What's the news?
Mercedes-Benz has taken the covers off its 2018 CLS at the LA Auto Show in the States. It's the third generation of the stylish 'four-door coupe', setting out the stall for the company's design department with its minimalist appearance, while also playing host to a new range of inline petrol and engines - and even a hybrid. Expect the new CLS to hit the market in March 2018.
Exterior
While the curving profile of the original Mercedes CLS is still vaguely present in the new car, it has been modernised and it is said to show the direction the company's design language is heading in. The key aspects are purity of line, with no fussy swage details or sharp edges, instead a mostly curvy form that all flows together. The four doors are, thankfully, still frameless, there are striking new LED lights all round and the large radiator grille outline has been reshaped to resemble that of the Mercedes-AMG GT sports car. In the CLS, the grille features a single horizontal bar and large three-pointed Mercedes star as standard, or distinctive chromed pins in the AMG Line model. Alloy wheel sizes vary from 18- to 20 inches in diameter depending on variant.
Interior
As expected, the interior of the new CLS is closely related to that of the Mercedes E-Class, though it clearly mixes in aspects of the style-lead E-Class Coupe and E-Class Cabriolet in terms of their more stylised air vents and selection of materials. Ambient lighting is standard, and it lights up those turbine-like vents, too. In fact, when you change the temperature, blue or red briefly glows over them to confirm which way it's going...
The CLS gets its own design of seats up front, which are mimicked in the rear. Despite appearances, the CLS remains a five-seat car and the backrest splits and folds 40/20/40. The boot carries 520 litres of luggage. Buyers of the CLS will have the option of 'Energising comfort control', a wellness system that alters the climate control, fragrance (I'm not making this up), heated seats, lighting and music depending on the driver's mood. Choices are Freshness, Warmth, Vitality, Joy, Comfort and Training.
Mechanicals
Although the Mercedes CLS is a design-lead model, the German company has used its introduction to launch a significant new family of engines. No doubt there will be entry-level four-cylinder options, presumably carried over from the E-Class with rear-wheel drive, but the big news here is the launch of a new range of inline six-cylinder units of 3.0-litre capacity, replacing the Mercedes V6s, and all paired with 4Matic four-wheel drive at launch. The diesels feature two-stage turbocharging and Camtronic variable valve lift technology. The range includes the CLS 350 d 4Matic (286hp/600Nm of torque) and the CLS 400 d 4Matic (340hp/700Nm). They both come with official fuel consumption of 5.6 litres/100km (50.4mpg) and a Band C emissions rating of 148g/km, while the CLS 400 d 4Matic is 0.7 seconds the faster to 100km/h from rest, at five seconds exactly.
Faster still is the new CLS 450 4Matic, powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine, which is augmented by 'EQ Boost'. This means an integrated starter/generator and a 48-volt electrical system that can allow more 'sailing' with the engine off, while adding a 22hp and 250Nm boost to the engine when required. The combustion unit itself peaks at 367hp and 500Nm and Mercedes quotes 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds. Interestingly, this petrol engine gets a particulate filter, too.
Air Body Control air suspension with adjustable and adaptive damping is optional, as is an enhanced Driving Assistance Plus Package of semi-autonomous technology.
Anything else?
There are plenty of other high-tech options to choose from, including Multibeam LED headlights with an 'Ultra Range' high beam that apparently 'produces the maximum light intensity permitted by law, which results in the brightness of the main beam headlamps remaining above the reference value of 1 lux over a distance of more than 650 metres.'