Satisfying, Not Brash
by David Morgan (26 Apr 06)

Thank the Lord for cars like the elegant CL coupé. Nothing comes close to its technological tour de force - a fine wine in a cellar full of Tesco specials. It's a rare beast (only 265 were sold in Britain in 2005) and production of the current model is due to end soon in advance of the arrival of its 2007 model-year replacement. The "new" CL will be unveiled in Germany in June 2006 and go on sale later this year, but for now the seven-year old C215 is a unique reminder that not every supercar has to be an outrageously-styled hedonist to be the best.

My CL 500 test car is the baby of the range, a mere £73,700 four-seat carriage with Mercedes' lusty five-litre V8 under the bonnet transferring its relatively modest 306bhp and 339lb/ft of torque to the rear wheels through the cracking 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic. That adds up to a respectable 6.3 second sprint to 62mph, impressive mid-range overtaking bursts and a top whack limited to 155mph.

It's the entry-level CL in a family of four which includes the sewing-machine smooth 500bhp CL 600 V12 (£98,125), the sharp-suited 500bhp CL 55 AMG (£98,795) and the manic 604bhp CL 65 AMG (£146,000). They are all fine cars - but by far the best buy is the CL 500.

In a world where excess is celebrated and an "entry level" mentality marks down cars like the CL 500, it is a classic case of less is more. The 500 delivers everything you need from a comfortable continent-crossing four-seat coupé: rapid performance, luxurious trim, stunning handling and subtle superiority.

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