Looked at the Mercedes CLS today at the dealer...

[Sir_GT]

...and walked away sort of... well, to be frank, slightly disappointed.

My father-in-law was looking for a new car, and I had a couple of brochures sent over, and he liked the CLS the most. Fortunately, one of the Merc dealers had one on site, so we had a look see...

The thing is SMALL. Way smaller than I expected at least. All that "based on the E-class" platform that we've all read basically came to nothing. I sat in the back (I'm 6'3") and my head was literally up against the ceiling. Rear headroom isn't just bad, it's terrible. If you're in the region of being 6-foot or more, you can forget about leaning your head back against the headrest... you'll have to lean forward during the duration you're sitting in it.

I know it's meant to be a 4-door coupe, but so is the Mazda RX-8, and the Mazda has FAR greater headroom (and just rear passenger comfort all around) than the CLS. The windows don't really help either. You could see better out of the rear of the RX-8. The whole experience of sitting in the back of the CLS was pretty disorienting to be honest - you're not comfortable, you can't see out, you can't lean back unless you're shorter than 5'8", and you can't stretch your legs either. I mean, without exaggerating, the Mini Cooper has better rear passenger headroom - seriously.

Mind, it does get better. Sitting in the front was good. You sat low and cocooned (no E-class space here matey), in fact, it felt tighter than a regular C-class. Whether or not that feeling was created by the small-ish windows (high waistline, low roofline), I can't say for sure. I did like it though, because you felt like you were in a sports car.

I wish I could say fit and finish were superb... but they weren't. The interior panel gaps were terrible. If this was an Audi, I think it would've been recalled before it even left Inglostadt. I could imagine an Audi technician screaming at the delivery transporter: "Halt! Nein! Dey not finisk!"

Seriously, if you don't believe me, try sitting in one next time, then once you've closed the doors, try seeing which of your five fingers can fit in between the B-pillar and the front and rear doors. My thumb slid in... and I have big hands.

Tsk, tsk. Really now Mercedes, shame on you.

Quality of materials? Alright would be the best description. Lots of fake, leather-looking plastic. I know every manufacturer is guilty of this, but at least some of them (BMW and Audi) use a softer kind of plastic for their £35k+ models... the CLS starts at £41k, and the plastic leather was exactly like you would find on the £20k C-class... very hard and cheap.

As I was becoming more and more disillusioned, I stepped outside and tried looking at it... and goddamn, I've said it before and I'll say it again, that is one sexy fucking Merc. No Merc has the right to be that sexy. It trully is a gorgeous car. We then had the engine switched on, and - it wasn't bad. Granted, we only saw the CLS 350, it still sounded pretty good (it should, especially with tailpipes that wide).

I really wanted to like this car. Hell, I even convinced myself (and my father-in-law) that this is finally a Mercedes worth spending money on. It does look like nothing else, but in a good way, but I fear that the package was compromised because of this. Somehow, the decision to use the E-class platform pretty much shot the relevance of the CLS in the foot. This was supposed to be a four-door, sleek, sexy, and sporty, luxury coupe. Instead, it ended being half of all of those, and not anywhere near as great as it should've been.

Summary? It's a footballer's car. It's the "now" car. The "it" car. Thing is, once that novelty wears off, the car's shortcoming will start to show, and I fear this may harm the car's credibility in being a pioneering product. If only Mercedes had the common sense to use a bigger platform (S/CL-class platform would have been absolutely perfect) in order to compensate for the loss of space due to the design.

It (the CLS) really is such a terribly missed opportunity.

[ZfrkS62]

I really am not impressed in the right way with the CLS either. Just by looking at the rear windows, you can see that the back seat, like the E46 Coupe, is not made for adults.

(not that Mercedes has done anything impressive in the last 10 years anyway)

[Sir_GT]

Originally Posted by ZfrkS62 I really am not impressed in the right way with the CLS either. Just by looking at the rear windows, you can see that the back seat, like the E46 Coupe, is not made for adults. (not that Mercedes has done anything impressive in the last 10 years anyway)

Yes, but you see, the E46 Coupe doesn't have rear doors which would imply to the casual passerby that there is a proper area of space. The E46's rear passenger area is merely a "bonus", whereas in the CLS, it was meant to be a defining part of the package.

Honestly, BMW actually SHOULD make an answer to the CLS, but use a bigger platform. A normal-length 7-series platform would be perfect, as opposed to a stretched 5-series platform.

[Sir_GT]

One thing I did forget to mention:

Merc dealerships haven't changed. We were there for a whole 15 minutes, and nobody came up to us. There was a receptionist tucked away at the far end who could clearly see that we were there, but pretended that weren't, which basically left us with no choice but to wander around the forecourt.

Far cry from the BMW and Jaguar dealerships. With BMW or Jaguar (or Mini for that matter), when you walk in the first thing you'll hear before the door shuts is "May we help you sir?"

Oh, and the conclusion to the CLS saga? We're going to BMW in about a week to test drive the 5-series and the facelifted 7-series. I'll give a full report afterwards.

[bmwdakias]

It is hard for me to admit that by looking at a MB i get excited but the truth is that i saw a cls500 a couple of days ago and it looks absolutely gorgeous.If i compared it with a six series as some magazines have done, although i am not sure that this was mercedes intention i would go for the six but not because of the looks but for the whole package that the bimmer offers(better driving dynamics).Its a very beatifull car and the fact that it has no adequate headroom in the rear is no suprise as its design prepares you for that drawback. If you want to drive a car that looks so good you ll have to compromise or you ll then just and up driving a square boxy shaloon shape car.The new seven is in a different league as far as quality and room are concerned but it is not as attractive although it has more presence and with the facelift i dont see why someone would complain for the looks anymore.In a way i believe that the MB is a pointless car with amazing looks.

[Ghostbat]

Surprise surprise.. Sir_GT didn't like a Merc :roll:

I don't even bother commenting any further..

[Sir_GT]

Originally Posted by Ghostbat Surprise surprise.. Sir_GT didn't like a Merc :roll: I don't even bother commenting any further..

You've misread my post. I DO like the CLS. I like the concept, I love the looks, I like the fact that Mercedes finally went "balls first" and did something completely original.

What I was saying was that it could've been so much better. I won't repeat what I already mentioned in my post, but it I definitely didn't write something as narrowminded as "it's a merc, don't like it."

[thekillingroad]

Originally Posted by ZfrkS62 (not that Mercedes has done anything impressive in the last 10 years anyway)

thats whats all about..

[SPEEDKILLAR]

Originally Posted by Ghostbat Surprise surprise.. Sir_GT didn't like a Merc :roll: I don't even bother commenting any further..

lol I wanted to write that

But I do have to admit about the headroom behind, its not that roomy, but hell, it isn't supposed to be, if it was roomy it would compromise its sexy lines, so why whine about it. There are plenty of cars that could have been better, but they have their pro's and con's, that's how it is and that's how it should always be, I can't imagine the perfect car really, well I'll give it a try, it should be hypercarfast, it should have room for 5 people, it should be sporty, it should be luxerious,etc .... I think you'll get my point

[SPEEDKILLAR]

Originally Posted by thekillingroad Originally Posted by ZfrkS62 (not that Mercedes has done anything impressive in the last 10 years anyway) thats whats all about..

:-/

[blah]

get a brabus and call it a day. Or go with a E55. CLS isnt my style nor are merc dealers really. Its usually after you buy the car does the shitty service come out. Kinda like a woman, before marriage all the sex you want. After.....she bitches at you.

[Sir_GT]

Originally Posted by SPEEDKILLAR Originally Posted by Ghostbat Surprise surprise.. Sir_GT didn't like a Merc :roll: I don't even bother commenting any further.. lol I wanted to write that But I do have to admit about the headroom behind, its not that roomy, but hell, it isn't supposed to be, if it was roomy it would compromise its sexy lines, so why whine about it. There are plenty of cars that could have been better, but they have their pro's and con's, that's how it is and that's how it should always be, I can't imagine the perfect car really, well I'll give it a try, it should be hypercarfast, it should have room for 5 people, it should be sporty, it should be luxerious,etc .... I think you'll get my point

I have to disagree. I think if the platform was longer, the car would have retained the lines and still had better headroom. I think MB needed more use for the E-class platform, and since the S-class platform was already being used for the CL, and the C-class platform for the CLK, they must've thought it to be pointless to come up with another 2-door coupe.

Now if only they used the E-class platform on the CL, and the S-class platform for the CLS, then I think they would've pretty much produced the best Merc in a seriously long time.

[blah]

Originally Posted by Sir_GT Originally Posted by SPEEDKILLAR Originally Posted by Ghostbat Surprise surprise.. Sir_GT didn't like a Merc :roll: I don't even bother commenting any further.. lol I wanted to write that But I do have to admit about the headroom behind, its not that roomy, but hell, it isn't supposed to be, if it was roomy it would compromise its sexy lines, so why whine about it. There are plenty of cars that could have been better, but they have their pro's and con's, that's how it is and that's how it should always be, I can't imagine the perfect car really, well I'll give it a try, it should be hypercarfast, it should have room for 5 people, it should be sporty, it should be luxerious,etc .... I think you'll get my point I have to disagree. I think if the platform was longer, the car would have retained the lines and still had better headroom. I think MB needed more use for the E-class platform, and since the S-class platform was already being used for the CL, and the C-class platform for the CLK, they must've thought it to be pointless to come up with another 2-door coupe. Now if only they used the E-class platform on the CL, and the S-class platform for the CLS, then I think they would've pretty much produced the best Merc in a seriously long time.

The CLS is a real estate agents dream car anyways. :roll: The CL is way to bad ass to be produced off the E-Class chasis, it wouldnt sell as well.

[SPEEDKILLAR]

^^^I agree with that

[Just_me]

I dont like it either. Probably the worst MB design in many years if you ask me.