Convertibles & performance cars
SPRING
Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet
Swanky coupé swaps its curvy metal roof for folding canvas to attract well-heeled sun worshippers
Claire Evans claire.evans@haymarket.com
GOING TOPLESS, IN the personal and automotive senses, has enjoyed many decades of popularity. Think Brigitte Bardot in the 1960s, Pamela Anderson in the 1990s and more recently pop star Rhianna. And if these celebrities wanted to do so in their cars, there’s always been a Mercedes-Benz to suit, with the CLE Cabriolet being the latest in a long line of convertibles from the brand.
A traditional two-door, four-seat soft-top, the CLE is a single-model replacement for the C-Class and E-Class cabriolets. With an S-Class convertible no longer offered, the CLE Cabriolet and AMG-developed SL sports car are now Mercedes’ only soft-top offerings.