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New Mercedes-Benz CLS range
– one of the best cars on the road
t
he new CLS model range that was launched by Mercedes-
Benz in South Africa at the end of 2014 is part of Mercedes-
Benz’s so called “Dream cars project”. Mercedes-Benz
includes its coupés, convertibles and roadsters under the
umbrella term “dream cars”.
The first CLS range was launched in 2004 and made a mark as a
vehicle that combines the elegance and dynamism of a coupé with
the comfort and functionality of a saloon.
Included in this facelift, the CLS four-door coupé has new high-
tech additions such as multibeam LED headlamps that actually
“reads” the road surface approaching cars ahead and adapts the
quality and spreading of the light beam to maximise visibility. Other
leading-edge technologies include the powerful new engines,
intelligently networked driver assistance and safety systems, as
well as an advanced multimedia system with internet access.
The CLS range consists of five models. It starts with the diesel
powered CLS 250 CDI that costs R760 000 and ends with the flag-
ship in the range, the AMG tweaked CLS 63 S version with a price
tag of R1,6 million and an engine and luxury to motivate the price.
The rear wheel driven CLS 63 AMG’s 5,5 litre, V8 biturbo engine ranks
among the world’s most efficient series-production eight-cylinder
engines when it comes to peak output, torque and fuel consumption.
It generates 430 kW of power and a hill climbing killing torque
figure of 800 Nm. This engine gives its driver maximum perfor-
mance and efficiency. It accelerates the car from zero to 100 km/h
in 4,1 seconds. Power-wise the CLS 63 AMG S model leaves all
the competitors behind, with a performance on a par with expensive
sports cars.
The CLS 63 AMG has the high performance, seven-speed AMG
transmission, but there is also the world’s first nine-speed automatic
transmission with hydrodynamic torque converter available in the
other top models in the range.
The CLS is already equipped with LED high performance headlamps
as standard. Alternatively, three models are optionally available
with new multibeam LED headlamps as designed and developed by
Mercedes-Benz.
This lighting technology is able to adjust the light distribution very
quickly and automatically to virtually any road and traffic condi-
tions. It always ensures unrivalled broad and bright illumination
of the road surface and side of the road without blinding other
car drivers.
A camera-based system scans the road in front and if it detects
oncoming traffic or vehicles with their lights on, each of the 24
individual, high-performance LEDs in a matrix light source is
controlled electronically so that various areas of the road surface
can be masked out, depending on the situation.
It is an understatement to say that the CLS is a joy to drive. This is
absolutely just one of the best cars on the road.
GERRIE SMIT,
full member of the SA Guild of Motoring Journalists and Car of the Year judge
WHEELS
for t he farm
The rear wheel driven Mercedes CLS 63 AMG.
March 2015