Facts you need to know About Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
The
Mercedes-Benz CLS is an executive-size
sedan based on the
W211 E-Class platform. Marketed as a 'four door
coupe,' the CLS recalls the
fastback saloon designs of
Robert Opron (born 1932) in the 1970s but is actually the work of the influential American automotive designer, Michael Fink (born 1967) who styled the first CLK, the C-Sportcoupe', and is known as the stylist who penned the
Maybach 57 and 62. According to a
Mercedes-Benz press release, the CLS-class was produced to combine the "strong, emotive charisma" of a coupe with the "comfort and practicality" of a saloon. Save for its four-door design, the CLS's design tends towards a coupe, as its sleek roofline reduces the rear passenger room to a
2+2 arrangement, and it offers a smaller selection of engines tending towards high powered of the range, compared to contemporary sedans such as the
E-Class.
[2]
The current iteration of the CLS is internally designated as the C219 and it was first offered for sale in Europe and Latin America in autumn 2004. It is assembled by
Daimler AG in
Sindelfingen,
Germany and
Mercedes-Benz-Valdez in
Santiago Tianguistenco,
Mexico.
The next generation CLS was introduced in the Fall of 2010. The first versions of the car include an inline-4 diesel 2.5 L CLS 250 CDI, a V-6 diesel CLS 350 CDI, and a direct-injection V-6 gas CLS 350 BlueEfficiency. On November 17, 2010 the CLS 63 AMG with a twin-turbocharged V-8 was introduced. All of these will be available from 29 January 2011 0 Hour . This new generation offers a great blend of power and economy.
Background
The CLS marked Mercedes-Benz's return to the
executive-size coupe market since the (
W124) E-Class Coupe (a
two-door sedan) went out of production in 1995. The (
W210) E-Class did not spawn a coupe variant, as Mercedes-Benz choose instead to introduce a smaller coupe based on the compact
C-Class, the
CLK-Class. However, the CLK-Class was built with a lengthened C-Class wheelbase so it could be slotted as a
mid-sized vehicle, and it also featured styling cues, engines, and similar pricing to the (W210) E-Class to give the impression that the (W124) E-Class Coupe had been directly replaced. The CLS name also caused some to confuse it as the four-door version of the
CL-Class, the full-sized coupe based on the S-Class.
Priced to slot between the mid-sized E-Class and the full-sized
S-Class, it competes in the range which was previously solely occupied by the
BMW 6-series. Prior to the launch of the CLS, Mercedes had no direct answer to the executive-sized 6-series which positioned itself between the compact/mid-sized CLK and the full-sized CL. The CLK is slotted between the
BMW 3 series coupe/cabriolet and the 6 series coupe/cabriolet, while the CL has no direct competitor. Others maintain, however, that the CLS has no direct competitor.
[3]
During its development, Mercedes-Benz executives nicknamed the CLS the "Jag fighter," hoping that it would be the type of vehicle that Jaguar customers would be attracted to having cues of a
Jaguaresque new style for Mercedes. Jaguar, however, has not launched a four-door coupe since production until recently announced as the 2009 Jaguar XF sedan. Due to the popularity of the CLS-Class, other manufacturers are offering similar four-door sedans, the most similar being the most recently-launched
Volkswagen Passat CC.
W219
The first generation of the CLS, the
Mercedes-Benz C219, is based upon the
W219 platform, a
W211 E-Class spin-off that is six inches (152 mm) longer.
IVM Automotive, a subsidiary of German roof system specialist
Edscha, developed the entire vehicle from the Vision concept to the production version. More than 150 IVM engineers were involved, making the CLS the largest vehicle development project in the company's history.
The CLS-class was first displayed as the Vision CLS concept at the 2003
Frankfurt International Motor Show. The production version
CLS 500 made its debut at the 2004
New York International Auto Show. A new
AMG model was introduced at the 2004
Paris Motor Show, the
CLS 55 AMG. Only 3,000 CLS 55 AMG cars were to be built each year.
The CLS was first offered for sale in the
United States in January 2005 as the CLS 500 and CLS 55 AMG. In 2006, Mercedes phased out both the 5.0L in the CLS 500 and 5.5L Supercharged V8 in the CLS 55 AMG in favor of two new 5.5L and 6.2L V8s. This resulted in the 2007 model year name change to the CLS 63 AMG (6.2L V8) and CLS 550 (5.5L V8) in the United States. The CLS 500 badge continues to be used in various markets with the 5.5L
V8 motor.
Mercedes-Benz has planned a yearly production of 30,000 units worldwide, of which about 10,000 will be shipped to the U.S. market. The CLS 550 has a base price of
US$65,620, with the CLS 55 starting at US$87,320. CLS63 starts at $92,500 for a base model, and is offered with steering wheel mounted paddles (F1 style), and 19" wheels for the US market.
Specifications
| Engine | Power | Torque | 0–100 km/h (62 mph) | Top speed |
| CLS 320 CDI | 3.0 L diesel V6 | 165 kW (224 hp DIN) | 510 N·m (380 ft·lbf) | 7.0 seconds | 250 km/h (155 mph) |
| CLS 320 CDI | 3.0 L diesel V6 | 165 kW (224 hp DIN) | 540 N·m (380 ft·lbf) | 7.0 seconds | 250 km/h (155 mph) |
| CLS 350 CDI | 3.0 L diesel V6 | 165 kW (224 hp DIN) | 540 N·m (380 ft·lbf) | 7.0 seconds | 250 km/h (155 mph) |
| CLS 350 | 3.5 L M272 V6 | 200 kW (272 hp DIN) | 350 N·m (258 ft·lbf) | 7.0 seconds | 250 km/h (155 mph) |
| CLS 350 CGI | 3.5 L M272 V6 | 215 kW (292 hp DIN) | 365 N·m (269 ft·lbf) | 6.7 seconds | 250 km/h (155 mph) |
| CLS 500 (2006) | 5.0 L M113 V8 | 228 kW (306 hp DIN) | 460 N·m (339 ft·lbf) | 6.0 seconds | 250 km/h (155 mph) |
CLS 550
CLS 500 (2007-) | 5.5 L M273 V8 | 281 kW (388 hp DIN) | 530 N·m (391 ft·lbf) | 4.7 seconds | 250 km/h (155 mph) |
| CLS 55 AMG (2006) | Supercharged
5.4 L AMG M113 V8 | 350 kW (476 hp DIN) | 699 N·m (516 ft·lbf) | 4.2 seconds | 250 km/h (155 mph) |
| CLS 63 AMG | 6.2 L AMG M156 V8 | 378 kW (514 hp DIN) | 630 N·m (465 ft·lbf) | 4.1 seconds | 250 km/h (155 mph) |
[edit] Features
Mercedes-Benz has put all of its latest safety features into the CLS-class. In addition to front
airbags, there are side-impact airbags in the front seats and side curtain airbags throughout. The car features a "smart" sensor system for the seatbelts and airbags that can detect and react to accident severity. An optional
Pre-Safe system predicts an impending
collision; when the system is activated, the
seatbelts tighten, the front passenger seat adjusts to crash positioning, and the
sunroof closes automatically. Mercedes-Benz engineers describe the feature as a human-like reflex system.
2008 Mercedes-Benz CLS (Europe)
2008 Mercedes-Benz CLS (Europe)
The air suspension has three settings. The default setting, "Comfort," is ideal under normal driving conditions, stiffening as the car's speed increases. "Sport 1" and "Sport 2" settings give the car more agility on winding and bumpy roads. The car can also be raised three inches (76 mm) , if needed.
The CLS-class comes with a choice of four interior colors, three types of leather and two kinds of wood. Leather interior comes standard, with Nappa leather upholstery available on designo models. Burl walnut and dark laurel wood interior trim are available in either a high-gloss or silk matte finish. Leather colors include Black, Basalt Gray, Sunset Red and Cashmere. New scratch-resistant exterior paint is three times as durable as past exterior finishes.
There are 33 inches (838 mm) of rear legroom, which is not quite as accommodating as the 35.6 inches (904 mm) available in the E-Class. Elbow room is generous at 57 inches (1448 mm). The trunk can hold 16 cubic feet (453 L) of cargo.
The following features are standard in all models: heated auto-dimming mirrors, outside temperature gauge, rain-sensing wipers and projector-beam
headlights. Also standard is a Thermatic automatic
climate control system; this system assesses and adjusts interior temperature and humidity levels and filters the air in the cabin. There are dual controls in both the front and rear seats.
Other available features include: self-cleaning
bi-xenon HID headlamps, distronic radar-guided
cruise control, power
sunroof, keyless go, drive authorization system and Parktronic parking sensors. Available electronics include: COMAND control system, GPS navigation and
surround sound audio.
The CLS 55 AMG and CLS 63 AMG are modified versions of the CLS produced by
Mercedes-AMG. Features exclusive to AMG models include: perforated sport seats, 18 inch (457 mm) light-alloy wheels with wider tires (for the UK), 19 inch five spoke light-alloy wheels (standard in North America, optional for all other markets), large air inlets and quad chromed oval exhaust pipes.
