Review of the new Mercedes-Benz CLS Grand Edition

The CLS came as quite a shock when Mercedes launched it. Here was a four-door coupe with more curves than a barrel of oranges built by one of the most straight-laced manufacturers of the lot. It's been a significant hit with 14,500 units sold since 2005 but more significantly, it set rival manufacturers thinking. Although they'd never admit it, we've seen elements of CLS design and philosophy creeping into products from Volkswagen, BMW and Audi amongst others. Mercedes' bravery with the CLS has paid off in fine style and the brand is seeking to capitalise further with the Grand Edition.

The CLS is no hatchback, there's a conventional saloon boot lurking beneath that arching tail, but the concept behind the car may well have influenced hatchbacked cars like the BMW 5-Series GT and the Audi A5 Sportback while Volkswagen's booted Passat CC is a barely disguised rip-off. The idea of a big and practical car with four-doors, four-seats and decent boot is nothing new but the CLS managed to make it sexy with its flowing lines and a stronger focus on driving dynamics. Thanks to the CLS, people with families could own a stylish premium coupe and that's the concept that has caught on.

Some special editions amount to little more than bigger alloy wheels and a set of monogrammed mud-flaps but the CLS Grand Edition is a more worthwhile proposition. This is mainly because it incorporates a 48bhp power boost for its 3.0-litre 6-cylinder diesel engine taking the total output to 272bhp. Torque is also up by 50Nm making the maximum into a crushing 590Nm. This is the only engine available with the Grand Edition model, the CLS petrol contingent having been sidestepped for the purposes of this special edition, but in standard form, it is the car's most popular powerplant so that shouldn't be a problem. The 0-60mph sprint takes 6.5s and the top speed is shackled at 155mph by the ever-present Mercedes speed limiter.

"In the future, we might well look back on the CLS as a landmark car for Mercedes-Benz"

The 'four-door coupe' billing of the CLS leads us to expect a degree of agility and athleticism beyond that of Mercedes saloons such as the E-Class with which this model shares its basic chassis. It delivers on this to an extent with a greater firmness to the suspension and a tauter feel under cornering loads but the CLS does not sacrifice the ride quality you expect from a four-door Mercedes costing what the CLS costs. The car cossets its driver and passengers while thrilling them with its majestic performance and effortless pace. It doesn't feel particularly like a coupe though and certainly never like anything so uncouth as a sports car.

The CLS is a four seater with a chunky transmission tunnel dividing the two rear seats. It's easy to forget that there's an additional set of doors at the back, despite Mercedes not adopting Alfa Romeo's clever hidden handle feature. Once opened, taller passengers will have to watch their heads as they climb in, but the legroom isn't bad at all. Compared to your average premium coupe, the CLS is a far more practical proposition. Headroom in the back is far from problematic although the high waistline gives a slightly claustrophobic feel. The fact that it's easy to get in and out of the back helps here.

The cabin feels special too. A vast plank of wood runs across the dashboard, punctuated by the ventilation controls and a deeply sunken instrument binnacle. Mercedes has kept the cabin fresh by introducing a neat three spoke steering wheel and white-faced instrument dials on the latest models. Chestnut wood inserts improve the perception of quality and uprated infotainment systems also feature.

The significant increase in power aside, the CLS Grand Edition has a number of features to separate it from the standard CLS. The Palladium Silver paint is an interesting matt finish that really helps the car stand out and is also both dirt and scratch resistant. Matt paint jobs have been cropping up with increasing regularity on motorshow stands and could well be the next big thing in automotive fashion. The wheels are 18" 5-Spoke alloys from Mercedes tuning arm AMG, finished in titanium grey, while the grille and headlamp housings are also in a Palladium Silver matt finish.

Also present on the Grand Edition is the Bi-Xenon light package which includes a Cornering Light Function and the Active Light System. The Cornering Light Function uses the low beam headlights and fog lights to illuminate the area directly to the side of the car when cornering. The Active Light System, meanwhile, improves forward visibility in corners by up to 90%, allowing the driver to see as much as 25m further up the road in long bends.

The CLS 320 CDI on which the Grand Edition is based is ideal for those looking to bypass big fuel bills. Despite the power upgrade on this model, it manages a very creditable 37.2mpg along with 215g/km CO2 emissions, making it a viable option for company car users.

The desirability of the CLS helps it perform strongly on the used market. Comparatively rare cars with evocative styling rarely fall out of bed by the time owners come to sell them on and this shouldn't be an exception with only 560 Grand Edition cars coming to the UK. Servicing is not cheap however and the car's coupe status hardly encourages generosity from the insurance industry. Group 18 is the standard.

In the future, we might well look back on the CLS as a landmark car for Mercedes-Benz, one that ushered in a new era of elegant and desirable offerings bearing the three-pointed star. That's for the future though. For the time being, we can get on with enjoying it and there are few better ways to do so than the Grand Edition model.

Trendy matt silver paint, a 48bhp power boost and a sophisticated lighting system sets the Grand Edition CLS apart. The extras account for £2,140 of added value on the car and with 560 units available in the UK, it's easy to see the full quota being snapped up. Mercedes' 4-door coupe is no sports car but its 3.0-litre diesel engine brings a great blend of performance and economy, while owners shouldn't tire of the looks any time soon.

TOP 5 CLS DEALS

The results below show the top CLS deals on buyacar

Mercedes Benz CLS CLS 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Sport 4dr Tip Auto Diesel Coupe
Price £47,590 Read CLS Reviews	Save £5,895
Mercedes Benz CLS CLS 350 BlueEFFICIENCY 4dr Tip Auto Coupe
Price £44,835 Read CLS Reviews	Save £5,655
Mercedes Benz CLS CLS 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY 4dr Tip Auto Diesel Coupe
Price £41,487 Read CLS Reviews	Save £5,368
Mercedes Benz CLS CLS 350 BlueEFFICIENCY Sport 4dr Tip Auto Coupe
Price £47,590 Read CLS Reviews	Save £5,895
Mercedes Benz CLS CLS 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Sport 4dr Tip Auto Diesel Coupe
Price £44,242 Read CLS Reviews	Save £5,608
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