The New CL550
By Richard Posluszny

Oh-Kay, I have a riddle for you. What is big, handsome and has three-pointed stars all over? Why, it is a Mercedes-Benz of course.
Although not all Benzes of late have been as easy on the eyes as their ancestors were. It seems that Mercedes has embarked on a new design language that emphasizes hard edges and blocky shapes — an example being the GLK crossover/sport-utility vehicle. But there is a graceful exception to the rule. The big-daddy Benz, the CL550.

Essentially an S-Class coupe, the CL oozes style and class. Lines sweep from the front of the vehicle’s headlights to its posterior, but keep in mind they are not harsh. It is as if a painter took their brush and gently struck the canvas in an artful dash. Overall, the exterior design is relatively subdued with hints of distinction. If spotted on the street, most likely a viewer will pass it over but when it is focused on, its panache truly pops. Remember, we have not even gotten to its interior yet.

Sliding into the captain’s chair, the driver is confronted with an array of wood and hide. Just as a flower expels its scent, this grand tourer’s interior emits the smell of leather. It is an intense odor that makes a passenger feel as though they have stepped into a leather factory. The seats in the test car adjusted in just about every direction possible, heated and cooled, and had side bolsters that could conform to the driver’s body.
Interestingly enough though, the seats do not adjust entirely to your liking. If you like the extremes, the seat will automatically limit the amount of recline and movement aft. This can be an uncomfortable issue for drivers over six and a half feet tall.
If practicality is a primary concern, fear not because this is not a 2+2 as are most large GTs. There is plenty of legroom and headroom for adult-sized passengers in the back.
On the technology front, the car is equipped with just about everything you would expect from a vehicle costing six figures. This includes: 40 gigabyte Hard Drive GPS navigation unit, DISTRONIC PLUS Adaptive Cruise Control, Parking Guidance and Blind Spot Assist.
My favorite feature is the active cruise control system. Stuck in traffic on the 405? Rather than deal with the headache of having to gas-brake-gas-brake, you can set the system at a given speed and it will control the rest. Just make sure to hang on! What makes the Benz unit unique is that it is one of the few systems on the market that brings the car to a full stop and continues on its own.
Although, if you are like me and enjoy driving, the CL exceeds expectations.
Powered by a 5.5L V8 making 382-horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque, there is plenty of pep to the big Benz. According to Mercedes, the 550 hits 60 from a dead stop in 5.4 seconds. This is surprising considering it tips the scales at nearly two and a half tons.
Paired up with the motor is a seven-speed automatic transmission. In case you become too complacent with Comfort mode, you can step it up a notch and dial in Sport mode. Although, I found the system very temperamental and hesitant to relinquish control. If you are a control freak like myself, you too would have wished for a fully manual mode as seen in their sportier models.

Knowing that getting off the line is a piece of cake, it is more crucial to be able to bring the car back to zero. Armed with four-piston calipers and 13.2-inch cross-drilled rotors up front, and single-piston calipers and 11.8-inch rotors bringing up the rear, the CL550 has some stopping power. However, it has been tuned so that the pedal feel requires a heavier foot. Although the brakes are more than adequate, I would like to feel more of what they are capable of. Do not hide the goods, Mercedes!
Even more surprising than the CL’s “get up,” is how it handles. For a vehicle weighing just over 4,600 pounds it is mind bending how it can take a corner. Usually heavy autos will jut about dipping and lifting while being accompanied by a significant amount of body lean. It is a pretty messy situation. But, the CL is miles ahead of the curve because it has one of the best suspensions in the business.
AIRMATIC — you guessed it, an air suspension — features adaptive damping and in addition, the CL is managed by antilift, antisquat and antidive systems. Essentially, Mercedes-Benz ensured they were not going to get hosed on this one. With that said, all of the bases are covered. In turn, this means that the 550 corners with precision and confidence. Body lean is hard to come by and dive is nearly eliminated. On top of this, the 4MATIC all-wheel drive system ensures that grip feels just about endless.
Looking into its efficiency, it is a bit of a drinker. After spending a week with the test vehicle, it clocked in a miles per gallon figure of 11 in metropolitan, gridlock traffic. Do not get too bent out of shape though because it is capable of reaching the 20 MPG ballpark with a long-distance drive and a careful foot.
Adding to this pain is the six-figure price tag. Our test car was equipped with some baubles but was lacking the Night View Assist and Sport Package, two highly sought after items. All in all it came in just above $115,000 clams. Certainly not pocket change.
You did not think all of this German over engineering, technology and attention to detail came cheap, did you? When you add up the intrinsic cost of the best suspension, tight as a drum stitching, powerful motor, all-wheel drive technology and DISTRONIC, it almost seems like a bargain.
Perhaps some will scoff at that statement but you have to absorb this: its competitors are Maserati’s Gran Tursimo, the Bentley Continental GT and Ferrari’s flagship, the 612 Scaglietti.

And if I was a betting man, I would say that you are getting the best combination of a low-key, tech-laden and reliable vehicle with the CL550.