2004 LA AUTO SHOW: Mercedes-Benz CLS Design Study Makes U.S. Debut

High-Style CLS Coupe to be Offered for 2005

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 30 -- Mercedes-Benz is debuting its dramatic Vision CLS concept car today during news media activities preceding the opening of the Greater L.A. Auto Show, January 2-11, 2004 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The four-door CLS design study is the first vehicle to combine the emotional design of a coupe with the comfort and functionality of a sedan.

"The idea of a four-door coupe opens up exciting possibilities. With sophisticated design and exclusive interior appointments, the Vision CLS is aimed primarily at people who have a passion for cars and for driving," says Professor Juergen Hubbert, DaimlerChrysler Board member in charge of the Mercedes Car Group.

Coupe Design is More than a Study

Initial reaction to its eye-catching styling has been so positive that Mercedes-Benz has decided to add the CLS to its broad portfolio of well-known, high-quality products. When it arrives in the U.S. market in 2005, the CLS500 will be powered by a five-liter V8 engine, and its standard equipment will include a seven-speed automatic transmission, SBC electronic braking and DC Airmatic air suspension.

Safety is Standard Equipment

The CLS will also come with all the safety features expected in a Mercedes-Benz, such as two-stage front airbags, curtain side airbags, ABS anti-lock brakes and ESP stability control. Based on the E-Class platform, the CLS is 193.3 inches long, with a wheelbase of 112.4 inches.

The CLS headlights are bi-xenon projector beams that feature Mercedes' active-curve technology -- turning the steering wheel angles the lights slightly, to help the driver see around corners. Like the coupes and convertibles in the Mercedes lineup, the distinctive grill wears a three-pointed star.

Sweeping Lines and High-Tension Forms

The elegant design of the CLS is characterized by a sweeping silhouette -- the enduring characteristic of a coupe. The graceful roofline flows into the C-pillar to form a subtle arch that spans the long, sleek body.

Those sweeping exterior lines continue right into the CLS interior, even linking the dash and the doors to the rear of the vehicle. Leather and wood cover most of the interior surfaces, with natural-grain leather and a long strip of handcrafted oak trimming the dash of the show car. Looking through the four-spoke steering wheel, three chronometer-type gauges and two LCD bar graphs in the instrument cluster are accented by matte chrome rings and more wood trim.

The large rear doors are by far the most striking feature of the new coupe concept. Unlike most coupes, the CLS boasts 33 inches of space between the front and rear seats. What's more, the CLS trunk can hold almost 16 cubic feet of cargo -- more than any other coupe and better than many sedans.

Mercedes Coupes Then and Now

Mercedes-Benz has a long, impressive track record of innovation in both technology and design, and coupe models have figured prominently in the company's long list of styling icons. At the top, of course, is the 300 SL "Gullwing" of the 1950s, but it was actually preceded by at least three coupe models -- the 1936 Type 380 and only a year later, the immortal 540K, as well as the elegant 300S of the early 1950s.

Several four-door cars of the 1930s had noticeably coupe-like lines and could be considered CLS ancestors -- namely the long-wheelbase 200 and 290 "Streamliners."