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Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
2007
The new Mercedes-Benz CL-Class: The masterpiece
among luxury coupés
In autumn 2006 Mercedes-Benz is launching
the culmination of more than 50 years of coupé tradition with the new
CL-Class. The new two-door model combines peerless exclusivity and charismatic
design with trailblazing technology which no other car brand is able
to offer.
The luxury coupé enters new dimensions
in vehicle safety with PRE-SAFE® Brake, a unique system which automatically
brakes the Coupé when a rear-end collision threatens. Standard equipment
also includes Mercedes innovations such as an active ABC suspension
(Active Body Control), the Intelligent Light System with five lighting
functions and the anticipatory occupant protection system PRE-SAFE®.
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There is a choice of two powerful
engines with eight or twelve cylinders.
These generate significantly
more output and torque, while exhibiting an exemplary smoothness
which lives up to the Mercedes heritage of superb motoring refinement.
The large Mercedes Coupés have been the epitome of elegance
and exclusivity in automotive engineering for many decades.
They set standards in design and equipment, combining
outstanding safety with the greatest comfort and a superior
driving experience
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Safety Features - Click
image for larger view In short, Mercedes Coupés are dream cars
of a very special kind – automotive classics. The new CL-Class is yet
another masterpiece by Mercedes-Benz. Just as this luxury coupé points
the way into the future with its innovative technology, its design is
a protagonist for a new aesthetic appearance – a new Mercedes style. |
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This is characterised by an interplay
between taut, striking lines and large, tranquil surfaces. This
design idiom lends the Coupé a very special presence, underlining
the unruffled calm and strength of its unique character. Familiar
Mercedes characteristics are reinterpreted and incorporated
into the design concept to form a harmonious composition of
tradition and modernity.
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Examples are the typical Mercedes
radiator grille with its wide chrome louvres and the design
of the C-pillar. This unique, slightly downwards-tapering pillar
configuration is a typical feature of the large coupés whose
roots go right back to the 1950s: in 1956 the Model 220 S/SE
Coupé (model series W 180/W 128) first captured attention with
such a C-pillar design, and a few years later it was further
perfected in the succeeding model, the 220 SE Coupé (W 111/112).
Other design features which were already acclaimed at that time
have also been reinterpreted in the new CL-Class, keeping alive
the great coupé tradition of the Mercedes-Benz brand: for example
the fully retractable side windows, whose continuous aperture
is not interrupted by a B-pillar, and the large, curving panoramic
rear windscreen.
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In the early years this was a typical
styling feature of Mercedes Coupés, and in its stylistically evolved
form it is just as appealing as in the 220 SE Coupé of 1961.
Interior: appointments for even the most
discerning
The same elegance is found in the interior:
the large window aperture draws the eye to the stylish dashboard, exquisite
wood trim and soft leather upholstery. It is immediately apparent that
everything in the interior is designed for comfort and relaxation.
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larger view
The atmosphere is reminiscent
of an exclusive club: take a seat and enjoy. There is a choice
of five stylish colour combinations, while automatic climate
control, COMAND with a car radio and CD/DVD player and a glass
sliding sunroof are other standard equipment items which contribute
to the uniquely comfortable driving experience.
In the top-of-the-line model CL
600, an interior in PASSION leather, specially selected poplar
wood trim and an Alcantara roof liner with quilted seams contribute
to a luxurious, first-class atmosphere which is also echoed
by designo seats, chromed door sill panels and deep-pile floor
mats with leather edging.
Compared with the outgoing model, the
new Mercedes-Benz top-of-the-range coupé has grown slightly in every
dimension. 5065 millimetres long, 1871 milli-metres wide and 1418 millimetres
high, the body is 75 millimetres longer, 14 millimetres wider and 20
millimetres higher than before, providing even more comfort and space
on all four seats. The boot capacity has been increased by 40 litres
to 490 litres (VDA measuring method).
Control system: fewer switches for more
functions
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A newly developed control system,
which has already been successfully implemented in the S Class
worldwide, refines driver-vehicle interaction even further.
Its main advantage is that it provides convenient, rapid access
to frequently used functions such as the radio, DVD player,
car phone or navigation system. Depending on the driver's own
preference, these systems can be controlled using switches in
the centre console, pressing a button on the multifunction steering
wheel or using the COMAND controller on the centre console.
This central control element is linked to the large, pivoting
COMAND colour display next to the instrument cluster, providing
access to the user-friendly main and sub-menus that activate
the various functions.
The standard automatic climate
control with four independently adjustable temperature zones
is also integrated into the new control system.
Active Body Control: superb combination
of dynamism and comfort
First and foremost is the Active Body
Control (ABC) suspension system, which in its latest, even more sophisticated
guise delivers unprecedented handling dynamics while offering an equally
appreciable improvement in ride comfort. Based on sensor signals and
using specially designed hydraulic cylinders at the axles, ABC all but
entirely eliminates the customary pitch and roll of the body that occur
when moving off, cornering and braking. ABC responds with split-second
speed to ensure the body damping is adjusted instantly to any situation.
At speeds above 60 km/h, ABC lowers the body by up to ten millimetres
in the "Sport" programme to reduce drag and improve handling stability.
Driver-support systems: radar sensors
make parking child’s play
The newly developed parking guidance system
(optional extra, available from December 2006) also works on the basis
of radar technology: the sensors measure the length of a parking space
when driving past and show on the cockpit display whether there is sufficient
space to park. Once reverse gear is engaged, the display includes a
symbolic representation of the parking manoeuvre; guide lines show the
required steering angle and indicate the path into the parking space.
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Engines: eight and twelve-cylinder powerplants
with noticeably more power
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The new luxury Coupé is ready
for any challenge on motorways and rural roads thanks to the
most powerful Mercedes engines to date. The eight-cylinder powerplant
in the CL 500 delivers 285 kW/388 hp and generates a maximum
torque of 530 Newton metres from 2800 rpm. As such the newly
developed engine outperforms the existing V8 unit by 26 percent
in terms of output and 15 percent when it comes to torque.
Equipped with four-valve technology, variably
adjustable shifting camshafts, a two-stage intake module and tumble
flaps in the intake ducts, the new V8 is among the most advanced and
powerful engines in its displacement class.
The CL 500 accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in just 5.4 seconds
(previous model: 6.3 seconds)
An ultra-modern biturbo twelve-cylinder
engine under the bonnet of the new CL 600 generates its impressive power.
Mercedes engineers have enhanced numerous details of the power unit
and, compared to the predecessor model, have increased output by 12
kW/17 hp to 380 kW/517 hp. The maximum torque, already on tap from 1900
rpm, has been improved further by 30 Newton metres to 830 Newton metres
and remains constant up to 3500 rpm.
The new CL 600 accelerates from 0 to 100
km/h in just 4.6 seconds (previous model: 4.8 seconds). And despite
the significant performance boost the V12 engine consumes 0.4 litres
less fuel than the previous CL 600 per 100 kilometres. Mercedes-Benz
has combined the standard-fit automatic transmission with the new DIRECT
SELECT gearshift: the driver can select the transmission settings “P”,
“N”, “R” and “D” by nudging a lever on the steering column. Operating
commands are transmitted electronically by wire.
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September
18, 2007
photos: Mercedes-Benz
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