Ushering in the seventh generation of large Mercedes Coupes, the new CL is the culmination of more than 50 years of coupe tradition and highlights some of the technology we’ll one day see across the rest of the Mercedes range. As the German carmaker’s flagship model, the CL comes with enough electronic gadgetry to keep owners ahead of the game for at least the next five years, and an interior that would make residents of the seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai envious. After all, it wouldn’t be a Mercedes flagship without the latest in over-engineered safety features, a swanky cow-skin and tree interior and the knowledge that you’re driving one of the largest coupes on the market today.
The mega-Mercedes has grown in almost every dimension over the previous version, which itself was already as long as a hearse. Retaining the iconic pillar-less glasshouse and sloping roofline, the new model is instantly recognizable as a CL. Its visual impact is one of confidence, power, and presence. Measuring more than five meters in length and close to two meters wide, it’s difficult to miss. However, all the extra girth, as well as the endless gadgets list, moves it ever closer to the two-ton curb weight of its bigger brother, the S-class. Despite its bulbous proportions, rear legroom is very tight. We’re talking about a car that’s only 4.8in shorter than the S, which has acres of legroom in the back. The rest of the interior is unmistakably Mercedes. Wood-grain panels at every corner and hand-stitched leather on most other surfaces looks dated compared to the more contemporary style found in the latest Audis and BMWs, but it’s still a great place to be.
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