Mercedes-AMG Mythos #2 emerges in the snow

When Mercedes-AMG takes something truly seriously, it does not send it to a sunny test track in southern Europe, but to the bitter cold of Scandinavia.

And precisely there, deep in the north of Sweden, a completely new and still unannounced AMG model has now emerged. Heavily camouflaged, driving on ice and snow, but with a presence that is impossible to hide even under layers of tape and film: this is no ordinary Mercedes. This is Mythos.

According to Mercedes-Benz itself, this is the second model in the exclusive Mercedes-Benz Mythos series, an ultra-limited line of collectible halo cars whose main purpose is to show what Affalterbach is truly capable of when compromises are thrown overboard entirely.

What is Mercedes-Benz Mythos?

The Mythos series is Mercedes-Benz's answer to brands that reserve their most extreme creations for a select circle of insiders. Think: a design statement, performance icon and collectible in one. The first model, the radical Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed, set the tone immediately: no roof, no windscreen, pure driving feel and raw emotion.

Model number two now follows that same path, but clearly chooses a different base. Where the PureSpeed started from the AMG GT, this new Mythos appears to be built on the Mercedes-AMG CLE. And that perhaps makes the story even more interesting.

CLE, but with the brakes off

At first glance, the body indeed reveals clear CLE proportions. But anyone who looks closer sees immediately that this is no ordinary CLE derivative. The nose looks more aggressive, with enormous air intakes that point to a drivetrain we do not yet know within the CLE range. The substantial rear spoiler also leaves little to the imagination: downforce, stability and track focus are central here.

That immediately fuels the biggest speculation: is the long-awaited 4.0-litre biturbo V8 under the bonnet here? Officially, Mercedes-AMG remains silent, but everything (from the cooling to the aerodynamics) suggests that this Mythos model aims a good deal higher than the current four- and six-cylinder CLE variants.

Why test in Sweden?

The location is no coincidence. Above the Arctic Circle, Mercedes-AMG tests its models under conditions that are merciless for both man and machine. Temperatures well below zero, slick ice, frozen asphalt and enormous strain on the drivetrain, electronics and chassis.

It is precisely there that aspects such as cold-start behaviour, traction, thermal management, differentials and software calibration are pushed to the limit. The fact that Mercedes-AMG is already testing this Mythos car so intensively suggests that we are dealing with a seriously developed product, not a design study or one-off show car.

A true statement AMG

Mercedes itself speaks of a car with an “exceptionally uncompromising presence”. And that is remarkably clear language for a brand that normally communicates cautiously. The message is clear: this Mythos-CLE will not be a comfort-focused GT, but an emotional, raw performance machine that deliberately distances itself from the increasingly digital, filtered car landscape.

Or as insiders sum it up: less assistance, more character. Less homogeneity, more identity.

Positioning: rare, expensive and desirable

Just like the PureSpeed, this second Mythos will also be produced in very limited numbers. Exact figures are not yet known, but expect a run that is closer to dozens than hundreds. This is not a car you simply “order”, but a model that is allocated.

With this, Mercedes-AMG explicitly positions itself in the same arena as brands like Pagani, Ferrari Special Projects and Aston Martin Q, but with German precision and AMG brutality.

AutoNext Verdict

That Mercedes-AMG continues the Mythos line with a CLE-based model is no coincidence. It shows nerve. Where others build their exclusive models on existing supercars, Mercedes dares to take a more compact base and radicalise it completely.

If this indeed becomes a V8-powered, hardcore CLE-Mythos, then Affalterbach is about to create something very special: a modern, uncompromising performance icon that does not aim for mass appeal, but for emotion and legacy.

The snow gives away plenty. The camouflage even more. And honestly? We cannot wait for it to be stripped of both.