Mercedes-Benz CLS 2005 Review

The CLS is part of a drive to draw new customers into Mercedes showrooms, as well as baiting the hook with something new for people who might be on to their second, third, or fourth Benz.

That's why it looks so different. That's why it is loaded with gear. That is why it combines the looks of a new coupe with the practical parts from an E-Class sedan.

Dig deeper and you see that the CLS is one of the world's first crossover cars.

But, instead of the people mover and four-wheel drive combination that is going to be commonplace in the next few years, this is a cross between a coupe and a basic E-Class sedan.

It is also a cross between a sporty car and a luxury limousine.

Benz has done it first, but don't be surprised to see other companies doing it within three years.

Porsche has already committed to something similar, called the Panamera.

It is Porsche's first four-door luxury car, but the company will also ensure it drives like a sports car to keep its existing owners and win new ones.

The CLS has been carefully developed, aiming at cashed-up men 45 to 55 years old.

It is intended to be exclusive and just a bit different.

"Mercedes-Benz is an innovator. It's easy to get hooked up on the name and miss the appeal to customers," Mercedes-Benz Australia's Toni Andreevski says.

"The sales in just three months show that there was a niche there just waiting to be plugged."

Benz has delivered 268 cars since May, all of them with V8 engines and a price beyond $170,000.

By comparison, BMW has sold only 79 of its 6 Series coupes -- the closest rival to the CLS -- in the seven months since the start of the year.

"We're going to get about 400 cars this year. And about 450 next year. This is niche volume and we want to keep it that way," Andreevski says.

But what about the car? The CLS is a four-person sedan with a low roofline and edgy design, which is an E-Class under the skin.

But the quality is a clear step up from the mainstream mid-sized Benz and the CLS comes with extra equipment.

The price is higher, but Mercedes says the $15,000 premium is offset by more than $10,000 worth of extra gear.

In the basic CLS 350, buyers get bi-xenon headlamps, steering wheel shift buttons, four-zone climate control and 17-inch alloys as part of the $137,900 package.

The range runs through the CLS 500 at $173,900 to the CLS 55 AMG at $347,900.

Benz admits the CLS is the answer to a question that nobody had asked, but says it is doing everything it can to move into new car classes.

We have just seen the preview of the crossover R-Class. And the B-Class, basically a stretched A-Class, has been moved up for deliveries before the end of the year.

ON THE ROAD

The CLS is a great drive. And a wonderful ego boost. It makes you feel good to sit inside the sumptuous cabin and watch people turn around to stare as the car drives past.

But not everyone is convinced by the CLS 500 look. Some people, including our good friend Annie, think the back end looks far too much like the unloved and unlovely AU Falcon

The CLS 500 gets along nicely, with a satisfying V8 burble and surprisingly good fuel economy which averaged 10.7 litres/100km with a fair bit of freeway work.

It would dip if you dug into the throttle, but the seven-speed auto keeps things moving along. We were disappointed only with the quality of manual downshifts into first and second gears, which produced some juddering.

The car is quiet and nicely equipped, and youngsters enjoyed their time in the back-end buckets with the TV tuner.

The rear doors will make a big difference to sales, because many like the idea of a coupe but need real rear access.

The ride and handling of the CLS is nothing special, with a slightly ponderous feel in corners.

It was not as nice as our previous E-Class experience, but the Airmatic suspension is great. It was a bit hit-and-miss when we first tried it in an S-Class, but Benz now gives CLS 500 drivers the chance to choose between a cushy luxury ride and a firmer sporty setting.

You can feel the difference and the settings are spot-on for the job, though our test car did have a bit of a judder through the steering when the front wheels hit bumps in corners.

One thing we definitely noticed was the improved cabin quality. The E-Class has been attacked for its sub-Benz interior, but the CLS is right up and beyond the mid-sized sedan, with a much more elegant look and a more solid feel to the controls.

Even the woodgrain panels are impressive, though one generated an annoying reflection in sunlight. But that's typical of the CLS. You find only tiny things to criticise.

Lined up against a BMW Six, it's not nearly as macho or eager on a winding road, but is far more practical.

We like it. It's another winner.