Sam CarLegion recently had the opportunity to race Merc's new CLE against BMW's well-established 4 Series. Both coupes feature all-wheel-drive, 2.0-liter turbo I4 engines, and torque-converter automatics.
The CLE launched stateside for the 2024 model year with mild-hybrid assistance by default, whereas the 4er got a mild-hybrid system for 2025. Unfortunately, Sam couldn’t find an equivalent 4 Series Coupe for this drag race, which starts with a better launch for the CLE.
Slowly but steadily, the 430i catches up to the CLE 300, resulting in a neck-and-neck finish. Give them a bit of a roll, and the BMW redeems itself with a dominant win over the Mercedes.
The pictured 430i Coupe is a 2022 model that uses the Bavarian automaker's B48 TwinPower Turbo inline-four mill. In this application, it belts out a respectable 255 horsepower at 5,000 revolutions per minute and 294 pound-feet (almost 400 Nm) at 1,550 revolutions per minute. Said resources are channeled to all four wheels by a ZF-supplied tranny with eight forward ratios.
Curb weight is 3,708 pounds (1,682 kilograms) before optional extras, making the Bimmer that much lighter than its main rival. Over in the United States rather than Canada where Sam is based, the declared curb weight for the CLE 300 4MATIC is 3,924 pounds (1,880 kilograms).
Photo: Sam CarLegion on YouTube
Its engine is connected to a nine-speed unit developed by Mercedes, with the 2.0-liter turbo packing a 255-horsepower punch. Its peak torque is estimated at 295 pound-feet (400 Nm). Revealed in January 2024, the 2025 refresh of the Bimmer saw the 430i switch to the Miller cycle for better efficiency than the Otto cycle.
BMW didn't mention any extra horsepower or torque from the mild-hybrid setup, but did promise 11 ponies from the auxiliary electric drive of the 375-hp 440i, therefore resulting in a peak output of 386 horsepower at 5,200 rpm. For some reason or another, BMW refrained from giving the M-specific S58 engine of the M4 any sort of hybrid assistance. By comparison, the 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 is a mild hybrid with turbocharging by means of an exhaust gas turbo aided by an electric auxiliary compressor.
AMG further changed from the 9G-TRONIC of non-AMG versions to the AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G, a torque-converter auto that promises quicker shifting than 9G-TRONIC. Similar to BMW elevating xDrive to M xDrive for M vehicles, the AMG-ified CLE also switches from 4MATIC to AMG Performance 4MATIC+.
The main difference that + makes? Enter drift mode, which – as implied – channels everything to the rear wheels exclusively for extra hooning in the twisties. Pricing kicks off at $72,800 sans destination, whereas the M4 Coupe starts at $79,100 with a manual transmission or $83,200 in Competition flavor with ZF's 8HP. Lower down the spectrum, the 430i xDrive is $52,700 compared to $56,600 for the CLE 300 4MATIC.
If you'd ask Sam to choose between the 430i xDrive and CLE 300 4MATIC, he'd say Mercedes. Why? "It offers more space, it looks way better on the outside, it has a nicer interior, it has more cargo space overall, and the drag race was neck and neck. I think the Mercedes is the best daily out of these two."
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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