In a world where the ‘i’ is being dropped from petrol-powered BMWs (less they be confused with the electric ‘i’ models) and there’s no sign of another E63 in the AMG portfolio, there's something reassuringly normal, almost comforting about putting this pair together. Both M440i and CLE 53 are more advanced than ever, with mild hybrid powertrains and all-wheel drive, but at heart they remain smart, fast, luxurious two-door cars with big engines and a focus on the driver. Right up our street, basically. They don’t need explaining, they don’t need excusing; each is the latest in a long line of very good coupes from their respective manufacturers.
Yet despite their ostensible similarities, the BMW and the AMG present very differently. The 4 Series is modest almost to a fault, not helped by optional Brooklyn Grey washing it out. While the Q car look holds some appeal when dealing with the saloon or estate equivalent, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect the coupe - just one rung down from an M4 - to be a tad more overt. But then nobody seems to like the M4 either, so perhaps BMW just can’t win at the moment. This latest update has blacked out the grille with limited success and introduced the option of the rear Laserlights, just like a CSL, which look fab. Those who like under-the-radar performance will love that this M440i comes as standard on 18-inch wheels (these are 19s) and features a debadge as a no-cost-option; there must be many more, however, who want their £60k+ coupe to look a bit more special. Or why not just get the saloon?
No such qualms with the ‘53, which is so unashamedly AMG the Mercedes badge is gone from the bonnet. It wouldn’t need a single emblem at all and the whole thing would bellow Affalterbach: pumped-up arches, rude ride height, naughty exhausts and all. Even with six cylinders, it bristles with irrepressible, irresistible Affalterbach attitude. And that’s great. The BMW could be Laguna Seca Blue with Cinnamon leather and it wouldn’t get a look in next to the smouldering, swaggering Benz. Even one that’s perhaps still a bit odd looking at the rear three quarter.
The BMW continues in slightly meek fashion inside. Of course the iDrive works brilliantly and the materials are smart, though tangible sportiness is in pretty short supply. A chubby, needlessly flat bottomed, just-as-pointlessly-red-stitched-at-12 steering wheel doesn’t count. The seats are limply bolstered for an M Performance model (which shows off the AMG chairs in an even better light), the new gear selector switch is disappointing (even the brittle AMG wand is preferable) and the M440i doesn’t even start with a rev counter - there’s a throttle percentage dial instead. Sport mode is needed to show RPMs. Talk about setting the tone.
The BMW is undoubtedly a nice car to drive, though. It feels more mature than ever, of course, akin to what you’d imagine a 6 Series to be - supremely comfy in its standard drive mode and with an equally sumptuous powertrain. It’s almost Alpina-esque, in fact, the 4’s ability to smother the road surface while also retaining some connection to and sensation from it. Even compared to the pre-facelift model (which had significantly better damping than the original, F32-era 440is), this feels improved again. The M Adaptive Suspension has to be the first option ticked at £450. The entire experience at low speed feels extremely expensive, from the cultured growl of the straight six to cool metal accents inside. Actually, forget 6 Series - sometimes it doesn’t feel far off a scaled-down 8 Series.
But there’s more to the BMW than just golf club GT. Long gone are the days of Sport and Sport Plus pouring concrete into the steering racks and dampers of BMWs; in the M440i they make the car appreciably, usefully tauter, without spoiling control weights. It’s undoubtedly a big car, though it’s a reasonably athletic one as well, neatly in control of its mass and cornering just how you’d like a BMW to: measured, precise front end, good balance, and a rear axle that’s always contributing to the process - even with xDrive. It’s hard to believe that this car would struggle with just two driven wheels, though never is all-wheel drive an impediment. Fairly modest (by the standards of this test) tyres - with 225-section at the front, 255-section rears - mean grip and slip get along well, nicely pitched given this car’s status as one down from the M car. It’s not lurid, though it’s far from uninteresting. The brakes are strong, the gearbox is decisive, the sound engaging - it’s undoubtedly an impressive car.
It doesn’t take long in the Mercedes, however, to see where the BMW could be improved on. While it drives with a little more bluster and fanfare - as might be expected for an AMG that looks like this - there’s proper substance behind the pomp as well. As is AMG tradition, a multitude of modes are available, though none of them adjusts how the steering behaves, and here’s further proof that one good setting is always preferable to an assortment of middling ones. Predictably, the four-wheel steer creates a sense of agility missing in the BMW, though nothing about the way the AMG turns feels unnatural or contrived; the weight, speed and sense of contact with the road are all superior, uncovering confidence you never really knew was missing in the 4 Series. Glancing front tyres that are wider than the BMW’s rears (!) contributes as well, though even allowing for that the steering remains a preferable point of interaction.
Furthermore, despite the beefy looks and chunky kerbweight, the CLE is far from a heavy handed AMG to drive. We’re still some way from two tonnes feeling lithe, however there’s certainly some very clever suspension work going on here. While the ‘53’s Comfort setting isn’t exactly pillowy around town on its show-stopping 20-inch wheels, it undoubtedly provides better support when going a bit faster; perhaps even rivalling the BMW’s firmer settings for precision and body control. Beyond it, the Merc’s more aggressive settings enable the car to reach places the BMW isn't interested in getting to, lashing down extra weight with greater authority and engaging the driver more in the process. As the 4 Series starts to veer towards the slightly vague and loose, so the AMG grips and goes with greater conviction. The BMW won’t be any slower, realistically, anywhere - though the sensations and all-round experience are preferable in the Mercedes.
Mild hybridisation works a treat for both, near enough eliminating lag and making large, powerful straight sixes feel even more so. Enough has been written about the BMW B58 in all its forms now that everyone knows it’s one of the best: smooth, responsive, sweet-sounding, fast and efficient. It’s paired to the better automatic here, too, the Mercedes’ nine-speed sometimes a little reluctant at higher revs, a shame given the energy of the engine. Where the AMG can counter is with torque, boasting two turbos against the BMW’s single blower and bringing even greater shove than the numerical advantage suggests. Of course a V8 would probably suit the remit even better, though that shouldn’t negate the fact that this is a very well sorted, muscular straight six. Imagine how good it might feel moving 200kg less.
Ultimately though the difference can be boiled down to the way each manufacturer has approached development: while the M440i gives the impression of being a faster 4 Series, the CLE seems a first stepping stone into the world of senior AMG coupes. The feel and excitement of a proper performance car, the details that make them just a little bit special at ordinary speeds, are simply more evident in the ‘53. It isn’t perfect - the brake pedal of an A45 feels better, and the gearbox can occasionally frustrate - but the AMG badges sit more convincingly on the Mercedes than the M insignia does on the BMW.
Granted, that verdict is a tad harsh on the 440, because its M-ness has clearly been concealed under a bushel intentionally, and for anyone who thinks the larger CLE a bit too flashy, it's an ideal alternative - being fast, accomplished, capable, and almost stealthily subtle. Nevertheless, in an ideal world you'd expect to find little more excitement in the driving experience. The AMG’s balance of usability and knowing thrill is the preferable one so far as our tastes are concerned.
You’ll pay for the privilege, of course. The BMW is currently from £60,725, complete with 18-inch wheels; it isn’t possible to get into a ‘53 for less than £73,000, which is clearly a sizeable difference (a £66k, 381hp CLE450 would probably have been a fairer match-up were one available) but it also reflects the adjusted positioning of the new model, and its upmarket feel is certainly intended to make you question the gap to a newly facelifted, xDrive-only, 530hp M4. Which is from £87,000.
For the record, as specced, what you’re looking at here is a £71,500 4 Series and an £81,500 CLE, the BMW benefitting from a healthy option spend and the Mercedes coming in Night Edition Premium Plus spec which is from £78,825 anyway. A day isn’t enough to declare which options are worth spending the money on and not, though even without diving into the fine print, it's evident that the AMG is the one that more convincingly nails the sports coupe brief from a PH perspective. Put most simply the CLE feels more of an £80k prospect than the BMW does a £70k one. Expect a newly rejuvenated M2 to provide a sterner test, albeit in a smaller-still package.
SPECIFICATION | 2024 BMW M440I XDRIVE
Engine: 2,998cc turbocharged straight six
Transmission: 8-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 374@5,500-6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 369@1,900-5,000rpm
0-62mph: 4.5 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
Weight: 1,825kg DIN
MPG: 32.8-36.2
CO2: 176-194g/km
Price: £60,545 (price as standard; price as tested £72,669.99 comprising Comfort Pack (Electric bootlid, Comfort Access, Front lumbar, Storage for wireless charging) for £1,250, Technology Pack (Driving Assistant, Parking Assistant Plus, Lice Cockpit Pro with HUD) for £2,150, Harman/Kardon surround sound for £500, Adaptive LED Headlights and Laser Tail Lights for £1,525, Luxury Instrument Panel for £550, Galvanic Controls for £100, M Adaptive Suspension for £450, M Sport package Pro (M Sport brakes with red calipers, M Sport seat belts, BMW Individual Lights Shadow Line) for £850, Black Merino leather for £2,325, 19-inch Style 995 Bicolour wheels for £1,600, Brooklyn Grey metallic for £875)
SPECIFICATION | 2024 MERCEDES-AMG CLE 53 4MATIC+
Engine: 2,999cc six-cylinder, turbocharged hybrid
Transmission: nine-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 449@5,800rpm-6,100rpm
Torque (lb ft): 413@2,200rpm-5,000rpm (443 with overboost)
0-62mph: 4.2 seconds
Top speed: 155mph (168mph optional)
Weight: 2,080kg
MPG: 39.4
CO2: 220-212g/km
Price: from £73,075 (Night Edition Premium Plus from £78,825; price as tested £81,445 comprising Manufaktur Opalite Bright White paint for £925, Driving Assistance Package Plus for £1,695)
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