The base engine in the CL500 is a 5.5-liter V8. The new engine generates an impressive 87 PS more than 
the 5.0-liter engine it replaces, for a total of 393 hp. Mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission with manual gear selection via a steering column-mounted lever, this engine enables the CL550 to reach 100 kmph from a standing start in around 5.4 seconds.
An even more powerful CL600 version packs a twin-turbocharged V12 that scorches the pavement with a massive amount of torque. Mercedes-Benz says it can reach 100 kmph in about 4.6 seconds. The CL63 AMG and CL65 AMG are even faster and pricier, with over 500 and 600 PS, respectively.
The CL-Class has a wide, louvered chrome grille, sharply tapered rear roofline, and pillarless side windows that hark back to classic Mercedes-Benz coupes. The leather and wood-trimmed interior can be ordered in five different color schemes.
The Mercedes-Benz CL600’s cabin is even more opulent, with unique leather and wood treatments and a synthetic suede roof liner. Standard on the CL600 and optional on the base model are adjustable multi-contour heated and ventilated massaging leather seats with nine self-inflating/adjusting air cushions for the ultimate in comfort. The AMG models have interiors designed for performance, with extra-supportive seats and unique trim items.
See specs of Mercedes CL-Class
The coupe gets the S-Class sedan’s user-interface system that minimizes dashboard switches and buttons in favor of a center-console-mounted controller that manipulates menus on an LCD monitor. Redundant controls for certain functions are found on the steering wheel and console. Most luxury-car manufacturers are implementing such multimedia control systems in the pursuit of streamlined and simplified ergonomics, but they generally tend to swap one level of complexity for another and aren't proving to simplify the user experience.
The CL-Class has a computer-controlled Active Body Roll suspension system designed to keep this heavy vehicle stable through high-speed maneuvers, particularly during sharp turns. The system is almost supernatural in its ability to negate body roll — the tendency of a vehicle to pitch from side to side through turns.
The suspension system lowers the car slightly at higher speeds to reduce aerodynamic drag and improve stability. Myriad other chassis-control systems further enhance the car’s performance and handling characteristics, including the usual stability and traction control systems that are a boon to driver safety.
The CL showcases cutting-edge technology. For example, a new Intelligent Light System includes five different headlamp functions that are optimized for varying situations and weather conditions. These include a "country road" mode that focuses the high-intensity beams on the driver's side of the road to avoid blinding oncoming traffic, as well as a "motorway" mode, for when oncoming traffic isn't an issue, that illuminates the entire road ahead in a uniform cone of light. The system also includes adaptive headlamps that pivot in conjunction with the car’s steering angle to help illuminate around curves at night.
For even better visibility in darkness, an optional Night View Assist function essentially extends the driver's range of vision without having to turn on the high beams: Two infrared headlamps illuminate the road, while an infrared camera records the reflected image of the road ahead and displays it on a small screen mounted on the instrument panel.
See photos of Mercedes CL-Class
A new Brake Assist Plus feature measures the distance between the vehicle and the traffic ahead and will automatically apply the ideal amount of braking assistance when you're coming to a stop if it calculates that the closing speed is too high. If the car's Pre-Safe collision avoidance system senses a collision is imminent and unavoidable, it will automatically retract the seat belts, move the passenger's seat so that the seatbelts and airbags will have maximum effect and inflate the air cushions in the multi-contour seats (if equipped) to envelop and support the car’s occupants.
An innovative Distronic Plus proximity-control system is optional and takes so-called adaptive cruise control to a higher level of sophistication and functionality. Using radar, the system not only keeps the car at a desired speed and distance from the vehicle ahead, but it does so even if the vehicle comes to a full stop, such as in a traffic jam on the highway or in stop-and-go highway traffic.
A rear-view camera is available to help make parallel parking even easier. Also available is a sophisticated parking-guidance system that automatically measures the length of a parking space and indicates whether there is sufficient space for the vehicle to fit. If the space is suitable, the system provides a graphic representation that indicates the required steering angle and the proper path into the parking space when the reverse gear is engaged.
Is the Mercedes-Benz CL-Class for You?
| Buy the CL-Class if |
You want a large, plush and fast coupe; fuel economy isn't a concern; you like the new S-Class sedan but want something sexier. |
| Keep Looking if |
You care about fuel economy; you need the convenience of four doors; you'd rather have a more exotic-looking two-door. |
| Who Fits? |
A plush and coddling interior holds four adults, though the rear seat will likely be cramped for larger occupants. |
| Closest Competitors |
|
More ForbesAutos Content:
Which Ford is Right for You?
Which SUV does it all?
Why You Need a Hybrid?
Can Wagons be Rugged and Stylish?
Which sports car has everything?
