LUXURY : Mercedes-Benz New CL Class is Proof of Automaking Supremacy

LUXURY : Mercedes-Benz New CL Class is Proof of Automaking Supremacy
By The LUXURY CAR & MOTORSPORT Authority - Posted 03.06.2012


Since the beginning of Luxury Cars, Mercedes-Benz has always kept the bar high and that level of quality is still in place. Mercedes has now released its new CL class models and shows more than ever that their continuity in serving the LUXURY market is bigger and better than ever.

The Mercedes-Benz CL may be one of the grandest cars money can buy, thanks to its abundant horsepower, luxury, and interior space — but that hasn’t stopped Mercedes-Benz from cranking the car’s appointments and appearance to another level. The automaker has released the Grand Edition package for the CL-Class, promising an even grander driving experience.


Grand Editions don’t receive any modifications underhood. As a result, if you order a CL550 (or a CL500 as it’s known abroad), you still make do with the Mercedes-Benz standard 429-hp, twin-turbocharged 4.6-liter V-8. Likewise, CL600 Grand Edition models remain powered by the 510-hp, twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V-12.

Outside of the engine compartment is a completely different story. CL550 and CL600 Grand Edition models receive plenty of unique interior and exterior appointments that help dress up the gargantuan coupe. 


Grand Edition models are available in one of three colors, including platinum black metallic, mocha black metallic, and a matte magno cashmere white (the latter, Benz says, is “currently very voguish,” if that’s your sort of thing).


From there, Grand Edition models receive the full AMG sport package touch, which leaves it with a full aerodynamic kit, including front and rear aprons and a set of side sills. The exterior is capped off with 20-inch, 10-spoke aluminum wheels, and Grand Edition badging – lest anyone think your high-class cruiser is merely the banal CL550 or CL600.


Inside, seating surfaces seats are upholstered in specially dyed leather that reportedly enhances the hide’s natural grain and finish. Buyers can pick from one of three colors: Armagnac (the color of brandy), a light porcelain, and a deep black. Interior trim, as usual, can be finished in anything ranging from high-gloss walnut to black ash.


A Mercedes-Benz spokesman says it’s too early to tell if the CL550 and CL600 Grand Editions will ultimately arrive in the American market, but if it does, expect it to cost a pretty penny. In Europe, the Grand Edition model adds roughly $6400 to the base price of a CL – which, in our market, runs between $114,975 and $159,575 for the CL550 and the CL600, respectively. Don’t forget to throw in another $2000 or so for that “voguish” white paint.