Mercedes-Benz CLS350 Reviews

This is clearly a fake — some young designer's handiwork — and the heartless soul hasimplanted a three-pointed star emblem atop the grille.William Shatner, who owns a Mercedes, turns to me and says: "It's a Mercedes, Jim, but not as we know it." Which is pretty unusual, given my name's not Jim. Nothing, in fact, seems real.The Mercedes-Benz CLS is very much a car out of left field, perhaps only the second time that Mercedes-Benz has publicly aired its quirky laundry. The other washday resulted in the A-Class.But there's no denying that the lines of the CLS are pretty, assertive, distinctive and impressive — tempered only by borrowing some unfortunate styling cues from the ill-fated Ford Taurus.Mercedes calls it a sedan coupe — suggesting it has the profile of a coupe with the extra benefit of four doors — but I'm putting more weight on Shatner's comments.Perhaps this is a view of the Mercedes of the future — long, low and lean.Look closer at the CLS and you see distinct overtones of the $1 million Maybach limousine, the flagship of the DaimlerChrysler range.Go underneath and the CLS is all E-Class, borrowing all the running gear and some cabin treatments from the popular upper-mid-range Merc.Mercedes-Benz has aimed the car at the more affluent buyer who demands a car that is an expression of individuality.Perhaps that buyer is a long-time Mercedes owner, a touch jaded by the familiarity of the sedan and seeking a standout addition to the driveway.The car is already proving popular. Mercedes Australia gets 400 cars this year, 450 in 2006. It recently boosted the CLS range to three models, with the introduction of the smaller-engined CLS350 to add to the CLS500 and the $347,900 CLS55 AMG.For me, the pick is the CLS500, which picks up the Merc 5-litre V8, bolts it to a seven-speed auto gearbox and sends the power to the rear wheels.Space efficient it may not be, but for spirited driving it's got the right formula that BMW — which makes no front-wheel-drive cars — knows too well.That said, few CLS500 buyers have spent nearly $180,000 for a quick fang around the block.This is a limousine of sorts, with seating for four — the rear seats are buckets — and a high level of interior trim, restrained to suit the car's target market.The interior appears to be made to a higher level of quality than some other Mercs, with excellent attention to detail combined with attractive use of leather and faux woodgrain.The foot-operated park brake is a pain, but if you're a Mercedes owner it will be quite familiar.The chop-top roofline lowers the car's height, which makes it a bit harder to enter than the CLS's E-Class donor.Getting into the car is made a bit easier by the frameless side windows — presupposing the glass is down when you enter the cabin — with the exception of the rear doors' fixed quarter panels, which can get in the way.To suit its market, the CLS is supremely quiet, though for the driver, not especially engaging.The seven-speed auto mayappear an overkill, but it's sweeter than honey and just as smooth — and it's perfectly mated to the fat torque of the V8.On the freeway, or toddling around the suburbs, this is one silky carriage.Get it on to winding roads, however, and it is a reluctant handler that shows its weight as it progresses through the bends.It's not a bad feel, just that winding country roads aren't this car's bag. Here, it reveals a suspension design made with the US in mind.The suspension is adjustable, but though that helps, it still doesn't involve the driver.That's magnified by disinterested steering, though I'll give top marks to the brakes.But I'm being too pedantic. This is a superb car with looks that turns heads.Is it better than the E-Class on which it's based? I'm not sure. William Shatner, however, assures me it is.

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 ROADThe 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 FalconThe 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.

The decision was as smooth as the slick auto shift through five smart ratios. And as adamant as that 700Nm of torque twisting through that back axle.For, allowing for a Lotto win, the Mercedes-Benz CLS 55 AMG would be part of the fantasy garage.Previously the dream was simple: a diesel LandCruiser ute with a few mods and sods, a Porsche 356 cabriolet and a Mercedes-Benz E500.The Toyota ute would be ready to go anywhere, anytime. The Porsche would be the Porsche, the classic and the convertible rolled into one for Sunday drives. And the E500 would be a sensible sedan with style, an E55 would have been too much of a good thing for the licence.And that's been the line-up for some time, a goal of some simple magnitude.It has been changed by the outrageous charms of this new Benz, this four-door coupe with a back end a little like that much-derided AU Falcon, a four-door coupe with Batmobile profile and a nose style that looks a little heavyhanded in some colours.But the sum of the parts is a gorgeous machine with a great deal of punch. Oh, and a $247,900 price tag.Now a CLS 500 would surely do the job at $173,900. And there's a CLS 350, mit V6, on its way. You could always remove the boot badge.But let's get serious at this end of fantasy land. Go straight to the top of a new class of car.Sure, spend $250,000 and there could be cars with more cabin room. Spend $250,000 and a Porsche GT3 will toy with the Benz around a race track. And that much money will deliver a V10-engined BMW M5 sedan, with some change for a tip.But this CLS-Class from Benz has a little bit of all that, plus a distinct cachet. Add the firepower of the supercharged 5.5-litre V8, with 350kW at 6000rpm and this is a very special (albeit very expensive) family all-rounder, as easy to run hard down a back country road as it is to pick up Saturday night pizzas.There are stares all round, grubby noses pressed up against window glass and cameras appear.For there is muscle tone to this style. There is that sweeping roof profile, the big hips, the pillarless doors and that shallow glass. It could have been chopped and lowered in a Californian hotrod shop.Jaguar should be taking notes.There is the trade-off with rear seat headroom in the CLS. Talk to someone who cares.For the glory is up front, seated snug in leather, surrounded by the trappings of luxury and modern electronics.As with most modern Mercedes, it is an inviting cabin with logic to the ergonomics, nice bits of timber and a DVD/satellite navigation/television screen.Differences here include the AMG tachometer and speedometer and paddle shifts on the back of the steering wheel for the five-speed auto. So here there's the choice of using the gearshift — and change by flicking from right to left and back — or letting the fingers play the tunes.And the CLS 55 has a glorious, seemingly never ending catalogue of tunes. These range from the metallic whirr of the belt-driven supercharger at low speed to the full blast of the exhaust trumpets; all mixed with a little tyre noise just before the traction control says the fun's over for now, behave and brings the Benz back to the straight ahead.This thing flies as it looks. It accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds and hits 200km/h in 16.1 seconds, says the factory.Top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h, the speedometer reads to 320km/h. Go figure.The other stats show that 700Nm of torque arrives at 2650rpm and stays around until 4500rpm. By then the CLS 55 is long, long gone.The CLS 55 sits a bit lower than other CLS machines. And here there's the AMG sports suspension, built around the Airmatic DC air suspension.There is automatic levelling, stiffer spring and damper combinations with adaptive damping plus three settings from all-out comfort to all-out sport. There are bigger stabiliser bars.And there is the Benz electronic stability program, able to brake inside wheels on turns to correct a wayward chassis.So this is a grand tourer with some urge, a big sedan with decent road manners. It needs, of course, a little speed to be appreciated and now the turn in is smooth as the Mercedes squats and powers out.The power steering adjusts to road speed, giving more assistance below 100km/h.It is a fair-sized package, nowhere as nimble as a Porsche 911 yet with more seats and just as much straightline punch. So the CLS 55 appreciates best a flowing country road, rather than a tight, hairpinned mountain run.Once rolling, the Mercedes settles into a comfortable, long-legged gait with assurance. There can be a little violence from a downshifting gearbox when the machine is under brakes, most of the experience is the iron-in-a-velvet glove cliche.For this is one quick, practical and pretty touring car. It has the considerable go to match the considerable show.That big brake package has been taken from the SL 55 AMG. Quite adequate, thank you.And there is big 18-inch rubber (8.5-inch up front, 9.5-inch at the rear) with a tyre pressure loss warning system.All of this is wrapped in a five-metre body stacked with the latest and greatest in airbags and crash safety protection.But for all the safety and all the luxury this CLS 55 AMG is all about style and performance. It is a feel-good machine that does not need to be pushed within an inch of its rubber to be appreciated. But it also will blow any stable of performance machines to the weeds.

But they flow without contradiction to describe the latest addition to the Mercedes-Benz class structure which has finally arrived in Australia.Welcome to the CLS Class.The sleek coupe styling of the four-door sedan prompted its engineers to dub it the "Jag fighter" for its similarities to the swooping lines of the S Type. Here lies the emotion.Its high hips and low brow line create an almost "chopped" 1950s hot-rod style roof that sits slit-eyed on arcs that bend all the way from front to back and leave a rear impression somewhere between an AU Falcon and an S Type.DaimlerChrysler Australia general manager Horst von Sanden said the CLS continued a trend towards "emotional design"."About 10 years ago, since we launched our new product range, emotion has become more important to us," he said."CLS is the most emotional car we have launched. It's an interpretation of Mercedes-Benz that we have not experienced before."Its design is recognition of other cars like Italian vehicles. But we wanted practicality and emotion."The practical side is the four doors and generous dimensions; at least generous in coupe circles. The CLS concept was unveiled in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show."Some people criticised us saying it is impossible to mix coupe lines with a four-door sedan, but it only matters what our customers think. The huge number of forward orders shows that people are getting excited about the combination of sedan and coupe," von Sanden said.Mercedes expects to sell about 400 cars this year and boasts that they have already received 190 orders, with some paying a deposit, and 70 already delivered last week.After the launch in Cairns in the wet tropics last week, a CLS was left at the Ireland Mercedes-Benz dealership and two orders were written on the Saturday.The CLS arrives as the V8 CLS 500 and the supercharged V8, the CLS55 AMG. A V6 CLS 350 will follow in a few months due to limited production volumes in Germany.Mercedes expects to sell 65 per cent CLS 500 and 15 per cent CLS 350 this year, with the V6 doubling next year to 30 per cent while the AMG model will remain at 20 per cent."We have ordered all we can get," von Sanden said. "If customer expectation exceeds demand, we can get more next year. There are not many early orders for the 350."Von Sanden said he expected 40 per cent of CLS buyers — mostly male, aged 45-55 — to be new to Mercedes, with customers coming from BMW, Audi and other European brands."Audi A6 has taken some sales from us, but the CLS will take them back," said von Sanden who sees competitors as the BMW 645i and 545i, Audi A6 and Jaguar S Type.The new CLS is based on the E Class. It has the same wheelbase, but is lighter, longer, with a wider track and bigger wheels and tyres.Inside, there is real burr walnut finishing and a now-familiar Benz chronometer-look instrumentation.In standard trim, it is a technologically packed vehicle, but it can also be optioned up with features from the S Class.For all its technological advances, there is nothing new about the CLS except for its stylish packaging.It features air suspension (optional on the V6), seven-speed auto (in the 350 and 500), optional dynamic contour seating that modifies for G forces as well as massaging the back, plus many other devices already featured throughout the Benz range.The AMG model has a five-speed transmission. The seven-speed is not needed because of its 700Nm of torque.It is distinguished in the front by a wider grille to accommodate the extra air flow needed for a separate radiator underneath the main radiator which cools the supercharger hidden in the V of the block.In the rear, it is easily identified by dual chrome tailpipes.On the road, there is little noise or body roll and a general feeling of safety. Computerised intervention in drive and braking holds the car safely away from the dangerous cliffs in the hill climb behind Cairns.An enthusiastic descent from those hills brought on the "Brakes overheated. Drive carefully" warning light on the instrument panel, yet there was no hint of brake fade. And as soon as we hit the sugarcane fields of the plains below, the brakes cooled and the warning disappeared.The CLS 500 sports the lusty V8 from the S Class and SL Roadster. Power delivery is so linear, it dissipates the feeling of acceleration.And compared with the supercharged AMG version, it almost feels as if it's standing still, especially when a CLS 55 roars past with those quad tailpipes crackling their fearsome roar.On song, that roar is designed to echo throughout the cabin with a joyous chorus, but at cruising speed, it becomes subdued and unintrusive, while the air suspension drops 15mm to hug the road tight.The taut chassis and body is constructed with lightweight, high-strength steel and aluminium, with front and rear sections bolted on, rather than welded, for ease of replacement in a crash.Aluminium "crash boxes" front and rear absorb impact and are simply thrown away and replaced, reducing costs of repair.

Built on a Benz E-Class platform and sharing many of that vehicles DNA, the CLS is a (big) step up in style terms.Moving well away from a conservative four- door sedan mould, the CLS cuts a suave profile replete with a low roofline, high waist and small, some might say sinister window apertures. The front is generic Benz highlighted by a wide squat stance while the hunched rear quarters have a familiar look characterized by bold style lines from the designer.The CLS displays an elegance not seen in a traditional four-door sedan and at the same time a degree of practicality unavailable in a genuine two-door coupe.Think about it for a minute. If you have the funds for an E-Class but don't want to meld into the crowd, what do you do... go for the CLS albeit at a premium, but worth it for someone with a refined aesthetic eye.Benz Australia reckons there are up to 500 potential customers a year for the CLS.It has a longer wheelbase and wider track than the E-Class and is longer in the body and there are four individual bucket seats.Rear headroom is an issue for anyone over 183cm especially with the front seats back on the runners.It has ample creature comforts and bristles with safety equipment including ESP and multiple airbags. The boot is large and the spare is full size.Faux woodgrain gives away the target age of buyers. It looks out of place and outdated in such a sexy piece of kit.The car definitely puts more passion in the medium large prestige segment and pretty well has a niche unto itself.Three models will be offered: at under $140 grand the CLS350 with a 200kW V6 lifted from the new SLK and E350, at $173,900 the CLS500 V8 with 225kW engine and at $247,900, the heavy hitting CLS55 AMG with a 350kW, supercharged 5.4-litre V8.The first two have a seven speed automatic transmission while the AMG model has a five speeder.Drive is to the rear wheels through various dynamic moderators and electronic systems designed to make the car behave and also feel good to drive.The air suspension is superb offering the best of both worlds in a choice of three settings. It is aided by a new four link front suspension and massive tyres that range up to 18in diameter and carry premium rubber.Peripherals are all first rate: bi-xenon headlights, auto windscreen wipers and head- lights, side illumination lights, park distance control and gear change buttons on the steering wheel.On a searching drive of the glamorous new Benz, the car proved up to expectations with wonderful performance and handling for something this size and weight. The 500 is strong and silent, the AMG is a bellowing brute capable of staying with highly fancied sports cars.Interior room is not expansive but fits like a glove and the drive experience is satisfying. Its difficult to put a wheel out of place and the ride is comfortable even in sport mode.The AMG car is like the 500 times a factor of two.It'd want to be good for the price.One thing that really stood out was the fact that you can drive a car like this for 500km in one go and get out as fresh as when you set out. And the audio is brilliant.Mercedes-Benz has made a bold statement with the CLS and should reap the benefit. In the meantime, everyone else will be in catch-up mode.

The CLS is the niche model for the enthusiast reluctantly forced to quit two-door motoring to meet the demands of the family.It meets head-on the 6-Series coupe of arch rival BMW and drives yet another stake into the ailing body of Jaguar, inviting S-Type buyers to look to Germany."This four-door coupe is a vehicle with tremendous emotional appeal," DaimlerChrysler design senior vice-president Peter Pfeiffer says."Never before have we heard people react so emotionally to an automobile. The best way to prepare for the future is to actively help to shape it," he says.In blurring the edges between sedan and coupe, Mercedes hopes to attract newcomers to buy something not available from other brands.It is looking to sell a modest 5000 examples of the CLS in its first year, growing to 30,000 a year.The CLS-Class sits on a variation of the E-Class structure and floorpan and shares its engines and gearboxes. It will come to Australia next year with three engine options, all mated to Merc's seven-speed adaptive sequential automatic.The CLS 350 has a newly developed 200kW 24-valve, 3.5-litre V6 and cost about $130,000.The CLS 500 will be powered by a three-valve-a-cylinder 5.0-litre V8 that puts out 225kW and will cost about $168,000.The CLS 55 AMG will get awesome power from a 5.4-litre supercharged V8 that generated 350kW of power at $240,000.The four-door Coupe will come with varying degrees of equipment that steps up along with the engine size. And it has all the latest stability-control equipment.In its best-dressed guise, the CLS rides on air suspension that can be set for comfort or sports handling.ON THE ROAD EVERYTHING about the CLS impresses. But nothing more so than the styling on the outside and the upper-class ambience within.Passengers in the rear get individual seats and a centre console.Yet, even though the roof line sweeps down towards the rear and the back window is heavily raked, headroom is astonishingly good.But good looks alone will never sell a car of this quality unless dynamics match the promise of the shape.Be assured, the CLS rides, handles and steers, accelerates and stops right on the button.It is nimble for a large car and always gives the impression it is operating well within its limits even when pressed along winding roads.It is swift, smooth and highly sophisticated. Mercedes-Benz Australia need have no fear about selling the 350 examples of the car it will be allocated next year and the 400 to 450 in years to follow.In a stable of remarkable cars, this one is ultra special.Everyone expects a Merc to motor along with powerful panache.The big difference is this one looks simply stunning as well.