646 HP, Rear-Wheel Drive and a Name Even Mercedes F1 Drivers Can’t Say—The Bespoke AMG That Caught Their AttentionMotorBiscuitSaajan JogiaSat, September 12, 2026 at 2:38 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleMercedes-AMG F1 drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have featured in a video posted by their team that shows how they struggle to pronounce the most recent offering from the Mercedes stable- the Mercedes-AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung. Despite the complicated name, both drivers were mighty impressed by the 646-hp high-performance coupé, prompting Antonelli to question if they could still buy it.The video showed both drivers lifting the cover off the gray AMG CLE 646, and straightaway, Russell highlighted the V8 badge on the body, while Antonelli admired the "insane" front end of the car. "Man, we should have bought this," said Russell, prompting Antonelli to ask if they could "be on the list."But before that, both drivers struggled to pronounce 'Spezialanfertigung', which is German for bespoke. Soon enough, though, the Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff arrived and pronounced the word easily and quickly, making it sound effortless.AdvertisementAdvertisementEventually, both drivers continued to admire the car, with Antonelli saying, "This one is actually very nice," which Russell affirmed. The Mercedes-AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung is equipped with an "extensively enhanced" AMG M177 EVO 4.0-liter V8 biturbo engine, producing 850 Nm of torque from 2,500 to 4,500 rpm. It also features several bespoke elements, including a high-performance exhaust system. With its rear-wheel-drive layout and track-focused performance, the CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung certainly has enough to appeal to an F1 driver.The AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung started as an internal project to push the CLE further toward outright driving performance. What began as a prototype evolved into a comprehensive redesign combining higher output, a bespoke chassis, extensive weight reduction and significant bodywork changes. Around 170 kilograms were shed compared with the standard coupé, while the bodyshell was extensively reworked, resulting in a highly customized build produced to Affalterbach's manufactory standards.646 HP, Rear-Wheel Drive and a Name Even Mercedes F1 Drivers Can’t Say—The Bespoke AMG That Caught Their AttentionThe rear-wheel-drive system gives the car a more focused and dynamic character while keeping weight down. Its electronically controlled limited-slip differential helps manage controlled drifts, while the Launch Control system has been tuned specifically for the rear-driven layout. Together, these upgrades help the car accelerate from 0 to 200 km/h in just 11.4 seconds.AMG has also fitted a highly adjustable steel coilover suspension, allowing the setup to be tailored to the driver, circuit and driving conditions. Its four-way adjustable dampers provide separate low- and high-speed compression and rebound settings. Braking performance is handled by AMG's Ceramic High-Performance Composite system, while a redesigned cooling setup with larger front-bumper air intakes and dedicated airflow channels helps keep temperatures under control during demanding track use.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe AMG CLE 646 Spezialanfertigung gets a reinforced wide-body construction that adds 60 mm of additional width at both the front and rear axles. The broader stance improves stability and cornering ability while creating room for wider wheels and tires, with the added structural rigidity providing a stronger foundation for its performance-focused setup.