First Drive: MB CL 550

I hated it when it first came out. The rear light clusters reminded me of a 1997 Hyundai Accent.

But I kept seeing it in pictures, and now I love it, oddly. I think it's beautiful. Of course, I'd probably pick an SL over it, but if I had to pick a coupe in Mercedes's lineup, it would surely be the CL550 with the AMG bodykit.

I mean, seriously. It's going to get accolade after accolade, like the S-Class. They're going to call it the best car in the world. And it might be just that, but there are other cars that are better.

And if you wish to mention the 6 Series-copying interior (I know, it's so weird how the S copied the 7 and the CL copied the 6), it's enough to say that Mercedes made a much more luxurious version of the BMW interiors.

Will, just wait till you see the Mercedes Benz CL 550 in person before you say it's not understated or elegant.

Remember, this is a bigger car than the Lexus SC and has beautiful flowing lines that only MB could achieve.

I give this masterpiece automobile two thumbs up!

"We may have been a little too timid with the design of the previous-generation Lexus Coupe," he said. "This time around we wanted to make the car look more bloated, more nautical, more...well...uh....irrelevant"

I agree with Hutzenlaub. The last generation CL was classy and beautiful - UNTIL THE NEW ONE CAME ALONG. Now, I cannot even look at the old CL because it simply looks boring compared to the new one.

I'm seriously considering the new CL as my next ride. I'm reaching that age where I want something comfortable first and firemost and sporty second.

Good first review of the car.

Nice. I might have to drive it myself, to see if I'd want one. It's beautiful.

I agree. I would love to get some opinions. Right now I'm considering three cars. Another A8L.- It's been a great ride. This time I would check every option box. It would be a killer ride. The R8- Not very practicle but certainly sporty and unique. The CL. Has a little bit everything. IMO, and I've seen it in person, it is miles ahead of its predecessor in terms of its styling and interior. Just wonder if it will be o.k. in inclement weather. Any thoughts?

If I were in your position, I simply would not be able to choose!

They're so different, and so good in different ways!

The A8L is a beautiful full-size luxury sedan with all the legroom and creature comforts you'd ever want.

The CL is a high-speed luxury coupe, and what it gives in legroom to the A8L it makes up for in style.

The R8 is probably the most uniquely-styled sportscar on the road, and to buy an Audi sportscar when you could've bought a Porsche (911 Turbo) or AM (V8 Vantage) takes guts. But it's worth it.

And by the way, have you considered the S8? $92K, so probably about $10K less than the R8, with the A8L's luxury (though not quite as much legroom) and a lot more speed.

If you're looking for a year-rounder, why not the S550 4MATIC? The same comfort as the CL, a little more functional with the 4 doors (esp. if you're cross shopping the A8L), and the thing drives smoother than butter...I haven't driven the 4MATIC but that's how the RWD version drives.

The S55o just doesn't do it for me as far as looks go. For some reason they styling fits much better on the CL. I may change my mind though. My dealer said it's not possible to test drive the CL do to their limited production so he suggested I try the S550, the next closest thing. Maybe I'll change my mind. IMO the A8 still has it in the looks department 4 years later and honestly that subjective quality is important to me. There's a reason this car was chosen Editor's Most Wanted at Edmunds for the 4th consecutive year.

I thought about the S8 but can't justify the $20,000 dollar premium over the A8L, especially when I could use the money on extras like the B&O sound system. 350 hp is enough for me in a sedan.

The R8 is awesome. Everytime I look at it I try to justify buying one. I went to the Audi Forum in NY, sat in it, checked out the trunk space, etc. It looks amazing but bringing home groceries one bag at a time would get old after awhile. (Exageration, but not by much.)

The CL is just different. I've never had a Mercedes nor a large two door coupe. The back seat is large enough if I need to put people there and the trunk is more than ample. Great engine and looks great. It's also kind of rare. If one can consider any car in this price range practicle (in terms of fulfilling multiple qualities), I guess the CL is.

I disagree with the premise in the intro that the previous coupe was understated and was otherwise flawless. In fact at the time of introduction it was an absolute stunner, but was shown to be reliability-challenged like so many MB's of the new Millenium.

Mercedes continues without a B-pillar to give the CL its distinctive shape, despite it being a major engineering hurdle.

Bravo Mercedes Benz!

I've always loved the CL, and the new one is just better in every way.

Perhaps I'll own one soon enough. A sportscar may be a little too harsh for me in these times.

I like New CL,but still i can't settle with it's ugly rear end.

I'll have it if they exchange the rear with old one.
HAHAHAHA....but i am serious.

JUGNU

I like New CL,but still i can't settle with it's ugly rear end.

I'll have it if they exchange the rear with old one.
HAHAHAHA....but i am serious.

JUGNU

I just saw the CL550 in person and the car is a stunner. Don't let the pictures fool you as this car is very striking, particularly because of the flared fenders. It is aggressive looking while at the same time classy. I too thought the prior CL was gorgeous, but the new CL makes a totally different kind of statement with its styling.

I am in love with this car! Dare i say it's more beautiful than the S550? May favourite MB so far in terms of overall design. I must say, the CLS and the CL are the most stunning in my opinion since MB began their new design language.

It's definitely bold, but is it beautiful?

No, is my opinion.

The Bentley Continental GT accomplishes what this CL tries to: it's both bold and beautiful without looking gaudy or fat.

I am a Mercedes Benz lover..But this new CL, I dont know, just doesnt do it for me..There is no deny that the most gorgeous and elegant cars in the market are offered by Merc, and this new CL is no exception..But the rear end look just wrong..I still hold my opinion that the CLS is the best looking fourdoor in the world..And the S class is by the far the best looking large sedan..The SL is gorgeous..But honestly this CL is far behind the best looking 2+2 coupe..Better than the 6 series but far behind the Bentley Con GT...I have seen it in person, it looks marvellous from the front, but when you start looking back..it looks ugly..

So I went to mbusa to look to see if they had the new CL. They didn't. They have the CLS550 though! I never knew that existed! Since when did that exist? That was a pretty quiet launch then.....

The CLK550 and CLS550 came out at around the time the E550 did, but because the other two weren't getting updates, it wasn't publicized.

im still thinking that the back is no more than a kia Rio!!

im still thinking that the back is no more than a kia Rio!!

I'm really liking the look of the new CL and the review was positive. A good sign. But as far as I can remember, Mercedes CL reviews were always positive and they should be. The CL is the flagship of the company. The best of the best.

The S class is the flagship..

to be honest the tail lights look like an old acura cl...the name is the same and the tail lights even are now

What I dislike about my Cl 550.

1. Rear View outside mirrors far to small to be effective.
2. Who was the numbskull who decided that disabling the automatic mirror darkening feature was a bad idea. This is as dumb a thing as I have ever experienced. When a car comes behind you at night, all you see in your rear mirrors(all of them) is a pair of pissholes in a snowbank from their headlights. Cannot disable this "feature"!
3.. Mercedes version of "I Drive" is as dumb as BMW's. If only they would give me some preset push buttons so I could easily select another radio station would have helped. Basically a very ill designed system and I have been in the computer business for over 30 years and I am still confused most of the time.
4. The push button on the end of a stalk to go into park is going to get someone killed or maimed for certain.
5. Where are my promised IPOD inputs in my glove box that all dealers told me were there. They are not on the S class Mercedes.

6.Oh, did I forget to mention that after 2 days of screwing around to set up my Satellite Sirius Radio and calling MBUSA several times to only be implied that I was not too bright(I of course was telling them that there was NO Sat Radio ICON on my Navigation Screen and they were tellng me that I must be blind), I finally take the car to my dealer and they could not set up Sat radio either. I told them that either it was not there or it was not connected. They tore into the car, and sure enough "Mercedes" had forgotten to install it. I have now been waiting 7 weeks for the so called retrofit kit that MERCEDES is suppose to be devising to get me a Sat radio. They have yet to call or write me with an ETA. Each time I call MBUSA, I get the same old story that someone in Germany is working on it, Top Priority.

7. I just got my Consumer Reports for March and there new car buyers guide. MB is at the bottom of the list in all reliablity categories. Wonder why. To bad Consumer Reports did not ask their readers about Customer Support! I still love our old 560 SEC(they threw away the mold which is too bad) and I was hoping that Mercedes had hit another homer with this new CL. They have for now struck out.

I also have found MBUSA to be of zero value in helping to resolve this. There people are merely phone answering clerks. I have asked to speak with someone who would know what is the status of this so called retro kit and am basically told that they are at the end of the line for whom I can speak with. They will then tell me to talk to my dealer. My poor dealer(and they have been excellent for me) are also at the mercy of Mercedes. So for over 125k out the door on a Launch Edition, I am not only not enjoying the ownership of my new car(in fact when the saleslady asked me why I was finally buying a new Mercedes after 20 years--I have owned Lexus, Audi and Jaguar in between--, I distinctly told her 2 reasons. One was that it was the first car they had built since the old SEC that I thought that deserved the name Mercedes Benz, and 2. I was fed up with the "add-on" Sat radio system in our Jaguar and that I wanted an intergrated Sat radio like my wife's Audi. Thank you for letting me rant, I had just gotten off the phone again today with MBUSA.