Earlier this summer, Mercedes-Benz rolled out a new model, the CLE. Essentially a lineup portmanteau of the outgoing C-Class and E-Class, the new CLE streamlines the company’s production, arriving at a comprehensive showroom presence it hopes will tickle the pocketbooks of any buyer interested in an entry-level or mid-level Merc.

Arriving for the 2024 model year, the CLE Coupe, due in dealerships toward the end of this year, took most of the limelight when the model was formally introduced in the first weeks of this summer. The Mercedes marketing content cites ‘Sensual Purity,’ the brand’s current ideal, and in the case of the CLE it translates to a youthful, dexterous-looking sedan with a concise nose, subtly extravagant rear, and sporty muscularity in profile.

But Mercedes tells us there’s a CLE Cabriolet on the way for the 2024 model year as well, and in the halcyon if slightly delirious days of summer 2023 the idea of a smartly priced open-top Merc fantasy is just the ticket. Like the Coupe, the Cabriolet takes the place of the now-deleted C-Class and E-Class drop-top models in the company’s production lineup.

What we’re left with in combination is a remarkably charming little roadster that harkens back to the 450SL of a few decades ago. As promoted by Mercedes, the CLE Cabriolet is fitted with a bright red fabric top; additional colors may or may not be available. All CLE models will be mild hybrids, with a 3.0L six-cylinder engine the most powerful option.

We won’t see the CLE Cabriolet deliveries until next year, Mercedes informs. For now, these images will have to do to whet the appetite of the open-air driver.