Georgia Man Trades Mercedes CLS 53 'You Can’t Get Anymore' for a 2025 Electric Dodge Charger Scat Pack. Did He Make a Mistake?

• Dodge

It’s the kind of choice that splits car enthusiasts down the middle: do you hold on to a rare, luxury performance Mercedes that’s no longer made, or take a leap into Dodge’s all-electric muscle car future? One driver’s TikTok-famous trade has ignited that debate.

In a viral TikTok clip, Atlanta-area car salesperson Jesse Cannon-Wallace (@benzblogger) is trying to put a happy face on while recounting the deal her husband recently made.

“It is a choice. What do we love about this car?” she asks her viewers. “What positive things should I be saying? Tell me more so that I can be more positive.”

The viewers didn’t hold back. One of the top-liked reactions summed up the mood bluntly: “A Mercedes CLS53 AMG?? FOR THAT?” Another called it “the biggest downgrade I’ve ever seen,” while others piled on with jokes that the electric Charger looks like a “basic rental car” or that the dealership must have “robbed that man.”

Plenty of commenters were stuck on the rarity of the Mercedes. The CLS 53 AMG was discontinued in 2023, meaning there won’t be another like it rolling off a production line anytime soon. To some enthusiasts, that makes it an appreciating asset worth keeping rather than trading. One user went so far as to declare there was “nothing positive to this,” calling the choice “tragic.”

Even those trying to defend the move leaned into sarcasm. “A hunnid million jus for an oil change,” one person quipped about Mercedes maintenance costs, while another countered that leasing an EV Charger was a far more practical way to get performance for less money. A smaller chorus praised the Dodge’s horsepower and torque.

Still, the overwhelming sense of disbelief drowned them out: to much of the internet, swapping German luxury for American EV muscle feels like heresy.

The Cars in Question

On paper, the trade wasn’t an across-the-board loss. The Mercedes-Benz CLS 53 AMG that left the driveway was powered by a 3.0-liter inline-six with EQ Boost mild-hybrid assist, rated at 429 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque. With its coupe-like styling and luxury features, the CLS filled a niche between the E-Class sedan and the swoopier AMG GT four-door. But the model was discontinued after 2023, making examples already on the road somewhat rarer. For enthusiasts who like exclusivity, that rarity is part of the appeal.

The incoming car, Dodge’s 2025 Charger Daytona Scat Pack, represents something entirely different. It’s an all-electric, two-door muscle coupe with nearly 670 horsepower and about 627 pound-feet of torque. Dodge says it can sprint to 60 mph in the low-3-second range and cover a quarter-mile in the 11-second range. It even comes with the brand’s controversial “Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust,” a sound generator designed to mimic muscle-car roar. To some buyers, that’s cutting-edge. To many in Cannon-Wallace’s comments section, it was just more fodder for mockery.

One detail that got overlooked in the outrage was that this wasn’t a long-term purchase. Cannon-Wallace makes clear the Charger was secured on a two-year lease, which limits financial exposure. In theory, if the car doesn’t live up to the hype, or if the next two years of EV evolution bring something more compelling, they can hand it back and move on.

That context cooled some of the anger. A few voices in the TikTok thread reminded others: “It’s a lease.” Still, leases often bring their own debates in enthusiast circles. Some see them as a smart way to enjoy high-performance cars without long-term depreciation; others view them as evidence that a buyer couldn’t justify ownership. The comment “bro couldn’t afford the car anymore lol” captured that suspicion.

Collectibility Vs Curiosity

The sharpest divide in reactions wasn’t really about horsepower. It was about what’s more valuable: a discontinued luxury coupe with AMG badging, or a first-generation EV muscle car.

The CLS 53 is unlikely to ever reach the cult-status prices of AMG “63” V8s, but its place as the final six-cylinder CLS variant could help it hold value better than average luxury sedans. Hagerty and others have noted that discontinued German luxury models sometimes tick upward in resale value once supply tightens. For purists, selling now looks short-sighted.

The Charger, by contrast, is a brand-new entry in an untested segment. Some see that as an opportunity to be among the first to own what Dodge hopes will be a new chapter in muscle car history. Others called it risky. One commenter predicted bluntly: “Try to sell that after five years, I dare you.”

Setting aside the speculation, the two cars offer very different experiences. The Mercedes balances daily luxury with AMG-grade acceleration, wrapped in subtle styling that appeals to drivers who want performance without as much flash. The Dodge takes the opposite approach: brash design, headline-grabbing horsepower, and simulated exhaust to make sure everyone knows it’s coming.

Not everyone buys it, but a few defenders pushed back. One insisted the swap made sense financially: “A $30,000 car for a $70,000 car that performs better? Sounds good to me.”

Motor1 reached out to Cannon-Wallace via direct message. We’ll update this if she responds.