Mr. Mercedes
Premium
I love the exterior design of this generation, but we are on the same page with respect to interior quality and design.
CLS [Official] Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class (C257)
- Thread starter Rainer271
- Start date
The Mercedes-Benz CLS (initially called the CLS-Class) is a series of executive cars produced by Mercedes-Benz from December 2003 to August 2023. The original model was a four-door sedan based on the Mercedes E-Class platform, marketed as a four door coupé. An estate (shooting brake) model was later added to the model range with the second generation CLS.
I love the exterior design of this generation, but we are on the same page with respect to interior quality and design.
Same with me, I love the exterior design of the new model, its much more of a looker than the 2nd gen model. I saw a 2nd gen CLS350 last night and those weird eye blinker look tail lights just don't look that great anymore. The wheelarches are also strange when looking at the car from the back as they look like some car knocked them and pressed them flat/slab sided.
D
Deleted member 1071
Somehow, M-Bs' design department never really found the way to recapture this magic:
Mr. Mercedes
Premium
Nah mate. That's a particularly well specced example. Otherwise it could look like a limp banana with some seriously ugly headlights.
I did love the idea and what the car represented though, and the interior was absolutely plusher than the E of the time.
Come on, it was a looker, a breath of fresh air, I remember the exact corner where I saw it for the first time and the four days that my smile lasted.
I agree that in retrospect the lights look a bit odd, part of the experimentation of the time, although in my opinion they fit well in the madness of the whole
Totally agree its conceptual meaning and pioneering went far beyond its design itself and only today is evidenced in its heritage watered by all brands models shapes and sizes
Without a doubt, a very nice and special interior, unlike the current one, that CLS was unique inside and out
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Deleted member 1071
Yes-it's an IWC Edition 55 AMG model with the, in my opinion, most impressive rims available for the C219. Simply epic. Of course, "more basic" configurations lacked in comparison-the case for most if not all automobiles. Still, laying my eyes on the 2003 Vision CLS at that years' IAA and later a generously spec'd CLS 500 featured at my local M-B dealer showroom remain among some of the most impressive personal experiences that I've enjoyed as a "car nut". Not many cars since have left me that totally breathless with delight.
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Deleted member 1071
Gorgeous. Simply gorgeous.
Ray Donovan should ditch the Caddy CT6 and get one of these.
empower77
Kraftkurve King
Saw one in white today. Seemed to disappear. Not as dramatic as the last gen. I think this is one of those cars that will blow your socks off in the right spec. White not so much.. sad that they neutered the CLS. This car deserved to live on with a stinking V8. The GT series does absolutely nothing for me
empower77
Kraftkurve King
4 door GT* somehow I can’t edit my post.
Agreed. It's a great show. Mercedes, however, didn't pay pay the producers to showcase their cars in the show, though. I suspect GM did just that, which explains why Ray drives a Cadillac CT6 and every other character drives a Chevy, Buick or GMC.
D
Deleted member 1071
Alas, both cars appear to be "dead men walking"-due to eventually be replaced by the upcoming EQS + AMG derivatives. I'm going to miss the C257 CLS. Configured suitably, it is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful automobiles on the market today. As for the X290...I'll miss the sound of the V8.
Centurion
Apex Apex Predator
100%
It has a similar nose to the A-CLASS and CLA but a weak rear-end design. Gen 1 and 2 blow the tyres of gen 3.
You would be even more disappointed to see this version from China that has a 1.5 inline4 engine
Mercedes CLS 260 Available In China With Small 1.5-Liter Engine
Another example of downsizing to avoid paying higher taxes.
Buying an entry-level Mercedes CLS in the United States means going for the CLS 450 model priced at $69,950. It has an inline-six 3.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine producing a healthy 362 horsepower, which is plenty of punch for only a base model. In domestic market Germany, the cheapest version is the CLS 220d priced at €57,792 and offering 191 hp from a turbodiesel 2.0-liter four-pot.
As it turns out, an even smaller engine is available for the Audi A7 Sportback rival in China where the most basic variant of the swoopy sedan is the CLS 260. Priced at 576,800 yuan (about $81,500 at current exchange rates), the model is equipped with only a 1.5-liter gasoline engine sending power to the rear wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission. It develops 184 horsepower and 280 Newton-meters (207 pound-feet) of torque and takes advantage of mild-hybrid tech to enhance efficiency and offer an additional low-end boost.
It’s not that slow taking into account the CLS 260 can complete the 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) run in 8.7 seconds. Similar performance is available in its sedan counterpart as Mercedes China is also selling an E260 together with an all-wheel-drive 4Matic variant that needs 0.3 seconds more to complete the sprint. As a side note, the E-Class for the Chinese market is built locally and comes exclusively in a long-wheelbase format.
But why is Mercedes selling a car as large as the CLS with such a small engine? The main reason has to do with a lower tax burden compared to cars equipped with engines that have a displacement higher than 1.5 liters. There’s also the matter of the asking price as the new base version is nearly $10,000 cheaper than the CLS 300, thus allowing more buyers to get the E-Class’ cooler cousin.
Downsizing is unlikely to stop as regulations are getting stricter in many parts of the world. Perhaps the most striking example in Mercedes’ lineup will be the next-generation AMG C63, which is rumored to drop the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 for an electrified 2.0-liter engine. It remains to be seen whether that will actually happen, but with the advancements made in hybrid tech, expect automakers to shave off more and more cylinders.
It’s either this or dropping the models altogether because the more stringent emissions laws are forcing automakers to invest heavily in electrification to comply with the rules. It shouldn’t be that much of a concern in terms of output because even with smaller combustion engines, future cars will be at least just as powerful thanks to the continuous evolution of hybrid tech.
trader1
Schwarzwald Sprinter
Gen 1 designed by Michael Fink (who used to post on gcz if I recall correctly) was super clean and svelte. Jaguar xj6 like and was presented in a British racing green type color. Gen 2 was too fussy especially on the side panels. Too much going on. You had to get black to hide that aspect. As for the new one ( I have a ‘19 53) it does have clean lines but not a classical beauty imo. With that being said I’m thinking about trading it for a LCI m5. Can’t stop thinking about a v8.
hoffmeister_fan
Kraftwagen König
Gen2, with blistered pontoons, looked lumpy to me compared to the low, sleek, near seductive profile of Gen1. Also, I found Gen2's headlights too bug-like.
trader1
Schwarzwald Sprinter
Agree on all counts. I did however like the taillights on the gen 2. Hubert Lee introduced the dropping line on that car but it completely conflicted with the blown up 212-esque fender. Here’s the green original I was referring to from the nyias. I recall the talk at the time being that they were targeting Jaguar. A silver 55 with those round fogs looked like a bonafide spaceship.
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