Tripping on an E
E-class, that is. New engines and tech feature as Mercedes-Benz cooks-up the third-generation CLS
If the AudI R8 RWS elsewhere in this issue is a demonstration in purity, then Mercedes-AMG’s new CLS is something of its opposite. It’s dubbed a ‘four-door coupé’, which translates to an exquisitely executed, rakish saloon, though perhaps it’s lost some of the drama of the original.
Here, in current range-topping CLS 53 4Matic+ mode, it gets some additional AMG signifiers, so there’s a more assertive grille, an abrupt rear spoiler at the bootlid’s trailing edge, and a set of tailpipes hung provocatively under its shapely rear. The badging says 53, this being the first of AMG’s models to get the company’s new engine.
It’s a 3.0-litre straight-six with twin turbochargers, one being electric for low-rev immediacy, the other conventionally driven by the exhaust. There’s also an ‘EQ Boost’ starter/generator electric motor with enough juice to add 22bhp to the proceedings, as well as a sizeable 184lb ft of torque. The latter isn’t used to drive the CLS 53 on battery power alone; instead it enables a far more palatable consumption figure and lower emissions (32.5mpg and 200g/km if you’re interested), while also providing the benefit of improving response to your right foot.
A complex engine, then, which works beautifully, the immediacy of its response and its ample urge being enough to justify that AMG badge on the bootlid. Play around with the variable driver settings and it sounds glorious, too, maybe not quite as spinetingling as its 63 V8 relation elsewhere, but not so far removed that you’ll feel like you’re missing out.
The 4Matic+ four-wheel drive means most people can exploit the full 429bhp more of the time. Get it right and it’ll reach 62mph in just 4.5 seconds before heading to a (limited) 155mph maximum. Air springs are standard and the set-up exhibits fine balance and accuracy, as well as agility that makes the big Merc feel more wieldy than its dimensions would have you believe. The CLS is genuinely engaging and enjoyable.
If there’s a weak link it’s the transmission, the nine ratios of which aren’t always delivered with the smoothest shift, though it’s more noticeable in town than when out on more flowing roads. You’re unlikely to care too much because, wherever you drive the CLS, it’ll make you feel good, not least because you’re sitting in sumptuous surroundings behind a huge twin-screen dash that’s IMAX-like in its scale, with bestin-the-business operational functionality and visual clarity.
Elsewhere there are gimmicks, such as the sculptural air vents that indicate by the colour of light they emit whether you should expect a warm or cool flow, but Merc’s most advanced driver-assistance features and connectivity work well, and do nothing to distract from the CLS’s continued appeal. Fine looks and an enjoyable driving experience are promised, and the CLS 53 AMG 4Matic+ delivers on both. Left and top Twin screens dominate the interior; fine twin-turbo six and well-judged chassis make for a great drive.