Mercedes CL
One of most imposing luxury 2 door coupes around these days, the Mercedes CL is a bit of a monster. It’s always been a handsome brute though, and masses of power in addition to a silky smooth drive and a quality interior mean it’s by far the leader in a genre with stiff competition. Modern versions are among the most expensive cars on the German auto manufacturer’s roster, and are more than happy trading blows with the likes of the Aston Martin DBS and Bentley Continental GT. If you want excellence, here it is.
The CL has been going strong since 1998, and several different generations have been released. While early models were quite subdued in comparison to the muscular modern ones, there’s no taking away from the fact that the Merc is hugely impressive. Based on the S-Class, it has a shorter wheelbase but many of the same features. Aside from style, the hallmarks of the CL are big engines and huge performance, which can be seen across the range that includes the 500, 600, 63 AMG and unbelievable 65 AMG.
The latest are by far the greatest in terms of style, which can only be described as pure automotive art. An angular front grill sports the famous Tri-star and sophisticated curves adorn its body. Big windows and no centre divide between front and rear gives it a hugely light and airy cabin. It’s just brilliant inside, and proves that going fast doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice luxury. One of the highest quality, best designed and superbly finished interiors in the world of motoring without a doubt. A user friendly cockpit, armchair like seats, no end of equipment and a shed load of space mean it’s really fit for royalty. Add a massive boot to the equation and actually it’s a very practical GT car for all occasions.
Sitting at the top of the Mercedes-Benz price list for ‘regular’ cars, you’d expect the CL to drive well, and it does. With some behemoth V8 and V12 engines, it’s thunderously fast, and top end versions have no trouble blitzing the 5 second barrier in 0-60mph times. They’ll actually reach warp speed, and do so with the accuracy of a precision instrument. It’s no surprise to find the breaks are gargantuan in size, and that it handles with acrobat levels of agility. The sheer amount of technology employed in this car is probably enough to take you to the moon and back, but when it’s not venturing into outer space, it does a supreme job of keeping this large and bulky performance machine calm and composed. Until you press the sport button.
Yes the CL costs a fortune to buy brand new, and that’s not going to change. There are ways around the £100,000 price tag though which can land you a seriously good deal. Buying second hand is by far the best one, and Motors.co.uk is definitely the place to look as there are thousands of high quality second hand cars for sale at massively discounted prices. While it’ll still be out of reach for most people, those with the finances will be more than pleased with a used Mercedes CL.
If you hadn’t already guessed then, this car is rather good. It’s got an engine under the bonnet that could rival one from a Saturn 5 rocket, and the speeds it can achieve are just breathtaking. Not only will the acceleration blow your mind, but you’ll be sitting in sublime comfort when it happens. The Mercedes CL is actually pretty refined most of the time though, and is one of the best grand tourers around.