V8-Powered Mercedes-AMG CLE Mythos Teased Ahead of 2027 Debut

Mercedes-Benz has just dropped a teaser for the upcoming AMG CLE Mythos, which will feature a V8 powertrain.

Mercedes-Benz may have dropped the V8 from the new and controversial W206 C63, but the engine is making a comeback in an entirely new metal based on the CLE. This upcoming V8-powered coupe was teased running some winter tests in Sweden, where it will become the next model under Merc’s new Mythos series.

We’ll start with the visuals, or at least what we can make out of this camo-wrapped prototype covered in snow. From all four teaser images published, we can see that the CLE Mythos rocks an entirely new front bumper with a wide lower air intake and what could be active aero slats, while retaining AMG’s signature Panamericana grille.

Besides the revamped front fascia and the thicker wheels it rolls on, the CLE Mythos gets a dramatically sportier rear end compared to the CLE 53, with the biggest change being the new fixed rear wing that brings it closer to the AMG GT. Also primed here are quad squared-up tailpipes, which are traditionally reserved for V8-powered AMGs of the past.

But perhaps the most important addition for this new CLE is the aforementioned V8 powertrain setup, and we’ve been told by Autocar UK that it will be a new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged flat-plane crank V8 that will also be used on the updated S-Class, which will debut later this month.

In the new S-Class, this flat-plane crank V8 is said to develop more than 530 hp, which is plenty for a full-size flagship sedan. That said, we can expect the CLE Mythos to get an even higher power output, possibly crossing the 600 hp mark to match the AMG GT 63, while representing a significant step-up over the existing CLE 53.

2025 Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4Matic+ launched in Malaysia last year.

For reference, the AMG CLE 53 features a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six mill that is good for up to 443 hp and 560 Nm (or 600 Nm in overboost mode), enabling the coupe for a rapid century sprint time of 4.2 seconds.

Beyond the new V8 engine, AMG doesn’t give us any clues regarding the rest of the driving system on this new CLE, but one shot of the prototype doing powerslides on a frozen lake might suggest that it will feature a strictly rear-wheel drive (RWD) setup rather than Merc’s signature 4Matic all-wheel drive (AWD) system used in many other AMG models.

That said, the upcoming Mercedes-AMG CLE Mythos is slated to make its official debut sometime later in 2027, meaning that we’ll get to know more details about this V8-powered coupe as time goes on. Given that this will be part of Merc’s Mythos series, production will be quite limited, and expect a rather hefty sticker price for one.