The Mercedes-Benz CLS (initially called the CLS-Class) is a series of

executive car Executive car is a British term for a large car which is equivalent to the European E-segment and American full-size classifications. Executive cars are larger than compact executive cars (and the non-luxury equivalent mid-size cars), and sm ...

s produced by

Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquarte ...

since 2004. The original model was a four-door

fastback A fastback is an automotive styling feature, defined by the rear of the car having a single slope from the roof to the tail. The kammback is a type of fastback style. Some models, such as the Ford Mustang, have been specifically marketed as ...

sedan based on the E-Class platform, marketed as a four door

coupé A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors. The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...

. An estate (Shooting Brake) model was later added to the model range with the second generation CLS. All models are available as a high performance AMG variant, although it wasn't until the second generation CLS that 4MATIC

all-wheel drive An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand. The most common forms of all-wheel drive are: ;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one ...

was offered. The CLS range is positioned between the E-Class and the S-Class within the Mercedes model range, and models tend to be less practical than the E-Class it is based on. It primarily competes with other fastback sedans like the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe, Porsche Panamera and Audi A7.

First generation (C219; 2004)

Mercedes CLS (C219) Facelift front 20100918

Marketed from Mercedes as a four-door

, the CLS was designed by Michael Fink in 2001 who also styled the first generation CLK, the C-SportCoupé, and Maybach 57 and 62. In Europe the model name is C219 while in US the CLS is more commonly named. The C219 CLS is based on the W211 E-Class platform, and shares major components including the engines, transmissions, and has an identical

wheelbase In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (fron ...

of . IVM Automotive, a subsidiary of German roof system specialist Edscha, developed the entire vehicle from the Vision CLS concept on which the CLS is based, to the production version which debuted at the 2004 New York International Auto Show.

Second generation (C218; 2010)

The C218 CLS is the second generation model, and was sold from 2011 to 2018. The body styles of the range are a 4-door coupé (C218 model code for Europe/ W218 for US market), and a 5-door estate (X218 model code, marketed as Shooting Brake). The design of the CLS was based on the Mercedes F800 concept and featured design cues from other models including the Mercedes SLS AMG. Unlike its predecessor, the C218 CLS is available with all-wheel drive and can be optionally configured on CLS 63 AMG models as well. In 2014, the CLS underwent a facelift and featured design changes, engine enhancements, and the adoption of the Mercedes 9G-Tronic automatic transmission.

Third generation (C257; 2018)

The C257 CLS is the third model and was previously available only as a four-door sedan and in rear-wheel or all-wheel drive (4MATIC) configuration. The Shooting Brake body style was in development for the C257 CLS, but was shortly discontinued due to poor and declining demand overseas for the last generation model. The range of engines consist of a 2.9-litre straight six turbocharged diesel engine and a 3.0-litre straight six turbocharged petrol engine. The latter equips the CLS 53 AMG with features such as a mild hybrid system and an Panamericana

radiator grille In automotive engineering, a grille covers an opening in the body of a vehicle to allow air to enter or exit. Most vehicles feature a grille at the front of the vehicle to protect the radiator and engine. Merriam-Webster describes grilles as "a ...

, which pays tribute to 300 SL model. The CLS is also now a five-seater car, instead of being a four-seater as with the previous two generations.

Sales

References

Bibliography

External links

Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class CLS Cars introduced in 2004 2010s cars 2020s cars Executive cars Sedans Station wagons Rear-wheel-drive vehicles All-wheel-drive vehicles Cars of Germany