2009 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
Dating back to the early 1950s, the Mercedes-Benz CL-Class is and always has been an expensive and exclusive coupe. They have evolved significantly with the times, but their fundamental mission remains the same: High-performance and maximum luxury in a gloriously stylish package. These are cars in which esthetics purposely trump practicality. Pounding the point home is the CL's hardtop design: As with all of its predecessors since 1958, there is no central B-pillar aft of the doors to break the sleek lines of the body. With the windows down, the look is sexy and the view out is panoramic, recalling cars of the Fifties and Sixties when hardtops were in vogue.
Where the current CL breaks most from tradition is in its sheer excess. Pricey and pretty as they were, the big Mercedes coupes of the Fifties, Sixties, and even Seventies were compact compared to contemporary U.S. cars, and were powered by relatively small-displacement engines. The current line qualifies as truly massive, in size, weight, and horsepower.
The most significant change for 2009 is that the CL550 now has the Mercedes-Benz all-wheel-drive system, 4MATIC, as standard equipment. It is thus called the CL550 4MATIC.
The CL550 4MATIC has a powerful 382-horsepower 5.5-liter V8. The CL600 packs an insanely powerful 510-hp twin turbocharged 5.5-liter V12. There are also two AMG versions: The ridiculously powerful CL63 AMG with its 518-horspower 6.2-liter V8, and the preposterously powerful CL65 AMG with its 604-horsepower 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12. We're running out of adjectives to describe the performance of these engines.
Like its predecessors, the current CL manages to be sporty without being a true sports car. Securing the right exterior proportions meant making the CL significantly shorter than the S-Class, upon which it is based. This results in a close-coupled, intimate interior, the kind historically associated with coupes from time immemorial. We'd call the rear passenger area cramped, though similar models from BMW and Bentley actually have even less rear legroom. The CL is for being seen in. If you want practicality in a big Mercedes, buy an S-Class sedan.
In the front seats, the CL is a car that is as wonderful to be in as to be seen in. Its interior is sumptuous and inviting, dressed in the finest materials and tailored to perfection. Burled walnut, supple leather, brushed aluminum and designer-quality knobs and switches are everywhere you look and touch. The standard equipment list bulges with luxury items no one actually needs but almost anyone would love to have, from a harman/kardon 600-watt, 11-speaker audio system to soft ambient mood lighting. Through the Mercedes COMAND central computer interface, many dozens of settings for seats, climate, sound, lighting, GPS and much more can be customized to your personal preferences.
The CL offers a breathtaking array of safety technology as standard equipment: Nine airbags, dynamic stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, automatic brake drying, seatbelt pre-tensioners, and automatic window closers, to name a few items.
In short, the CL is ultra-luxurious, sexy, technologically advanced and …
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Full Review
Pounding the point home is the CL's hardtop design: As with all of its predecessors since 1958, there is no central B-pillar aft of the doors to break the sleek lines of the body. With the windows down, the look is sexy and the view out is panoramic, recalling cars of the Fifties and Sixties when hardtops were in vogue.
Where the current CL breaks most from tradition is in its sheer excess. Pricey and pretty as they were, the big Mercedes coupes of the Fifties, Sixties, and even Seventies were compact compared to contemporary U.S. cars, and were powered by relatively small-displacement engines. The current line qualifies as truly massive, in size, weight, and horsepower.
The most significant change for 2009 is that the CL550 now has the Mercedes-Benz all-wheel-drive system, 4MATIC, as standard equipment. It is thus called the CL550 4MATIC.
The CL550 4MATIC has a powerful 382-horsepower 5.5-liter V8. The CL600 packs an insanely powerful 510-hp twin turbocharged 5.5-liter V12. There are also two AMG versions: The ridiculously powerful CL63 AMG with its 518-horspower 6.2-liter V8, and the preposterously powerful CL65 AMG with its 604-horsepower 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12. We're running out of adjectives to describe the performance of these engines.
Like its predecessors, the current CL manages to be sporty without being a true sports car. Securing the right exterior proportions meant making the CL significantly shorter than the S-Class, upon which it is based. This results in a close-coupled, intimate interior, the kind historically associated with coupes from time immemorial. We'd call the rear passenger area cramped, though similar models from BMW and Bentley actually have even less rear legroom. The CL is for being seen in. If you want practicality in a big Mercedes, buy an S-Class sedan.
In the front seats, the CL is a car that is as wonderful to be in as to be seen in. Its interior is sumptuous and inviting, dressed in the finest materials and tailored to perfection. Burled walnut, supple leather, brushed aluminum and designer-quality knobs and switches are everywhere you look and touch. The standard equipment list bulges with luxury items no one actually needs but almost anyone would love to have, from a harman/kardon 600-watt, 11-speaker audio system to soft ambient mood lighting. Through the Mercedes COMAND central computer interface, many dozens of settings for seats, climate, sound, lighting, GPS and much more can be customized to your personal preferences.
The CL offers a breathtaking array of safety technology as standard equipment: Nine airbags, dynamic stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, automatic brake drying, seatbelt pre-tensioners, and automatic window closers, to name a few items.
In short, the CL is ultra-luxurious, sexy, technologically advanced and …
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Retail Price
| Engine | 5.5L V-12, 5.5L V-8, 6.0L V-12, 6.3L V-8 |
| MPG | Up to 14 city / 21 highway |
| Seating | 4 Passengers |
| Transmission | 5-spd w/OD, 7-spd w/OD |
| Power | 382 - 604 hp |
| Drivetrain | 4MATIC all wheel, rear-wheel |
| Curb Weight | 4,599 - 4,940 lbs |
