Powered by a super-responsive 302-horsepower 5.0-liter V8, the performance figures and handling characteristics of the CLS, including suspension
and braking, are in keeping with a sports car (zero to 60 mph in just 6.0 seconds with an electronically controlled top speed of 155 mph). The seven-speed (yes, seven-speed!) automatic transmission is flawless. The electro-hydraulic braking that debuted on Mercedes' SL roadsters in 2003 is standard in the CLS, as are projector-type halogen headlights.
As to the sedan-like character of the new vehicle, the luxurious cabin is very accommodating (a six-foot eight friend said it offered the most legroom of any vehicle he'd been in a long time), and the trunk, at a full 17.5 cubic feet, is simply cavernous. One criticism: due to the unique shape of the sculpted doors and swept-back windshield, the interior feels a little narrower than a car this large should.
As one would expect from a Mercedes, the list of creature comfort features is long and of the utmost quality.
Mercedes is definitely onto something with this four-door coupe idea, so don't be surprised when other manufacturers -- particularly European and Japanese
ones -- use their own high-performance luxury standards to produce similar vehicles for this segment. Porsche has already committed to have just such a car to market by 2009. The Panamera will be a premium-class sports coupe with four seats, four doors, and a choice of front-mounted engines driving the rear wheels. Porsche is probably up to the task of pulling it off (although purists are most likely as keen on the front-engine layout and V8 engine of the Panamera as they were about the Cayenne SUV when news of that first spread.
What is for sure is that Mercedes has set the bar with the all-new CLS500, and being the first to market, at least in the luxury segment, means every rival is playing catch-up.
Specifications:
Price (MSRP): $64,900 - $85,640
Body Type: 4-door coupe
Layout: front engine, RWD
Optional Engine: 302-hp, 339 lb-ft of torque, 24-valve, SOHC V8
Transmission: 7-spd auto with manual mode
Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc, ABS
Acceleration (estimated 0 - 60 mph): 6.0 seconds
Curb Weight: 3,990 lbs
Seating Capacity: 5
Cargo Volume (trunk): 17.5 cu ft
Fuel Economy (combined city/hwy): 19 mpg
Web Site: www.mbusa.com
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| As to the sedan-like character of the new vehicle, the luxurious cabin is very accommodating. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz U.S.A.) |
As to the sedan-like character of the new vehicle, the luxurious cabin is very accommodating (a six-foot eight friend said it offered the most legroom of any vehicle he'd been in a long time), and the trunk, at a full 17.5 cubic feet, is simply cavernous. One criticism: due to the unique shape of the sculpted doors and swept-back windshield, the interior feels a little narrower than a car this large should.
As one would expect from a Mercedes, the list of creature comfort features is long and of the utmost quality.
Mercedes is definitely onto something with this four-door coupe idea, so don't be surprised when other manufacturers -- particularly European and Japanese
 |
| What is for sure is that Mercedes has set the bar with the all-new CLS500, and being the first to market, at least in the luxury segment, means every rival is playing catch-up. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz U.S.A.) |
What is for sure is that Mercedes has set the bar with the all-new CLS500, and being the first to market, at least in the luxury segment, means every rival is playing catch-up.
Specifications:
Price (MSRP): $64,900 - $85,640
Body Type: 4-door coupe
Layout: front engine, RWD
Optional Engine: 302-hp, 339 lb-ft of torque, 24-valve, SOHC V8
Transmission: 7-spd auto with manual mode
Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc, ABS
Acceleration (estimated 0 - 60 mph): 6.0 seconds
Curb Weight: 3,990 lbs
Seating Capacity: 5
Cargo Volume (trunk): 17.5 cu ft
Fuel Economy (combined city/hwy): 19 mpg
Web Site: www.mbusa.com
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