AMG_Power

Hello guys,

Has anybody bought one already? or test drove one? would love to hear your opinion on its drive and performance.

Thanks

Tjdehya

I test drove one,, unfortunately I am an E-class driver and I have never driven in the previous CLS.
So my thoughts about the vehicle is only a W212 Vs C218 comparison.
https://mbworld.org/forums/4673578-post17.html


I know a few guys have already ordered CLS63's but I haven't seen anyone post that they ordered a CLS550.
Are you getting another CLS63?

AMG_Power

Actually yes I am thinking of replacing my cls63 but not quite sure whether to get a 550 or 63! Haven't seen either yet in real life, I'm sure the cls63 will be a fantastic car to drive but was curious to check if the 550 is also a comparable car in terms of performance and control.

LHCLS

I just took delivery of my 2012 CLS 350 with AMG package in Hong Kong last week. I am not a fast driver and I havent push it to its limit at all. So, I cannot comment too much on its performance.

But the car looks very nice with the AMG package. My interior is black with Aubergine leather. The aubergine leather is dark purple with a hint of red. It looks very dark, almost like black at night.

Tjdehya

OMG that sounds SEXY. Can we see some pics please.

stealth.pilot

I test drove a 2012 CLS550 today. It was an Iridium Gray with Almond interior, with most of the options.

Here my impressions:

Things I liked:
1) The car is stunning. The pictures really do not do the car justice. It is by far the best looking sports sedan on the market. Nothing comes close. The shape is really sporty, the hood is really long, the whole car has a low stance. It's gorgeous. I saw three colors - Palladium Silver, Iridium Gray and Obsidian. Palladium is far the best color - looks really good on this car.
2) The engine is great - lot of power. When you push the throttle, it is fun.
3) Suspension is superb. There is a wide spread between comfort and sport, and in sport mode the car feels totally planted. Firm, level in corners, but still not uncomfortable.
4) Steering is perfect. Plenty of assist at low speeds, more heavy and providing good feedback at speeds.
5) Interior is very nice. Its not as gorgeous as others have made out, but it is nice and feels much higher quality than the interior of the E-Class. I don't think it is as polished as the S550 cabin though (e.g. headliner is still the cheap kind, the cup holders look cheap to me, but the dash, the switch gear, the metal trimmings are all very good.

What I didn't like
1) Technology feels about 3 years out of date. Small nav screen is a total disappointment - it feels far less usable than the one in my 2008 Lexus GS460. Also the maps are the old fashioned kind, there are no split screen applications since the narrow screen is not good for that. When you contrast it with the 10.1" HD wide screen in the BMW 550i with its Google Earth imagery, you feel a bit like the car's technology is dark ages. Also there isn't much internet tech in here (e.g. apps), and the iPod integration is old-school - no iPod out menus, genius function or cover-art here. Also no HUD, no top-view cameras for parallel parking.
2) Throttle response is still sluggish. I put it in sport mode, but it still doesn't have the instant response you get from a BMW in Sport+ mode or from a Jag in dynamic mode. In fact the throttle response is less exciting than in my Lexus GS460.

Bottom-line - not clear I want this car. If it had up to date technology I would buy it in a heart-beat. But as it is, it feels like an amazing car with dark ages technology. it's not the complete package. I went back to the BMW dealer, and after seeing the CLS550 the 550i seems plain jane, but the sportiness of the drive and the technology makes it feel like a much more modern car, while it's looks lag the CLS550. No winner here.

K-A

Gonna be checking one out when I get back in town next week so I'll also post up impressions.

stealth.pilot

One more thing I didn't like about the new CLS

The selection of interior trim options is ridiculous for an 80,000 dollar car.

They have three colors of leather, and no choice of wood on almond or gray interiors, only a choice of 2 wood trims on the black leather. Even the Japanese give you more choice than that! Compare to BMW where you have 5 interior leather choices and 3 wood trim choices on each one plus an aluminum trim option.

I want a cream and black 2 tone interior where the carpets, lower panels and upper panels are black, but the seats and middle panels are cream. This is available on other benzes but not the CLS.

K-A

Welcome to the nu-era of lazy a$$ MBUSA, where "We want every car to look the same, as long as you keep buying them". The choices of M-B U.S differentiation Options nowadays is ridiculous.

nyca

This new CLS is nice, but the new A7 is going to set the mark for this segment. The "buzz" in the auto media on it is huge, and I don't see that same buzz about the new CLS.

K-A

The A7 is a first of its kind, hence the buzz, plus Audi is a hot up-and-comer, which is more of a story than a king-of-the-hill. The original CLS would be more buzz-worthy to compare to the A7, as it was a first of its kind as well, and it obviously out-buzzed the A7 heavily.

I saw and drove an A7 recently, and it's a very nice car, although I'm partial to M-B's designs at the moment. The rear of it is the biggest deal-breaker factor IMO, although it's not necessarily as bad on the road as it is in pics.