Mercedes Benz CL 550 - Luxury Coupe
So here we are to tell you about the new Mercedes Benz CL 550 luxury coupe…whew! The name itself is very impressive and awe inspiring. This smooth baby is built with 382 HP and has a 5.5 liter V8 engine. Needless to say, it gives an amazing pickup and is great to handle-easy and effortless. The interior is done up in sewn leather and the head room is ample. There is also a very convenient storage space between the front and rear seats. Luxurious and regal-that is the CL 550 for you. Looks wise, a killer and a car you would die for.
Or may be not :). All the above are the attributes of the CL 550. But you could get that of the company site too. The main raison d’etre of this review is to unveil the flaws and drawbacks of what seems to be an awesome car.
Firstly, the similarity between the CL 550 and S 550 Sedan is uncanny. One difference being the price. While the CL 550 is priced $115,000 up, the latter is relatively cheaper.
Another major difference is that though a luxury car, the CL 550 is anything but for the back-seat passenger. The leg space is astonishingly limited and makes the CL 550 the right choice for singles or couples. But then again, would that TG not go for a sexier and hotter car?
Another major problem with the CL 550 is that it is much heavier compared to the other cars in its segment. It is actually around 90 pounds heavier. This is a considerable difference and makes the potential buyer think twice as luxury cars are not really supposed to be heavy right?
Though their leg space in the back-seat is limited, the lost space is not seen in the trunk as one would expect. The car is a shorter version of its predecessors; tough not obviously so. Hence, the result? A car which looks the same size, unless measured with a tape, and with deceptively cramped leg and trunk space. Not so crazy about that now, are you?
Another major flaw is the ventilation system - looks like the Merc engineers overlooked this detail. It is very noisy and distracting - hardly fitting into the profile of a luxury car. In fact, it is so bad that it actually diverts one’s attention even when the car engine is idling and the fan is set on a medium level. Talking on the phone is almost out of the question amidst all this noise. This is a real minus on the CL 550’s score card.
So, to sum it all up, it is definitely not a bad car. Quite nice, if you think about it. The only problem is that it will be cannibalized by others produced by the same brand. Mercedes Benz has created masterpieces in the past and though the CL 550 is good, it is not one of the brand’s best. So while by itself it will score a 7/10, when looked at along side its prestigious siblings, it is a meager 5/10. Though not a catastrophe, certainly a wasted move by the company.
February 23rd, 2007 at 2:09 am
Luxury and looks in one package. I can forgive the small flaws. It has all I’ve ever dreamed of. Although it’s quite pricey, I think it will be worth it.
February 23rd, 2007 at 3:34 am
The interior is really superb. it’s like riding a first class private jet. though it’s not entirely practical to grab a pricey car that won’t fit a family of 4, it’s still a great investment for a bachelor to behold this ride to lure some chicks.