Mercedes has delivered the greatest, most exclusive luxury coupe available with its new CL-Class. Totally redesigned, the CL500 features an array of innovations that should impress the most jaded technophile. Yet it wraps all that technology in leather and walnut, so as not to offend the most dedicated technophobe. Mercedes says the all new CL-Class is designed for people who believe "good just isn't good enough."
The all-new 2000 CL500 will be available in January. (A CL600 will be introduced next September as a 2001 model.) The V8-powered CL500 lists for $85,500, which is less expensive than the outgoing version. (U.S. pricing for the CL600 hasn't been set, but in Germany the V12 model is 28 percent more expensive than the V8, which would equal $109,300.)
If that price doesn't provide sufficient exclusivity for you, Mercedes is offering the CL in customized Designo versions with striking paint, leather and wood combinations that make the cars unique. (The company also plans an AMG high-performance appearance package that tilts styling toward the racy end of the spectrum.)
The new CL coupe improves on its predecessor in every measurable category. It is smaller, lighter and more efficient, while packing more power and providing a more spacious interior. The undistinguished styling of the previous model is supplanted by fluid, graceful lines and an aggressive stance that suggests an iron fist in a velvet glove. Owners can park the CL beside
Jaguars at the club without feeling stodgy.
Past full-sized Mercedes coupes were basically two-door versions of the company's flagship sedans. No more. The CL is based on the S-class sedan platform, but that chassis is heavily revised for coupe duty, and the car gets a unique body style to match.
The Automatic Body Control system is an active, hydraulic suspension system that keeps the car level under acceleration, braking and cornering. Hydraulic cylinders at each corner support a conventional spring and damper, providing adjustments to ride height without intruding on the car's comfortable ride.
At 4,113 pounds, the CL500 is nearly 600 pounds lighter than the previous model. Mercedes accomplished the diet by making the roof, hood door panels and rear fenders from aluminum and using plastic for the trunk lid and front fenders.
