It's been a slow day for Mercedes news, so I decided to visit Jalopnik to check up on the rest of the automotive industry.  While browsing their site, I stumbled a story they ran about the Mercedes CL.

In an article published by Forbes today, the Mercedes CL was named one of their "turkeys," a word they use to refer to the cars that have noted the biggest declines in the first 10 months of 2005 compared to the same time last year.

If you follow the Mercedes sales figures, there's no doubt you've noticed the same decline in the CL that Forbes has noted.   It pains me to say this, but Forbes is right. the CL sales are low, low, low... this, of course, is largely due to the fact that a redesigned CL is on the horizon. But it also begs the question - with Mercedes introduction of the "four door coupe," how much of a market is there for the future CL?

For me, the CL is a strange creature.   I've always loved it, but if I had to decide between this and either the S-Class or the SL-Class which would I choose?  Personally, I'd have to choose the practicality of the four door S-Class, or the fun and pleasure of the SL roadster.  In either case, my first choice wouldn't be the CL.  But then again, if you provided me with an unlimited income and asked me to choose three Mercedes models, the CL would probably make my list (barring the SLR).

What I'm trying to say is this - I have a feeling the majority of CL owners already own other more practical Mercedes, and they then opt for the less practical CL; either that, or they're younger and could care less about practicality.

So what do you think?  Who is the most likely purchaser of the CL-Class?  Do you think sales will improve with the debut of the redesigned CL, or will buyers lean more towards the likes of the slightly more practical four door CLS coupe?  Email me and give me your thoughts.

If you want to check out the Forbes article and the full list of automotive turkeys, you can find them all here.


[UPDATE:  Thanks to everyone who sent in comments about the CL story.

Not surprisingly, I didn't hear from anyone that felt the CL sales have declined because of it's lack of "practicality," or because of the introduction of the CLS "four door coupe."

The resounding response to my inquiry was simply that compared to its current competitors, including other Mercedes models, it's outdated.

When speaking of the CL, I think there's one key thing to remember:  sales numbers have never been that high. Is this a bad thing?  Nope, because I believe (as most of you do) that limited sales contribute to the exclusivity of the car.

Ultimately, I think that's what I think the CL is.  It's the perfect choice if you want all the traits of the S-Class in a slightly varied, slightly sportier, and slightly more exclusive vehicle.

Thanks again to everyone for their comments.]