Vehicle: 2011 Mercedes CL550 4-Matic with Advanced Driving Assistance Pkg, Premium Seating Pkg and Splitview Pkg
Price as tested: CDN$143400
Performance: The CL-Class is basically an S-Class coupe in style. That doesn’t come as a surprise CL shares the same powertrain as an S-Class. It receives the same 5.5 liter DOHC V8, with 32-valve, as the same form as S550. Despite of CL’s 4650lb of German leather-lined of opulent luxury, its 429hp and 516 lb/ft of torque are able to move it with authority. If you think 429hp is just not quite enough, there are always a CL600 with 5.5 liter biturbo scoring 510hp and 612 lb/ft of torque. However, CL550 should satisfy most of its grand touring audience needs of providing a silky smooth and refined ride that’s typical of a Mercedes luxury coupe. Mated with this excellent powertrain is Mercedes’s well-honed 7-speed manumatic gearbox which have low enough ratios for low-end acceleration while a tall 7th gear for wonderful highway cruising.
Handling: While not everyone would push a grand touring coupe as fast in the corners as what they do in a roadster, the CL550 surprises us. It all begins with an excellent chassis that lives up to Mercedes’s billing on engineered an stiff and strong chassis, then add the proactive 4-Matic which gives power distribution to the rear before it detects slippage. This system provides docile rear-wheel-drive feel with the security of an AWD. If there is one dynamic trait we don’t particularly fond of is the steering. As with usual Mercedes, the off-center is numb while on-center is only decent. The steering feels too soft while ratio too low for our liking. We understand this CL550 is primarily catered for those nice cruising around town. But a quicker steering ratio wouldn’t amiss. In terms of ride quality, CL-class is second-to-none which is what we have been saying for an S-Class. It doesn’t have any of those floaty feel as many of its rivals, while returning supple yet controlled ride quality very much associate with a fine German car. Body rolls are well-controlled. Under and oversteer are controlled by ESP. While the ESP is instrusive even by Mercedes standard, for those who drive CL daily, they probably won’t seen it activates once-in-a-lifetime.
Brakes: Given CL550′s heavy curb weight, its braking performance can be considered as excellent. The stopping distance is short while pedal feels crisp and responsive. The ABS only activates at the right time at the right moment is the added bonus.
Interior: On the front of the CL550, its basically came from the same shelf as an S550. That means classy use of soft-touch materials on the dashboard and door panels. The leather hides provide great smell which truly worth the admission price.
For a sports coupe, CL550 should have the most spacious backseat of all. Its not only its easy to get in and out, there are plenty of legroom for rear passengers even for a long trip. While the headroom only compromised a bit due to the sloppy roofline, it already felt the most airy compares to others out there.
Conclusion: While the large and expensive GT has been a dying category, mainly due to the fact that many of its equivalent sedan counterparts have offered better interior space with similar dynamic qualities. Its not that it doesn’t have its living space. The single biggest appeal of driving a luxury GT is the sleek styling, CL-Class offers plenty of those. Even though its appeal is limited, it doesn’t mean it won’t be popular for those who are seeking upper end of prestige in a gorgeous package.
Sole competition:
BMW 6-Series
OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2011 Mercedes CL550
=====================================
Performance: 4.5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 3/5
Value-for-money: 4/5
Overall rating: 4.25/5