Perfect CLS

[bpsorrel]

Viewed the new E class saloon and coupe at MotorExpo today. The conclusion I came to is the CLS beats them both, hands down for exterior and defo interior design! Hopping from one to another, I think the CLS is MB's design masterpiece, looking stunning, despite it's design age and familiarity to the W211 inside.

Anyone else agree with me? The CLS has jumped to the top of my wish list when my S211 needs replacing!

 

[saorbust]

Totally agree with you.

I drove my old E Class the other day (211 series) - sold it to my father. Totally different car to the CLS I now have - he wants mine now !

I think the new E looks rushed in design - I don't see the flair you have with the CLS or even the old E. Just doesn't say 'wow' to me.

The coupe - well different story think it looks great.

Having my CLS serviced next week and dealer has promised me a drive in a new E - so might change my mind then, but for now, on looks - I don't rate it as as one of their best.

 

[Simon_M]

I am slightly biased but do agree, I even think the recent facelift of the CLS has made it worse. The square exhausts, squarer mirrors and sharper grille do not really work with a car with so many curves.

What I love about the CLS is every inch of the interior that is not fake wood or buttons is covered in leather....

On a slightly different note, I saw an article on the new SLR Roadster (Stirling Moss Edition) which had the nasty plastic Mercedes steering wheel that is standard on most of the new cars! on a car that costs 750000Eur?

S

 

[bpsorrel]

I quite like the exterior design of the new E (though nowhere near as nice as the CLS and lacking the elegance of the 211), but it's the interior I don't like. Too square, plasticky and lacking in flair IMHO. Compared to the very stylish interior of the CLS or even the 211, it almost looks Korean to me.

 

[Gareth]

CLS is only a 4 seater though which really surprised me.

 

[bpsorrel]

Yeah, but what a 4 seater!! I agree though - for such a large car to only seat 4 is a surprise, but does go with the "coupe" look I guess!

 

[wemorgan]

CLS is only a 4 seater though which really surprised me.

I think they were trying to put clear water between that and the E-class.

A no-cost optin of a rear 3 seater bench would have offered something to everyone though.

 

[Mactech]

I've always had a soft spot for the CLS and came very close to buying a 55AMG at the end of last year. To me, the interior is less special than the E Class but the exterior is a work of art.
I've had my head turned recently by the Jaguar XF and spotted how much more you have to pay for all the luxuries (like memory seats and sat nav) with the CLS. I suspect that it cost Mercedes just a few hundred more to build a CLS than an E but can sell them for £10k more. Are we fashion victims or lovers of truly fine cars....

 

[jeremytaylor]

I would buy a CLS - if it could seat 5 I had a drive in one on the track at Sindelfingen a few years ago - lovely then and still lovely now!

I too think that the W211 interior is far more elegant than the W212 - the newer dash seems too 'workmanlike' to me with less design flair.

 

[bpsorrel]

Talking of the XF, I looked at that too at MotorExpo yesterday and I have to say, I was VERY impressed! Think Jaguar missed a trick though by not giving it a hatch like the XK has, especially as the rear of both look similar, the XF having a very coupe like profile. A 5 door XF 3.0 TD S would be a very interesting car indeed....

 

[st13phil]

I too think that the W211 interior is far more elegant than the W212 - the newer dash seems too 'workmanlike' to me with less design flair.

OK, I'm going to be the dissenter here. I like the slabby simplicity of the dash on both the W204 and the W212 which, I suspect, is a deliberate move on MB's part to resurrect the perception of "hewn from granite" that the older models were renowned for. In years to come I suspect that the more swoopy W203 and W211 interiors will be remembered as being an over-fussy abberation in the lineage.

Regarding the CLS, that's a different animal entirely and I much prefer the interior of the CLS to the W211.

 

[bpsorrel]

One of the things I don't like about the new 212 interior, as well as the style, is the amount of chrome everywhere! Reminded me of my Dad's old Vauxhall Victor!