I am now a Mercedes-Benz CL550 "Launch Edition" owner! This is my first one too.
I fell in love with the CL Coupe the moment Mercedes released the official pictures. What a gem. After seeing the car in person, I was hooked. Everything about her radiates class, elegance, quality and tradition (pillarless design for example). To make a long story short, five weeks ago I placed an order for the car. She arrived today. Originally, I wanted an Alabaster White CL with an AMG body kit, but seeing the CL close-up made me dump that idea. Instead, I bought those new 19" AMG rims, which add a nice touch to the car. They also come with high-performance tires according to Mercedes.
I was also told that an Alabaster White CL with AMG body kit would take longer to be delivered, but the "Launch Edition" was "readily" on hand. Since the standard CL is one hell of a stunner, I dumped the idea of a white CL with AMG body kit and ordered the "Launch Edition" model. 700 of these are supposedly destined for North America.
Here are a few initial impressions:
Engine: They certainly weren't kidding when they said the new Mercedes V8 is silent, smooth and refined. The motor is very quiet, extremely smooth and feels torquey. I didn't punch it yet as I want the engine to be properly broken in. I can't wait to try out the 382-horsepower and 391 lb/ft of torque.
Interior: Very high-quality. Hands down the best Mercedes interior ever. The wood, leather, plastics and chrome all feel premium and expensive. My wife, who isn't much into cars, has been blown away by the design and material quality. The seats are plush and comfortable but also offer good side support, reinforcing the sporty notions the CL550 has. You're well isolated from exterior road noise as well. Incidentally, the leather seats are part of the Mocha Designo option. Love it.
Transmission: The 7-speed A/T is very smooth. You don't feel it at all. I've tried and tried, but I just can't feel it shift - or hear it. So far, I'm impressed. I've previously owned manual transmission equipped cars, so this fantastic A/T is a welcome change.
Suspension: Well, the car comes stock with an improved version of ABC, that says a lot. Road noises and bumps are almost never heard or felt. It's a comfortable car - a very comfortable car. At times, you feel like you're gliding over roads, even if they're bumpy. ABC is wonderful! I've not played around with the suspension settings yet, but will do so once I finish the owners manual!
General Driving Feel: I feel this CL is a wonderful fusion between sport and luxury. It's a fantastic luxury GT car and the handling is pretty good. The steering is light but very sensitive to my input making it a wonderful handler - this coming from a former BMW owner! The car feels big and spacious, yet drives like a car that is significantly smaller. Once the engine is properly broken in, I will really get to enjoy her.
Basically, I am very impressed with the car and have nothing but praise for it. I was impressed during the testdrive, and I am even more impressed as an owner now. Great car. Mercedes really upped the bar again, so I feel, with this new CL. For my first Mercedes-Benz, I gotta say, I'm loving it already. I have a feeling it'll be a loyal companion and that I'll be keeping her for quite some time.
The BMW 530i? I still have the 2001 E39 530i. I just couldn't sell her after all these years. She's been fairly good to me and driving her was always such a pleasure. I've got space in my driveway, hence she's a keeper.
Price? Don't ask. Let's just say, this car is my new indulgence. Many of you might know me from my anti-gas-guzzler posts: and now I drive a CL550! Well, we only live once after all. Besides, the gas mileage is supposed to be heavily improved over the last CL generation. ;)
Hope you like the pictures! I took them on a warm day when the lighting conditions were better and I brightened them a little bit using photoshop. That's not my house or residential area by the way! :p
If you have any questions, just ask. Just don't ask about the price. I don't want to talk about money for awhile! :p
-CL550 (the user formerly known as "BMW530i")
More pictures (sorry for the blurry interior picture).
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