her off on a drag race bender, if you’re all about comfort, tech and class (and want to keep your hair in place) this is a hard one to beat.

Pricing

Mercedes-Benz CLE200 Cabriolet – R1,515,350.

Mercedes-Benz CLE300 4Matic Cabriolet – R1,573,651.

It’s worth noting that carbon emissions tax will add up to R11,921 for the former, and up to R13,432 for the latter. DM

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