Mercedes-Benz CLS: A proper coupé

After single-handedly carving out a new category in 2003 with the CLS, Mercedes-Benz had its rivals scrambling to jump on the bandwagon. Now all of a sudden, every new saloon launched is a ‘four-door coupé' — Audi A7, Jaguar XJ, Porsche Panamera and the Aston Martin Rapide are all guilty.

And right on the mark with the industry standard of a seven-year model life, Paris 2010 will set the scene for the second-generation CLS unveiling.

We have to admit though, this time we're not squinting and twisting our necks in order to ‘get' the ‘coupé' bits. With well-executed proportions and that hind leg from the new E-Class, plus a more pronounced slope of the ‘frameless' side window, this actually looks like a big GT.

And while the upright snout of a grille seems to have been inspired by the C-Class (Merc says it looks like an SLS. Um, OK…), there's no faulting the tapered, swept rear end highlighted by conical tail lights. Those two character lines — intensifying from the top and bottom of the front wheel arches and then plunging down into the wide back end — create an indented profile which visually narrows the car, before bulging out with the rear wells. It's a properly classy design. Full LED headlamps, incorporating a three-tier layout and no less than 71 LEDs, illuminate the road ahead while the rear wraparounds feature a wide metal insert to add some further visual drama.

The interior tries a bit less enthusiastically to clutch at your heartstrings, but it is a simple styling exercise that should stand the test of time. Mercedes claims it's a wraparound cockpit, but with a flat centre console it's clearly not. To be fair, the rear seats, strictly two, are divided by a column which runs the length of the cabin, creating a sporty aura.

As expected, customers are given a multitude of options when speccing the interior, with five colours and five trim designs available, in addition to three leather choices. You'll also be able to sit mulling whether to go with the satin and high-gloss finishes, extra wood or to just wrap everything in expensive hide.

If you do go for some dead trees; your options are high-gloss brown burr walnut, black ash or light-brown poplar in a satin finish. Handcrafting the veneer means that the CLS's cabin has wood fitted even over difficult contours, with carefully selected pieces according to the right grain.

Unsurprisingly, Mercedes is keeping mum on the powertrains until all eyes and ears turn to Paris. But it doesn't take a genius to figure out that all the new direct-injected engines will be available, with the AMG CLS possibly packing the 571bhp 5.5-litre biturbo mated to a seven-speed transmission. Don't discount the possibility of the 612bhp 6.0-litre V12 being shoehorned into the engine bay.

Real world alternatives will likely consist of the direct-injected 268bhp 3.5-litre V6 for the CLS 350 and the 429bhp 4.7-litre V8 for the CLS 500. Both will grace showroom floors by the end of next year, with the former running the 0-100kph sprint in around 6.5 seconds and the latter just managing in sub-five. Obviously everything is speculative at the moment, but start budgeting to the tune of Dh300K for the CLS 350 and add close to a hundred grand for the CLS 500.

That's more like it

268bhp

Initial entry level CLS 350 will be powered by the new direct injected 3.5-litre V6