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A modified Porsche 911 now holds the altitude record for a climb achieved by a wheeled vehicle, after reaching the peak of the west ridge of Chile’s Ojos del Salado, the world’s tallest volcano with a summit at 22,615 feet.

With racing driver Romain Dumas behind the wheel, the 911, which featured a raised chassis and ran on carbon-neutral e-fuel, on Dec. 2 reached a height of 22,093 feet. That beats the previous record of 21,961.94 feet, set in 2020 by a pair of Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5023 off-road trucks on the same volcano.

Near the summit, Dumas faced extreme conditions, including air roughly half as dense as at sea level, and temperatures as low as 12 degrees F.

“I’ll never forget this experience,” Dumas said in a statement. “It was an extraordinary feeling to drive where no car has gone before.”

Modified Porsche 911 reaches 22,093 feet on Chile’s Ojos del Salado – Dec. 2023

Dumas previously tackled the volcano in 2022 in a practice run. The peak of the west ridge is the only path accessible by a vehicle, and the point where he stopped on the record run was the absolute peak of the ridge, meaning the record will be tough to surpass. Dumas, with a support team and a second car on hand, set off at 3:30 am and finished at 3:58 p.m.

The e-fuel used for the run was a batch from the Porsche-backed pilot plant located in Chile. The synthetic fuel is produced in a process that uses electrical energy generated by a wind turbine to form hydrogen via electrolysis of water, essentially the reverse of what happens in a hydrogen fuel cell. The hydrogen is then combined with CO2 captured from the air, in a synthesis process that creates gasoline and liquefied gas.

The modified 911 is based on the 911 Carrera 4S. The car’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-6 was completely stock but paired with a 7-speed manual transmission with lower gear ratios than stock to enable precise, gentle throttle inputs at low speed.

Modified Porsche 911 reaches 22,093 feet on Chile’s Ojos del Salado – Dec. 2023

The key modification required for traversing the rough terrain were portal axles, which together with chunky off-road tires increased ground clearance to almost 14 inches and required widened wheel arches to be fitted.

Porsche also installed a device called a Warp-Connecter. Adapted from motorsports, the device allows constant wheel loads even when the chassis experiences extreme movements, and as a result, it improves traction. Differential locks and a steer-by-wire system were also added.

While Porsche doesn’t plan to put a 911 this rugged into production, the automaker last year launched the limited-edition 911 Dakar offering a lot more off-road capability than a stock 911.

At Ultimate Stance in Telford, UK early last month, one car drew crowds like no other.

It’s easy to see the appeal of Paul Foster‘s 1982 BMW E21 though. The Group 2-themed build appeals to a wide audience – those who grew up around BMW race cars in the 1980s all the way through to younger people who can appreciate the modern replica.

This isn’t a new build by any stretch; it’s been kicking around shows for a couple of years now and prior to its completion (well, as complete as any true project…) it was under the knife for over a decade in Paul’s home garage.

His goal for the car was always clear though: create an E21 with the look of a Group 2 race car, that can be used for competition (hill climbs to be exact), and also on the road, legally. All of those boxes have been ticked.

Let’s start with the look, which has been achieved through the addition of a complete E21 Group 2 body kit. The kit, which includes a deep front air dam and wide, bolt-on fender flares is all in fibreglass, but the rest of the body panels remain in steel, including the custom-vented bonnet.

The giant rear wing is a Group 5-style item that features a carbon fibre blade, while the alloy rear diffuser is another custom piece.

Keeping the weight low was of utmost importance to Paul, and you can see that in some of the meticulous attention to detail. From gutted doors, drilled brackets supporting the wing mirrors and drilled door handles, to thin boot struts and use of titanium bolts throughout. As it sits the E21 tips the scales at a light 900kg (1,985lbs), but there’s more – or less weight, technically – to come.

The heart of this E21 is an ’80s Rover/TVR V8 engine with twin Suzuki GSX-R1000 K2 throttle body sets (eight ITBs in total) and custom headers running into a twin 3-inch side-exit exhaust system, tied to a Cosworth T5 World Cup transmission and a Quaife ATB limited slip differential out back.

As you can see, there’s some serious rubber on the rear – Pirelli P Zeros in 345/35R15 sizing to be exact. The wheels are 15-inch Compomotive TS501s all round, with narrower 245/45R15 P Zero tyres up front.

And looking right at home on the front wheels are a pair of custom Dlng turbofan covers.

The interior is full race spec, with a serious roll cage and everything else you’d expect to find in a competition car, like a Sparco steering wheel and seats.

It’s an impressive machine, let alone one built DIY-style in a home garage, but Paul is not done with this labour of love just yet. Future plans include even more weight reduction through carbon fibre doors, boot and bonnet, plus the full kit remade in the composite material. The ultimate goal is 800kg (1,765lbs).

Paul’s most poignant moment of the build to date is an early one, with his then three-year-old son Ethan sitting on the then stock engine helping him remove the bolts. Ethan’s now a teenager, and together this father and son duo attend car shows all over the UK, often driving hours in the E21 to attend. He might just be a passenger for now, but when Ethan gains his race licence, you know which seat he’s going to be sitting in.

Samuel Cherry
Instagram: samgcherry

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Mercedes-Benz has been thinning its U.S. herd over the past couple years, discontinuing slow-selling cars like the A-Class sedan and consolidating other models that cannibalize each other. One of the most recent examples is the new CLE coupe, which was unveiled earlier this year. The CLE slots in between the old C-Class and E-Class coupes in terms of size, acting as a replacement for both, and now Mercedes-AMG has worked its magic on the CLE to create the CLE53.

The CLE53 is powered by an updated version of Mercedes’ 3.0-liter inline-6 engine we know and love, which in AMG form has a turbocharger, an electric auxiliary compressor (essentially an electric supercharger), and a 48-volt mild-hybrid system with an integrated starter generator.

Upgrades to the engine include new piston rings, tweaked injection, and reworked combustion chambers with redesigned inlet and outlet channels. The electric supercharger is new and offers near-continuous operation over longer periods of time and more torque at a wider range of speeds, and the turbocharger is a new, larger F1-style exhaust gas unit – working together, these provide 22 psi of boost, 5.8 psi more than before.

Total output is 443 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque – though up to 443 lb-ft of torque is available for up to 12 seconds when overboost is engaged – and the 48-volt system gives its own boost of 23 HP and 151 lb-ft at low speeds. That’s 14 HP and 59 lb-ft more than the old E53 coupe and 41 HP and 74 lb-ft more than what you get from the new four-cylinder C43 sedan, and it’s also 68 HP and 74 lb-ft greater than the six-cylinder CLE450 coupe. Mercedes says the CLE53 will hit 60 mph in 4.0 seconds, around half a second quicker than all three of those cars. (The old C43 coupe used an even less-powerful twin-turbo V6.)

A 9-speed automatic transmission is the only option, and the CLE53 comes standard with an all-wheel-drive system that provides fully variable torque distribution. The CLE53 also gets bigger brakes with four-piston front calipers, steel suspension with adaptive dampers, three-stage speed-sensitive steering, and standard rear-wheel steering that turns at up to 2.5 degrees.

AMG’s Dynamic Select features five different drive modes and three different stability control settings, and things like the engine, steering, suspension and transmission can be configured separately. An AMG Dynamic Plus package adds active engine mounts, a Race drive mode and a Drift mode that completely disengages the front axle to make the CLE53 operate in rear-wheel drive.

Unlike the mid-tier AMG versions of the old C-Class and E-Class, the CLE53’s exterior styling is much more differentiated from a regular CLE coupe. Its dramatically flared fenders allow for a track that’s 2.3 inches wider at the front and 3 inches wider at the rear, and there are functional vertical vents aft of the front wheels. This gives the CLE53 a mean stance, especially with the optional 20-inch wheels, and the photos show the car wearing Michelin’s new Pilot Sport S 5 tires.

Up front you’ll find AMG’s Panamericana grille and a trio of large air intakes in the bumper. The hood has a functional vent like that of the C63, and the optional digital headlights have blue accents. The rear bumper has larger corner vents, a lovely ducktail spoiler, and a more pronounced diffuser with quad round exhaust tips.

Step inside and things are a bit less exciting. The CLE53 gets sporty bucket seats with fixed headrests, a flat-bottom steering wheel with drive-mode buttons, a “Supersport” display scheme, and lots of red accents. Otherwise it’s pretty much the same as the standard CLE’s cabin (which itself is nearly identical to the C-Class), with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 11.9-inch central touchscreen, squircle air vents, dynamic ambient lighting, and a mix of aluminum, carbon-fiber and gloss black trim.

The CLE53 coupe will go on sale in the U.S. in 2024, likely in the middle of the year, and it will be joined by the CLE53 cabriolet later in the year. Pricing for the standard CLE hasn’t been announced yet, but expect the CLE53 to start at around $80,000.

Coming after the CLE53’s launch will be the range-topping CLE63, but we don’t yet know what will power it. The new C63 has a plug-in-hybrid powertrain that uses a four-cylinder engine for a total of 671 HP, but given the CLE’s use of six-cylinders, a four-pot doesn’t seem likely. Mercedes recently unveiled a new plug-in variant of the GLE53, which pairs this same inline-6 with an electric motor and a 31.2-kWh batter for a total of 536 HP. I bet the eventual CLE63 will use a version of that setup with more than 700 horsepower, which will be shared with the next-gen E63.

The last time Mercedes rationalized the C-Class and E-Class into a freestanding coupe and convertible, the Germans called the result the CLK. Debuting in 1997, the CLK sat on the C-Class platform but adopted the E-Class’s more mature styling. In this latest C- and E- remix, the lines have shifted. The result is known as the CLE, sitting on the already-rationalized MRA II platform that supports the latest C-Class and E-Class, the Mercedes-Benz version adopting styling more familiar from the E-Class Coupe. On the CLE’s AMG variant, the styling moves in the direction of the old, bad boy C-Class AMG.

This is the first AMG out of the top rank — think, 63 and up — to get AMG’s pumped-up hood with the heat evacuation vent running between power domes. And even without the black paint and optional AMG Night Package, the AMG CLE 53 is everywhere more intense than the retiring AMG E 53 and even the AMG C 63 S.

AMG’s new family look strikes a pose, starting with a larger, more pronounced grille than on the current AMG E 53, underlined by a splitter across the front fascia. A DRL eyebrow sits above the headlights, two additional LED spots in each lamp recalling the E-Class heyday of quad lamps. The hood begins that steep sweep up to the swept-back windshield, while further down, a pair of fender vents help draw cooling air over the “thoroughly modified” turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine. A short deck ends in a more pronounced spoiler. Down in back, the rear fender vents are embellished with black trim, and AMG’s four round exhaust finishers poke through a diffuser. An AMG Performance Studio Package goes over the top with aero flics on the front and rear fenders, an even stouter decklid spoiler, and an even beefier diffuser.

Standard 19-inch wheels can be optioned to 20 inches as on the photo car above. Either way, the coupe’s track is wider by 2.3 inches in the front and three inches in back compared to the standard CLE. Buyers who opt for the larger size will find Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tires sized 265/35 in front, 295/30 in back.  

Up front, the well-traveled mild hybrid inline-six has been upgraded to be more powerful and efficient. Tweaks like reshaped intake runners and exhaust manifold, a larger turbo with 5.8 psi more boost, and a new auxiliary electric compressor raise output to 443 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque; torque can be run up to 443 lb-ft for 12 seconds thanks to an overboost function. This motor without the update peaks at 429 hp and 384 lb-ft in today’s AMG E 53.

The CLE’s 48-volt motor-generator contributes to efficiency and smoothness, adding 23 hp and 151 lb-ft at lower speeds and filling in troughs in power delivery as the ICE motor does its thing. Shifting comes courtesy of AMG’s nine-speed automatic. 

We know the interior formula by now: A 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, an 11.9-inch infotainment display, AMG’s Performance steering wheel, lots of satin metal and carbon fiber, a set of comfy AMG seats or the AMG Performance Seat Package in MB-Tex and microfiber or optional Nappa leather, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. The dynamic formula is getting routine on the spec sheet, cribbed from the new AMG SL and 2024 AMG GT, and soon to appear on the new G-Class, but it’s still anything but routine in action. There’s the hydraulic AMG Ride Control suspension with Comfort, Sport, and Sport+ maps. There are five AMG Dynamics modes (Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Individual) three AMG Dynamic Select program (Basic, Advance, Pro). And there’s AMG Performance 4Matic+ in cahoots with rear-wheel steering.

The AMG CLE 53 will be just as ready for a date at the tea house as one for the track. It’s a bit mature in look, however, and likely so in price, whenever we get that. The departing AMG C 63 S starts at about $83,000, the departing AMG E 53 starts at about $85,000, our guess is the MSRP bullseye won’t leave much change, if any, from $90,000 before options.

I walk into the stark Caja Granada Cultural Center in Granada, Spain, and company public relations folks shuttle me over to get a glimpse of the 2024 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE 53. I don’t even really like the AMG C-Class or AMG E-Class coupes, the two discontinued cars that this one is supposed to replace. They drive just fine and dandy, but neither impress me visually. Frankly, I don’t have great expectations for whatever the heck this mishmash is supposed to be.

Then I see it. Situated in an outdoor courtyard surrounded by spiraling walkways, the midsize coupe is a stunner. What hits me first is its stealth. Equipped with one of AMG’s optional Night packages, this thing is a lesson in covert ops with its matte black paint, black wheels, and black AMG-specific grille. I’m picturing myself beside it wearing black leather with sky-high heels, cosplaying as the ultimate German villain.

Then it’s about the width. Stuffed under the fenders are a set of Michelin Pilot S5 summer tires wrapped on optional 20-inch black wheels. The sizes are staggered, measuring 265/35 in the front and a beefy 295/30 in the rear. That pushes the front fenders out 2.3 inches compared to the non-AMG CLE, and the rear increases by 3.0 inches. She’s a curvy girl. 

A sculpted and vented hood tucks into that AMG grille, highlighted with just a touch of chrome. Flanked by tightly designed LED headlamps, the front fascia is more menacing than the versions on the outgoing C- and E-Class coupes. Mercedes hasn’t announced just how long the AMG CLE 53 is, but the standard CLE spans 112.8 inches between the tires, and I don’t expect this car measures any differently. Regardless, it allows for a long dash-to-axle ratio, placing the driver behind the midpoint of the car. The back allows for the best view of the car’s hips, making the greenhouse seem downright pinched. The optional AMG Performance Studio Package adds a rear diffuser and a more pronounced rear spoiler.

Mercedes says the AMG CLE coupe is meant to handle like an AMG C-Class while maintaining the room of an AMG E-Class. I don’t get to sit in the thing, but the optional front AMG Performance seats appear to be comfortable, if heavily bolstered. The coupe’s sloping roofline means the two rear seats will be best for smaller passengers, but those rear seats can fold down in a 40/20/40 configuration to expand the cargo space in the trunk. However, horizontal bracing behind the rear seats might hinder easy packing. 

I’m a sucker for a black interior with red accents and this preview model delivers. It has red seat belts and red contrasting stitching and trim throughout with AMG badges scattered about. The dash has carbon-fiber trim and the standard flat-bottom steering wheel is crowded with controls for everything from adaptive cruise control to the radio to driving dynamics. 

However, the overall interior design mimics that of the standard CLE and that is not a bad thing. The cool-looking turbine air vents are here, but it’s the portrait-oriented 11.9-inch infotainment screen that takes center stage. Tilted toward the driver just a touch, it runs the latest version of the MBUX infotainment system with excellent navigation technology and a powerful voice assistant. The gauge cluster gets into the tech game, too, measuring 12.3 inches and configured in Classic, Sport, or the AMG-specific Supersport styles. My only quibble here is that it looks like it was just plunked down behind the steering wheel. I want something integrated into the dash a bit more. 

As for the claim of handling like an AMG C-Class, that point is still up for debate until we drive the AMG CLE 53. This new model certainly has more power than the outgoing AMG C 43, but its turbocharged, mild-hybrid 3.0-liter inline-6 can’t hold a candle to the power and fury of the V-8 in the outgoing AMG C 63. 

Still, it’s enough for 443 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque going to all four wheels through a 9-speed automatic transmission. This powerplant gets a new exhaust gas turbocharger that pairs with a new electric auxiliary compressor providing up to 22 psi of boost pressure. That in turn ups the torque to 443 lb-ft for up to 12 seconds. This should make highway merging and passing pretty easy.

But an AMG car has to be fun to drive, right? Driving impressions will have to wait until after my villain cosplay getaway dreams come true, but I can make some educated guesses. The all-wheel-drive system is biased toward the rear, and Mercedes says it can seamlessly switch between the two axles. The standard rear-wheel steering should keep things nice and tight in the switchbacks while allowing for more stability during high-speed cruising. Straight-line speed is quick if Mercedes is to be believed: 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds. 

If you’ve never driven a Benz, to say nothing of an AMG, the company allows drivers to dial in ride preferences six ways to Sunday. There are Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, and Individual drive modes, but buyers can go one step further to Race mode with the optional AMG Dynamic Plus Package. Within those modes drivers can dial in the stability control and all-wheel drive system—the Race program even has a Drift setting—and the steel-sprung suspension has three different levels of damper customization. 

Past experiences with AMG have left me with high expectations for the CLE 53. In other models power delivery is smooth, shifts are sharp, and turn-in is crisp. I see no reason for this car to be any different, but I need to get some time behind the wheel to be sure. 

Pricing has not been announced for the 2024 Mercedes-AMG CLE 53, but the current AMG C 43 starts around $63,000, while the AMG E 53 starts around $85,000. We expect prices to start around $80,000. Look for it in the middle of next year, and let’s hope it drives as well as it looks.

Mercedes-Benz paid for travel and lodging for Motor Authority to bring you these firsthand impressions.

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

The holidays are just around the corner. For many of us, that means spending a little extra time with extended family. Sure, you could spend that family-time talking about family drama, sports rivalries, politics and other various potentially stressful topics, or you could turn down the tension and turn up the fun with a board game. Board games are a tried and true method of entertaining larger groups of people at family gatherings. Nowadays there are more than ever, for players of all ages. Right now, Amazon has a handful of classic board games on sale for the holidays. Check out these great board game deals just below.

$43.97 at Amazon

If this photo is making you feel a bit of the Mandela Effect, you’re not alone. This isn’t a Berenstain/Berenstein Bears situation, though. This game did, indeed, used to be called “Settlers of Catan.” Although it’s got a new name nowadays, the gameplay remains largely the same, barring a few rule clarifications that come with new editions. If you’ve never played Catan, it’s a great 3-4 player game that takes about an hour to complete. It centers around, as the original name suggests, settling the world of Catan before the other players. However, players can focus on settling their own areas of the map, or hindering others. It’s easy to learn and is considered a classic for a reason.

$19.97 at Amazon

This is a great game for families with a fun, lighthearted rivalry between the kids and the adults. This is a new version of the original Taboo game which includes 2 decks, one for the adults and one for the kids. The object is to get your teammate to guess the word on your card in 1 minute, without using the forbidden (or Taboo) words to describe that initial word. It even comes with a squeaker to “squeak” someone who accidentally uses a taboo word. This one is fun for the whole family. 

$9.99 at Amazon

Don’t Bee Last is a newer game for 2-6 players that takes about 10-20 minutes to complete. The object of the game is simple: Get rid of all your cards. Everyone takes turns putting their cards down, face up, and shouting out what color is on the card. It’s trickier than it sounds, with certain cards having different colored backgrounds, or cards that say “red” with the font colored green, etc. There are also cards with bees on them, which requires everyone to quickly smack the card as soon as it hits the table. It’s fast-paced fun that works well with a duo or a larger group.

$13.49 at Amazon

This one is more for the younger members of the family. If you’ve got pre-school aged children, consider picking up this “junior” version of the classic board game, Boggle. It features exciting, colorful cards and helps kids learn to spell basic words like “dog,” “red,” “bird” and more. Kids can match the letters to the pictures on the cards to spell the words, creating a rewarding experience for learning. While this is a great game for multiple young children to play together (with some supervision), naturally, you and the older members of the family can also play this game with your child as well. If you’re just looking for the classic Boggle experience, that’s on sale right now too. 

$14.87 at Amazon

It wouldn’t be an Autoblog list without a car game. This Fast & Furious: Highway Heist game takes inspiration from the movies and if there’s one thing we should all know about the movies by now, it’s that they’re all about family, which means this is a great choice to play over the holidays with the whole fam. Unlike many board games, this is a cooperative strategy game where you and your family or friends work together to complete one of three different scenarios “Semi Heist, Tank Assault, and Chopper Takedown.” This game is for players ages 12 and up and takes about an hour for a play-through.

$13.99 at Amazon

This one is a newer game that has been burning up the Amazon charts. Like Taboo Kids vs. Parents, this one also has a bit of light-hearted generational rivalry built-in. It’s a trivia game that organizes questions by generation, including “Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X, Baby Boomer, and the Silent Generation,” giving everyone their fair share of “easy questions,” despite when you were born. This game is fun for the whole family and made for laughs. There are 550 unique questions in the base game and there’s even an expansion available with 550 more. 

$14.97 at Amazon

You can’t very well make a list about board games without including Monopoly. It’s the classic of classics. The quintessential board game. Sure, it takes a while to complete, some of the rules are annoying, and if you take it too seriously, it can start fights, but that’s all kind of part of the charm. Besides, if you throw in a few house rules, it can turn a stressful, “never-ending” game into a breezy, light-hearted experience. If you’ve never at least tried it, you’re missing out. Oh yeah, there’s a Junior Edition, too … With trucks! 

$8.18 at Amazon

Clue (or depending on where you’re from, Cluedo) is another classic of classics. If you like mystery games, this is the one for you. This version offers a little something extra over the original, though; It can be played using Amazon Alexa. While it’s not necessary, players can “use the Alexa skill to summon the ghost of Mrs. White. If she’s in a pleasant mood, she might help solve the case. If she’s not…watch out.” Basically, this adds a new element of chance to the game and could help bring this classic board-game experience to more digitally-minded players. Either way you decide to play, Clue is one of the best board games out there and for under $10 it’s an absolute steal.

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