S-Class (W221/C216) CL-Class Facelift (Spy Photos & info)

[HighestOfHigh]

^Trust me it will look amazing when it's presented. The white color is probably making it seem that way.

 

[MBFanToDeath]

 

[Shining Star]

I'm getting bored of seeing spy shots of the car...many websites are saying that this is coming to Paris, so there's a long wait.

 

[Merc1]

I agree, its time to show the car. It won't be Paris. It will be either New York or at an off site reveal by MB. My money is on the Good Festival in June.

M

 

[Shining Star]

 

[HighestOfHigh]

The unstoppable Benz force! The King and Queen of the Benz empire!

Love that photo! The CL is looking better and better everyday. Could they be testing the new AMG V8???

 

[Shining Star]

The unstoppable Benz force! The King and Queen of the Benz empire!

Love that photo! The CL is looking better and better everyday. Could they be testing the new AMG V8???

Yes they are...the above pics were from the MB press release about the new AMG V8.

 

[GBOY]

Is that the SLS style grille I see?

 

[Shining Star]

Is that the SLS style grille I see?

Hmm...that would be interesting, because the regular S-Coupes have a two bar grille. Perhaps the AMG variants could have the one-bar grille?

 

[PHYBENZ]

 

[HighestOfHigh]

^The most exciting post all day!

This will be a masterpiece!

 

[peterleo]

I spoke with my local MB dealer today about the upcoming CL and this is what he told me:
1. The FL version will be launched around September 2010.
2. The FL version will still be named "CL Class" and not "S Coupe"
3. The next generation of the CL, which will be launched in 2013, will be called "S Coupe" and it will also be available as a cabriolet.
Can anybody confirm this or is it just plain nonsense?
Is a 6 year generation cycle normal for the CL?? Isn't it a bit short? I was expecting the new generation to arrive in 2014 at the earliest...
Also, does anyone know how much power the CL500/CL550 will have after the FL?

 

[martinbo]

I remember that Hyundai, in its early years, had a truly horrid little coupe based off the Elantra platform. It was called S-Coupe.

I hope the Mercedes Benz don't go down the road of the E-Class Coupe nomenclature again. Personally, I'm of the opinion that the current MB line-up's naming convention (barring the E coupe of course) is amongst the best in the industry. One of the reasons is that it's actually quite a flexible system in that CL doesn't have to denote any logical association with the C-Class; instead, it's quite passable as "Coupe-Luxury" or "Coupe-Limousine" which, it seems consumers accept quite readily.

So, with just a few clever alphanumeric combinations Mercedes Benz are able to impart meaningful model identification and differentiation. In fact, each alphabetic prefix has a such a strong identity that they're almost mini brands in their own right. If only they'd called it a CE500 - I'd be happier with that - because for models like CLS, SLK, SL, S, ML, GL etc, the naming convention works magnificently.

By introducing a "Coupe" moniker to identify a model in the range is tantamount to breaking something that ain't broke.

 

[Untertürkheim]

I remember that Hyundai, in its early years, had a truly horrid little coupe based off the Elantra platform. It was called S-Coupe.

I hope the Mercedes Benz don't go down the road of the E-Class Coupe nomenclature again. Personally, I'm of the opinion that the current MB line-up's naming convention (barring the E coupe of course) is amongst the best in the industry. One of the reasons is that it's actually quite a flexible system in that CL doesn't have to denote any logical association with the C-Class; instead, it's quite passable as "Coupe-Luxury" or "Coupe-Limousine" which, it seems consumers accept quite readily.

So, with just a few clever alphanumeric combinations Mercedes Benz are able to impart meaningful model identification and differentiation. In fact, each alphabetic prefix has a such a strong identity that they're almost mini brands in their own right. If only they'd called it a CE500 - I'd be happier with that - because for models like CLS, SLK, SL, S, ML, GL etc, the naming convention works magnificently.

By introducing a "Coupe" moniker to identify a model in the range is tantamount to breaking something that ain't broke.

It does not matter how well something works, since they ruined the nomenclature in 1994 MB just keeps changing things around for the sake of change.

I would argue that pre-1994 MB had the best naming system ever.

 

[martinbo]

Well, U, [I'll call you that if you don't mind because your user name is too long or I'm too lazy ] I can respect your point of view because MB really did have an elegant and logical nomenclature pre 1994. I mean, 450SL, could a car not have a better name? M5 is right up there too in its simplicity but breaks the convention.

In this day and age of complete and utter model proliferation however, I feel that it's because of this that car makers are practically forced into expanding the model naming convention in order to be able to better identify each in their burgeoning count of different models. The increase in Crossovers, in particular, presents further challenges in maintaining model distinction.

Mercedes Benz has managed, thus far to contain their model / package identification better than BMW has done in my opinion and far, far better than some French and Italian makers.

 

[Untertürkheim]

Well, U, [I'll call you that if you don't mind because your user name is too long or I'm too lazy ] I can respect your point of view because MB really did have an elegant and logical nomenclature pre 1994. I mean, 450SL, could a car not have a better name? M5 is right up there too in its simplicity but breaks the convention.

In this day and age of complete and utter model proliferation however, I feel that it's because of this that car makers are practically forced into expanding the model naming convention in order to be able to better identify each in their burgeoning count of different models. The increase in Crossovers, in particular, presents further challenges in maintaining model distinction.

Mercedes Benz has managed, thus far to contain their model / package identification better than BMW has done in my opinion and far, far better than some French and Italian makers.

In the case of MBs current nomenclature, I agree with you; it is second only to their own previous system. With the expanded model offering it would have been more difficult, but I am sure it could have worked, as it did when the first station wagon / estate appeared, and the T models were born.
Not to worry, U will do just fine

 

[coolraoul]

I am welcoming the name change. The current model designation is totally impossible to comprehend for anybody not spending several hours a day in an automotive forum. There are so many letters making so little sense...

How can you have a C-Class, entry-level, and a CL-Class, top of the line, and hope nobody will mix them up?

Who could not confound CLK, GLK, SLK? All of them meaning a totally different model?

Who can follow what is an ML, SL, GL?

It's just plain impossible. The current model designation @ MB is absolutely un-understandable. Random letter combination, all of them closer to the other but for models that culdn't be further apart...

Now you have the E, and the E-Coupe. Way easier to comprehend. Liek the S, and S-Coupe. Just easy.

That way people know what you drive when you say the name, because E and S are very well-known.

I just wish they had sticked to the G-moniker for all the SUV range, and mabe add a class-letter like GE for the ML, to signal the place in the line-up. Currently the SUV designation is just a mess, with the odd ML while GL and GLK make perfect sense.

 

[martinbo]

I have no problem understanding what's the difference between ML, GL and SL. No doubt, most consumers don't either. Yes, by your logic it's random but it's also very flexible. By your logic what should we have now?

C, E and S? Ok, so then we can expand:
C Coupe, E Coupe and S Coupe? All good so far...
Then what? E SaloonCoupe? (CLS), E SemiVan? (R Class)
Sure, by your notion some nomenclature should remain like:
SL and its little brother SL Halfling
GL and the smaller GL Wannabee

Nah, for me the nice thing about leaving out the Coupe moniker is that Mercedes Benz is left with model nomenclature that they can do with as they please without turning it into a model name essay like Z4 sDrive35iS!

 

[klier]

I hope the Mercedes Benz don't go down the road of the E-Class Coupe nomenclature again. Personally, I'm of the opinion that the current MB line-up's naming convention (barring the E coupe of course) is amongst the best in the industry.

Strongly disagree. Mercedes names are some of the most confusing and idiotic ones in Gemany. IMO even Audi is far, far better in naming it's cars.

Needless to say, BMW names it cars far and away the best

 

[SKY]

Needless to say, BMW names it cars far and away the best

Of course, the GT nomenclature really evoques the ultra-sporty character of the car.