2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS550 – First Drive Review

When it went on sale in the United States in 2005, the E-class–based CLS popularized the “four-door coupe” shape via a plunging roofline and a slim greenhouse, and would earn 40,000 sales in the U.S. over the next five years. It also spawned a number of copycat designs such as the Audi A7, the Volkswagen CC, and the Jaguar XF.

The second-generation CLS, which goes on sale here early next summer as a 2012 model, isn’t as pretty as the first one. The new body is a mixture of unimpeachable proportions and jarring design details. The overall envelope is elegant, but Mercedes embroiders it with brash details such as aggressive air scoops around the front bumper and sharp creases along the flanks.

As with virtually every car that comes to market these days, the CLS is bigger than the vehicle it replaces. The wheelbase has grown from 112.4 inches to 113.2, and the overall length is now 194.5 inches, up from 193.6. The car is slightly taller and wider, at 55.8 and 74.1 inches, respectively. The running gear comes from the new E-class sedan, but the CLS has a slightly wider track in front and back.

Read More: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/10q4/2012_mercedes-benz_cls550-first_drive_review

Mercedes Dealers