The 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550 is stunning — both to look at and to drive — in a way not many cars are.
The CL550 is plenty quick, though it's not at the top of the CL-Class heap in terms of power. Nor is it practical, economical or subtle; it's simply a gorgeous automobile for people who can afford to not care about such things — or its $113,000-plus starting price.
Exterior
The coupe version of the S-Class sedan, the CL-Class sits very near the top of the Mercedes-Benz range, and would be a rare thing in anybody's lineup: a large coupe. And when I say large, I mean it: The CL is roughly 200 inches long. That's the same length as a GMC Acadia — a crossover that seats up to eight people in three rows.
Still, the CL is one of the best-looking cars on the road. That's partly due to the fact that Mercedes gave it a stretched-out form; there's a low, sloping roof and no pillars between the front and rear side windows. The car is also fairly wide, and the overall impression is of a very low, wide car. Interestingly, it's not hard to get in and out of the front seats. I never felt like I was falling onto the ground, as I have in other coupes.
The CL was restyled for 2011, with a reworked front end, and LED running lights and taillights. The CL wasn't ugly before, but I think the changes were done well.
Interior
As much as I like how the CL looks from the outside, it's on the inside that Mercedes outdoes the competition: Everything you see or touch looks and feels good. If I shelled out the cash for a CL, I'd feel like I got my money's worth every time I sat in it. And it's not just that the interior is opulent — though it is — but that it also manages to be functional.
Mercedes uses its Comand multifunction knob and display to control navigation, audio and some seat settings, in lieu of a touch-screen. The car also provides enough buttons for things like fan speed, defroster and radio volume that you only have to use Comand for a few select functions. It's a well-integrated system (more on the gadgets later), but the immediate effect is that it creates a very clean, uncluttered interior.
Now for the pretty stuff: The lack of a middle roof pillar means a lot of light comes into the cabin and you never feel claustrophobic in the CL. The next thing that caught my eye was the leather, both the amount and the quality. There are few surfaces not covered in leather, and there's plenty of exposed stitching, which always looks nice. It looks especially nice because Mercedes chose thread that's the same color as the leather, rather than going for a contrasting style. It also feels good when you touch it. Anybody can put leather in a car, but not everybody does it as well as Mercedes. The same holds true for the wood trim: I'm not a fan of the stuff on principle, but Mercedes picked good-looking materials and used them well.
The controls, vents and various buttons all have a good, solid feel to them. That's to be expected, but some automakers miss the details. Mercedes doesn't.
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