Mercedes-Benz tuner specialist Famous Parts unveiled a new package for the Mercedes-Benz CL500. The new kit features a Moonshine matte black foil wrap and wide body kit from Prior Design as well as other additional parts from Brabus and AMG. All combined, the CL500 has a sportier more aggressive look.
The CL500 body kit includes a revised front and rear bumper with an enlarged spoiler lip in the front and a diffuser with new tailpipes in the back. The kit really stands out thanks to its widened fenders and finished off with new side sills and a boot lid spoiler.
The car features new LED daytime running lights and rides on 21″ Monoblock Wheels from Brabus that are wrapped in Continental Sport Contact Rubber tires. No tuning kit would be complete if the car couldn’t be lowered, keeping this in mind, Famous Parts installed an electronic lowering module that dropping the car a couple of inches.
Lastly, Famous Parts replaced the CL 500 stock exhaust system with one from a CL63 AMG. No word yet on pricing.
Ahead of their global premiere at the Essen Motor Show, which takes place at the expo center of the Ruhr Valley metropolis November 26 through December 4, Brabus announced their tuning programs for the Mercedes-Benz CL 500 and S 500 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY. Both vehicles are powered by Brabus’ recently launched power kit for the Mercedes-Benz 4.7-liter eight-cylinder twin turbo engine, which has a standard output of 435 hp (429 bhp) / 320 kW and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft).
BRABUS offers up to 520 hp (512 bhp) / 382 kW of power, a peak torque of 820 Nm (604 lb-ft), a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph), a wide selection of wheels with diameters of up to 22 inches, sporty-elegant designer suits and exclusive interior options on their refined versions of the Mercedes CL 500 and S 500 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY models.
The all-wheel-drive versions of the CL 500 and S 500 are equipped ex-factory with a 4.7-liter eight-cylinder twin turbo engine that produces 435 hp (429 bhp) / 320 kW of power and a peak torque of 700 Nm (516 lb-ft). The BRABUS engine specialists have developed two different BRABUS PowerXtra CGI performance kits for this engine, which are also available for all rear-wheel-drive models.
BRABUS B50 – 490 engine tuning consists of a plug-and-play BRABUS PowerXtra module, which is integrated into the engine electronics and recalibrates the mapping for ignition, injection and the electronic boost pressure control. After the conversion the 4.7-liter eight-cylinder twin turbo engine produces a powerful 490 hp (482 bhp) / 360 kW, up from 435 hp (429 bhp) / 320 kW. Peak torque jumps to 780 Nm (575 lb-ft).
The BRABUS B50 – 520 PowerXtra performance kit features an additional intercooler. This BRABUS power upgrade produces 520 hp (512 bhp) / 382 kW at 5,250 rpm, an increase by 85 horsepower. Simultaneously peak torque grows to 820 Nm (604 lb-ft) between 1,800 and 3,500 rpm.
The performance of the tuned CL 500 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY benefits accordingly. The all-wheel-drive coupe accelerates from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.5 seconds.
The BRABUS Vmax unit eliminates the standard 250-km/h (155-mph) speed limit. The two-door car equipped with Vmax unit and BRABUS B50 – 520 PowerXtra performance kit reaches a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph). The new top speed requires the installation of a BRABUS speedometer with 360-km/h (220-mph) dial.
Performance of the all-wheel-drive S 500 model is at the same high level.
The BRABUS stainless-steel sport exhaust system with butterfly valve and four distinctive BRABUS-design tailpipes provide the V8 engine with a sportier exhaust note that never becomes intrusive.
BRABUS offers not just engine tuning but a complete customization program for the 2011 facelift generation of the Mercedes CL-Class.
It includes a sporty-elegant aerodynamic-enhancement kit that fits all latest versions of the coupe not equipped ex-factory with AMG body styling. The BRABUS front spoiler attaches to the underside of the production bumper and gives the CL an even more energetic front end. The spoiler’s sophisticated shape was fine-tuned in the wind tunnel and reduces lift on the front axle at high speeds.
To optimize the airflow along the vehicle’s sides the BRABUS designers developed strikingly styled side skirts with stylized air vent. The side skirts also feature integrated LED entrance lights for safely getting in and out of the vehicle in the dark.
The BRABUS rear fascia features a central reflector and a custom-tailored cutout on each side for the two dual tailpipes of the BRABUS sport exhaust system. An understated rear spoiler on the trunk lid rounds out the striking looks, and minimizes lift on the rear axle.
Just as important for a custom appearance and sportier handling are custom-tailored wheels. The CL 500 and S 500 4MATIC can be equipped with BRABUS Monoblock wheels in various designs and with diameters between 18 and 22 inches. The especially exclusive BRABUS “Platinum Edition” forged wheels represent high tech par excellence. The Monoblock F cross-spoke design is available in size 9Jx21 mounted with tires in size 265/30 ZR 21 from BRABUS technology partners Continental, Pirelli and YOKOHAMA.
In light of the approaching winter BRABUS also offers extensively tested tire/wheel combinations with high-performance snow tires. Due to their elaborate four coats of gray “Liquid Titanium” paint the one-piece BRABUS Monoblock F wheels with diameters of 19 or 20 inches are particularly suited for winter use.
The BRABUS lowering module for the standard ABC suspension is specifically calibrated to these ultra-low-profile tires. The module lowers the ride height of the two-door car by some 25 millimeters (1 in.).
To keep the enormous performance safely under control, the Mercedes naturally can be equipped with a BRABUS high-performance brake system that comes in various versions. Version IV, the largest one, consists of vented and cross-drilled discs measuring 405 x 35 mm (16 x 1.4 in.) and 6-piston aluminum fixed calipers on the front axle. The rear axle stops on steel discs measuring 380 x 34 mm (15 x 1.3 in.) and 4-piston aluminum fixed calipers.
The interior of the all-wheel-drive Mercedes coupe also offers numerous possibilities for exclusive BRABUS refinement. The list of accessories ranges from scuff plates with backlit BRABUS logo and an ergonomically shaped sport steering wheel to aluminum pedals, footrest and shifter.
The BRABUS upholstery shop offers countless exclusive options for trimming the interior of the CL- and S-Class to suit the owner’s personal taste. A giant selection of especially soft yet durable BRABUS Mastik leather and finest Alcantara in any desired color is available for that purpose.
Just as diverse is the selection of wood and carbon-fiber trim. The wood inlays can be manufactured in any desired color and wood grain with a high-gloss or matte surface finish. The lineup of sporty carbon-fiber trim is just as colorful.
BRABUS also offers every option to equip the CL Coupe or the S-Class luxury sedan with a multimedia system custom-tailored to the suit each owner’s individual preferences.
Engine preparation is the daily bread of the VÄTH Hösbach Company from Aschaffenburg. This time it was a black Mercedes-Benz CL 500. After the conversion, the 5.5-liter engine uses sport camshafts, stainless steel sport catalysts and air filters, so there are 460 HP and 600 Nm of torque available now.
The fine tuning of the engine electronics also includes Vmax increase up to 290 km/h, that’s why it is important to turn attention to tires! In addition, stainless steel manifolds, catalytic converters and stainless steel rear silencer were used. The improved sound effect also underscores the sporty appearance and has a positive impact on the natural characteristics of this super sports car. A fuel cooler increases efficiency and at the same time reduces fuel consumption and lowers material stress. The engine oil cooler is used for special motors, a matter of course for VÄTH.
The black Benz stands on three-part VÄTH 20-inch forged wheels with 245/30ZR20 tires at the front and 285/25ZR20 – at the rear axle. It has a three-way adjustable sports suspension and a braking system designed for maximum performance even in this case of special priority. The stability and security for high cornering speeds do not compromise comfort.
The front spoiler lips, the rear diffuser and the trunk-lip spoiler are made of high quality visual carbon.
For the adequate refinement of the interior, carbon fiber parts with perfect fit and high processing precision in either classic black or even multi-colored carbon were used. The metamorphosis of the interior is available with sport steering wheel in several variants, a rounded down to 360 km/h speedometer and black suede bottom with silver embroidered logo.
Information on the respective prices of the individual stages can be provided by the VÄTH Company at any time, but is also available for download as a PDF-file.
With a design perfected through an immaculate sense of style, highly exclusive appointments and cutting-edge technology, the extensively updated Mercedes-Benz CL underscores its claim to supremacy as the summit of automotive refinement. The entirely re-designed 320 kW (435 hp) V8 biturbo engine of the CL 500 BlueEFFICIENCY, with a combined consumption of 9.5 litres premium-grade petrol per 100 kilometres, opens a new dimension of efficiency in the luxury coupé category. Its NEDC figures show savings of around 22 percent over its predecessor model, CO2 emissions having dropped from 288 grams per kilometre to 224 grams per kilometre. This significant reduction is achieved thanks to the newly-developed BlueDIRECT technology with third-generation spray-guided direct injection, with the contribution of the specially-designed BlueEFFICIENCY package of the CL 500 BlueEFFICIENCY.
The package includes, among other things, energy-efficient control of alternator, fuel pump, air-conditioning compressor and power-assisted steering system, as well as the ECO start/stop function. It also features the use of low rolling resistance tyres and the energy-optimised Active Body Control system. In addition, the Mercedes-Benz developers equipped the CL with state-of-the-art multimedia technology, thus helping this model, produced with a high proportion of hand-finished work, to retain its position as the epitome of quality in its class.
With the new generation of the CL, the Stuttgart-based automaker focuses on fuel consumption and exhaust gas emissions in the exclusive high-end segment, too. According to Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG: “The CL is the ideal ambassador for our brand. To a special degree it integrates the things that go to make a Mercedes-Benz: fascination, perfection and responsibility. And with the new generation we raise the ante particularly in the area of efficiency. But in the realms of design, safety, comfort and performance, too, the CL shows: ahead is where Mercedes is.”
In addition, a combination of cutting-edge camera and radar-based assistance systems unique in the luxury coupé segment, including the innovation of the Active Lane Keeping Assist and the Active Blind Spot Assist, makes of the CL a “thinking” partner of the driver. The modified Active Body Control (ABC) with crosswind stabilisation system and the Direct-Steer system also contribute to enhancing safety and driving enjoyment.
Design: a muscular, self-assured presence
The exterior appearance of the new CL generation is characterised by the terse profile of the bonnet, the dynamic V-shape radiator grille and the curving headlamps – design details that discreetly but effectively emphasise the car’s elegant yet powerful lines.
The front bumper, too, presents a new design with three air intake openings and a chrome trim strip. An LED strip with chrome surround for the daytime running lamps is elegantly integrated in the side openings for the brake cooling air. With their standard-fit Intelligent Light System (ILS) and Adaptive Highbeam Assist, the headlamps offer state-of-the-art illumination technology. The latest LED technology in the turn indicators and position marker lamps rounds off the car’s advanced image. The rear of the vehicle is characterised by the newly-designed tail lights.
New V8 biturbo engine with innovative technology
The new-generation CL also assumes a pioneering role in the drive system sector. Under the bonnet of the CL 500 BlueEFFICIENCY and CL 500 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY a new V8 biturbo engine with BlueDIRECT technology delivers its impressive power. With its 4663 cubic centimetres displacement, the eight-cylinder engine produces 320 kW (435 hp) so that despite 0.8 litres less displacement, it is still around 12 percent more powerful than its predecessor, which had an output of 285 kW (388 hp). At the same time, torque was raised from 530 Nm to 700 Nm – an increase of 32 percent. Combined consumption in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), on the other hand, drops by around 22 percent to 9.5 litres of premium petrol per 100 kilometres for the rear-wheel drive version. CO2 emissions consequently sink from 288 grams per kilometre to 224 grams per kilometre. The CL 500 BlueEFFICIENCY requires a mere 4.9 seconds to accelerate from a standstill to 100 km/h (previous model: 5.4 seconds). Summing up: the CL 500 BlueEFFICIENCY is significantly more agile, torquey and thriftier than its predecessor.
The BlueDIRECT technology package of the V8 biturbo includes a series of new developments, unique in their combination. Worthy of mention among these is the third generation spray-guided direct petrol injection with piezo injectors and multi-spark ignition with up to four ignition sparks within a millisecond. Together both enable an innovative combustion process called “homogenous split”. Other factors contributing to the exemplary low fuel consumption continue to be the consistent use of friction-optimised pistons, piston rings and cylinder barrels, the on-demand control of oil pump and the new three-phase thermal management in the coolant circuit. The luxury coupé’s technology package includes the ECO start/stop function and alternator control in accordance with the handling situation and on-board voltage, including kinetic energy recuperation in overrun mode.
The CL 600, with its 380 kW (517 hp) 12-cylinder biturbo engine remains the top-of-the-line model: it accelerates the luxury coupé from a standstill to 100 km/h in impressive 4.6 seconds and now also complies with the Euro 5 emissions control standard.
A unique combination of driver-assistance systems
With state-of-the-art assistance and protection systems the new generation CL underpins its status as an automotive masterwork and technology platform of the Stuttgart-based company. The attentive assistants turnthe Mercedes model into an “intelligent” partner which is able to “see”, “feel”, respond “instinctively” to detected dangers and act “on its own initiative” in order to avoid accidents or to reduce their severity. The trailblazing driver assistance systems in the CL are based on cutting-edge radar, camera and sensor technology.
Thus, in the new-generation CL the Active Lane Keeping Assist celebrates its premiere (at the same time as in the S-Class). If the vehicle threatens to cross a broken lane marking line, the system actuates an electric motor in the steering wheel, causing it to vibrate briefly – giving the driver a discreet but effective warning hint to countersteer immediately. The active system springs into action if the Mercedes coupé unintentionally crosses a continuous lane marking line to the right or to the left. In this case, it intervenes by gently braking the wheels of the opposite side of the car, helping the driver to stay in the lane. In order to do this Active Lane Keeping Assist avails itself of the Electronic Stability Program ESP®.
Active Lane-Keeping Assist evaluates information provided by a camera mounted on the inside of the windscreen. It identifies the contrast between the road surface and the lane marking lines. In addition to this, using radar the system scans the side of the roadway for crash barriers and other roadway edge markings. This Mercedes assistance system also evaluates the driver’s actions and can thus reliably determine whether the car is departing from the lane intentionally or not. For this reason, there is no warning if the driver accelerates hard just before overtaking or when accessing a motorway, or if he brakes hard or steers into a curve.
Targeted brake actuation: Active Blind Spot Assist
A further innovation Mercedes-Benz offers for the CL is Active Blind Spot Assist, a system that makes use of a multi-stage warning concept. If it detects that a change of lane would be too dangerous, it warns the driver by displaying a red triangle in the glass of the exterior mirror. Close-range radar sensors monitor the area immediately to the side and to the rear of the car. If the driver disregards this warning and, for example, actuates the turn indicator, an audible warning also sounds. If the driver continues to ignore the warnings and comes dangerously close to a vehicle in the neighbouring lane, a novel feature of the system acts: a corrective braking intervention via ESP® on the wheels of the opposite side of the vehicle. This causes a yaw movement about the car’s vertical axis due to the unequal distribution of the braking forces. If despite this course correction an accident cannot be avoided, the Active Blind Spot Assist system can reduce the consequences of a collision through the brake actuation.
Assistants to see and be seen better
Adaptive Highbeam Assist is another standard-fit system featured by the CL. This camera-based system can recognise oncoming vehicles or vehicles ahead with their lights on, and then controls the headlamps to ensure the best possible beam range without dazzling other road users. In addition, Mercedes-Benz offers the Night View Assist Plus system for the CL, featuring a special infrared camera for pedestrian detection: as soon as the system detects pedestrians on the road ahead, these are highlighted additionally in the display, in order to catch the driver’s attention better.
The images supplied by the windscreen camera are also used by the new, optional Speed Limit Assist, which recognises speed limit signs in passing and shows the relevant speed limit in the central display and on the navigation system’s map display (standard for the CL 600).
For the new-generation CL, Mercedes-Benz has also improved the long and medium-range radar used by Brake Assist PLUS (BAS PLUS) and DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control.
An “electronic crumple zone”: the PRE-SAFE® Brake
Mercedes-Benz also offers another radar based system for the luxury coupé as a component of the Driving Assistance package Plus in the form of the PRE-SAFE® Brake. If the driver is distracted and fails to recognise the imminent danger of a rear-end collision or the warning signal of an assistance system, this system can intervene and brake the vehicle independently. If the driver fails to react even after automatic, partial braking action, this most recent development stage of the PRE-SAFE® Brake activates the maximum braking pressure around 0.6 seconds before what it now recognises as an unavoidable collision — an emergency braking action that can significantly mitigate the severity of the impact. The PRE-SAFE® Brake thus acts as a kind of “electronic crumple zone”.
Warns driver of drowsiness: ATTENTION ASSIST
Drowsiness is one of the most common causes of accidents. This is why Mercedes experts have developed the ATTENTION ASSIST system which forms part of the standard equipment of the new-generation CL. As the vehicle is being driven, the system continuously evaluates more than 70 different parameters in order to identify driver drowsiness and provide a warning before the dangerous micro-sleep phase begins. Observing the driver’s steering behaviour has proved to be a particularly strong indicator: several years of practical research by Mercedes-Benz have shown that drowsy drivers make minor steering errors which they often correct very rapidly in a characteristic way. This steering behaviour is recognised by a special steering angle sensor. Observing the driver’s eyes cannot always provide conclusive evidence of sleep since many drivers can experience micro-sleep with their eyes open.
Active Body Control reduces the effect of a crosswind
The CL also meets the highest standards in terms of driving dynamics and agility. This is in part thanks to Direct-Steer, with a steering ratio that varies with the steering angle, and modified Active Body Control (ABC) with crosswind stabilisation (standard for the CL 500 BlueEFFICIENCY and CL 600). This latest stage in active suspension development modifies the wheel load distribution via the ABC spring struts within milliseconds, depending on crosswind direction and intensity, to the extent that it can largely compensate the effects of the crosswind.
The Active Body Control suspension system with which Mercedes-Benz ushered in new dimensions of driving dynamics in the CL Coupé of the preceding C 215 model series in 1999, is unique worldwide as it not only regulates roll, but pitching and squatting movements as well, ensuring a perfect harmony of comfort and handling stability. Since the introduction of this innovative system, engineers in Sindelfingen have continuously improved on it, so that eleven years later it still marks the summit of automotive engineering. In addition to crosswind stabilisation, in its latest version the active suspension features a new energy-optimised hydraulic pump that takes part of the burden off the engine, contributing towards reducing fuel consumption.
Additional safety and agility at the physical limits is provided in the new-generation CL by the standard-fit Torque Vectoring Brake – targeted, one-sided braking intervention at the inside rear wheel when cornering. This enables the luxury coupé to turn into the bend under precise control with even greater agility.
Onboard infotainment: the most advanced multimedia technology
In line with its serene character and claim to be a technological masterwork, the CL also sets standards where onboard infotainment is concerned. Thus, the Stuttgart automotive manufacturer equips its flagship model with the new SPLITVIEW technology for the COMAND control and display system centrally located in the centre console (standard for the CL 600 in conjunction with Front Seat Entertainment package). This innovative display concept allows the driver and front passenger to view different contents simultaneously on one and the same screen. While the driver, for example, uses the map-based navigation system, the front passenger can be watching a film on DVD.
The standard COMAND control and display system with Bluetooth®, USB and SD card interfaces offers customers the possibility of exporting their stored data to other vehicles and multimedia devices. It is also possible to transfer and update navigation data. In the glove compartment Mercedes-Benz integrates as optional equipment the Media Interface – an interface for mobile audio and video devices – devices such as the iPod® and every other possible customer device.
The optional Navigation package with COMAND APS (standard for the CL 600) features a Europe-wide navigation system whose data are stored on a 40-gigabyte hard disc, enabling extremely rapid route calculation. Another factor contributing to a high level of navigation comfort is the detailed three-dimension map display including updates free of charge for three years. For musical entertainment COMAND APS provides a radio, a CD/DVD player with MP3 function, an equaliser with speed-dependent volume control and the MUSIC REGISTER with a 7.2 gigabyte hard disc which stores around 2500 digital music files in MP3, AAC or WMA format (which can be conveniently transferred to the REGISTER from PC memory cards). The system recognises music files played on CD, DVD or from the MUSIC REGISTER using its stored Gracenote® database, and shows the title, album and performer in the colour display. Another new function, Music Search, enables CL drivers and passengers to search SD memory cards, USB sticks, CDs and DVDs for specific music titles and performers.
The Navigation package also includes the latest-generation LINGUATRONIC voice-operated control system that controls the navigation, telephone and audio devices via whole-word input. Benefit: the driver no longer needs to spell out his commands but simply speaks the corresponding words as whole words when entering the destination or choosing a radio station or a music title from the MUSIC REGISTER, or when calling up a name from the phone book.
The further developed surround sound system with Discrete Logic7® technology developed by Mercedes-Benz together with audio specialists Harman Kardon® delivers an outstanding performance with three-dimensional sound as a natural 360-degree musical experience for all passengers of the CL. Mercedes-Benz offers the surround sound system together with SPLITVIEW and a six-disc DVD changer as part of the Entertainment package (standard for the CL 600).
Interior: carefully selected materials and first-class finish
In the interior, too, Mercedes-Benz developers and designers perfected the CL paying careful attention to detail. A total of four different kinds of fine wood open up the possibilities for perfectly matched material and colour concepts according to personal taste: apart from light and dark high-gloss burr walnut, there is black ash and brown high-gloss poplar (CL 600). Another particularity: in line with the central importance awarded to the concept of sustainability within the Mercedes-Benz corporate philosophy, the CL employs only European wood from renewable forestry sources. Most of the wood parts are hand-made and matched individually for colour and grain by experienced craftsmen.
The seat covers of the new CL are of the most exquisite quality. For this luxury model there are two different kinds of leather available which thanks to their low pre-tensioning and consequent wrinkle effect appear supple and comfortable from the very first glance. There is a choice of five tasteful colour combinations for the vehicle interior: black/black, savannah beige/cashmere beige, sahara beige/black, and the novel combinations alpaca grey/basalt grey and aubergine/black.
The multifunction steering wheel of the CL has also been modified by the Mercedes-Benz designers: the rim and airbag module are lined with soft nappa leather as standard. The new, flatter airbag module also lends a sporty touch to the multifunction steering wheel covered in leather sewn with sophisticated double stitching.
Apart from this, Mercedes-Benz makes more use of light as a styling element in the vehicle interior. In future customers who specify the optional ambient lighting (standard for the CL 600) have a choice between three lighting moods: solar (amber), neutral (white) and polar (ice-blue).
Tradition: an exclusive line of ancestors
The new generation CL continues the great tradition of Mercedes-Benz coupés, which reaches back to the legendary supercharged cars of the 1920s and ’30s. Since the 1950s, in particular, the brand with the three-pointed star has produced an uninterrupted series of exclusive two-door cars which combine sophisticated design with trailblazing technology – every model an automotive classic. The W 188 model series 300 S Coupé which entered series production in 1952 marked the beginning. A contemporary report called it the “measure of what it is possible to achieve in automotive engineering”.
This statement has retained its full validity for all subsequent models, right down to the current CL of model series C 216, because the luxury coupés from Mercedes-Benz featured – apart from their timeless design and the highest level of comfort – trailblazing innovations in automotive technology. Thus it was that in 1961 the 220 SE Coupé was the first series-production Mercedes-Benz to be equipped with disc brakes. In 1995 the Electronic Stability Program ESP® celebrated its world premiere in the S 600 Coupé of model series C 140, and in 1999 the Active Body Control suspension system was introduced for the first time in the CL-Class, model series C 215. With the PRE-SAFE® brake a further technological innovation made its debut in a large Mercedes-Benz coupé. In the new CL generation, two new developments, Active Lane Keeping Assist and the Active Blind Spot Assist, will help prevent accidents or reduce their severity.
The new-generation CL can already be ordered from Mercedes-Benz sales outlets and authorised dealers. The prices:
(all prices include 19% VAT)
This year Mercedes-Benz is celebrating the one hundredth birthday of the Mercedes three-pointed star and the Benz emblem with a particularly exclusive edition of the CL Coupé. This anniversary model shines with an extensive package of appointments and exquisite details. These include an elegant paint finish from the designo collection, a new AMG Sports package, top-class leather, black piano lacquer trim and beautifully executed emblems of the original trademarks inset into the centre console. These are accurate reproductions of the emblems that Daimler Motorengesellschaft and Benz & Cie registered as trademarks one hundred years ago, forming the basis for the Mercedes star. With this special edition, Mercedes-Benz is adding even more individuality to the luxury coupé, and showing that even the best can still be perfected.
The histories of the Mercedes star and the Benz laurel wreath began independently of each other: on 24 June 1909 Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft officially registered the design of the Mercedes star, and on 6 August Benz & Cie. registered the letters “Benz”, enclosed by a laurel wreath, as a trademark with the Imperial Patent Office. The fact that both vehicle makers registered their new trademarks in the summer of 1909 appears in retrospect as a parallel to the year 1886. That was the year when, again independently of each other, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz invented the automobile. Twenty-three years later the two companies, competitors at the time, created new brand symbols which promptly appeared as a badge and device on their respective vehicles.
On 18 February 1925 – more than a year prior to the merger of Daimler and Benz on 28 June 1926 – the two brands registered the new joint logo: Daimler’s Mercedes star set within Benz’s laurel wreath. From this the trademark of Mercedes-Benz, valid to this day, developed.
The CL-Class has been acknowledged as a masterpiece of automobile engineering since its inception. It combines the comfort of a prestigious luxury saloon with the dynamism of a sports car, with a captivating design and trailblazing high-tech features. With its exclusive appointments, the special “Trademark Centenary” model underlines the special status of the CL.
The crowning highlights of the anniversary edition are the historic trademarks dating from 1909 in gilded plate brass, which are inset into the centre console. Together with the designo metallic graphite paint finish these accentuate the model’s exquisitely luxurious character. Sporty visual touches are provided by the new AMG Sports package with muscular front and rear aprons, side skirts and sports pedals of brushed stainless steel with black rubber studs, plus painted brake callipers with Mercedes-Benz lettering. The anniversary edition also includes high-sheen 20-inch 5 twin-spoke AMG light-alloy wheels painted in titanium grey, which are only available for this special CL-Class model. They are shod with 255/35 R 20 tyres at the front and 275/35 R 20 at the rear.
The interior is fitted with exquisite, partly hand-stitched designo aniline leather with contrasting seams in a light sand colour. The high-quality wood/leather steering wheel harmonises with the interior trim in shining black piano lacquer and the anthracite Alcantara roof lining. The black floor mats with AMG lettering feature sand-coloured edging.
The 285 kW/388 hp special CL 500 model “Trademark Centenary” is equipped with all the new features of model year 2009. These include new exterior mirrors with larger lenses, an eye-catching indicator design in LED technology and improved aerodynamics, a new, upgraded telematics generation with a further development of COMAND APS, an SD card slot in the centre console and a USB interface in the glove compartment. The Front Seat Entertainment package is also available as an option, with a 6-disc DVD changer, surround-sound system and SPLITVIEW. This innovative display technology enables the driver and front passenger to view different content on the same display at the same time. On request a universal Media Interface is available for connecting mobile audio devices.
The special “Trademark Centenary” model can be ordered with immediate effect, and will be available from 26 June as the CL 500 and CL 500 4MATIC. The extra price for the extensive and highly desirable additional appointments is 17,850 Euro incl. 19% German VAT.
This year Mercedes is celebrating the one hundredth birthday of the three-pointed star and the Benz emblem, and what better way to celebrate than by offering yet another special edition of the CL 500 coupe. Titled the CL 500 “Trademark Centenary,” the anniversary edition features an AMG Sports Package, a unique exterior paint finish from the designo collection, a hand-stitched designo aniline leather interior and black piano lacquer trim. Of course, no anniversary edition would be complete without a little custom badging, so inserted into the CL Trademark Centenary’s center console are the two aforementioned star and Benz emblems, crafted from gilded plate brass.
If you’re interested, the Mercedes CL 500 Trademark Centenary can be ordered immediately (provided you’re in one of the European markets its available in), with pricing for the upgrade set at 17,850 Euro (incl. 19% German VAT) on top of the standard cost of the CL. Deliveries are set to commence June 26th.
For more info regarding the Mercedes-Benz CL500 Trademark Centenary or to view a number of photos highlighting the anniversary model, keep scrolling for photos (click to enlarge) and the official press release.
If you’re considering the purchase of either the 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class or CL-Class, the list of options from which you must select just got a little longer. Mercedes today has announced the availability of an AMG Sports Package for both models – an option that boasts an array sporty cosmetic enhancements.
Highlights include new AMG body styling which includes a new front and rear apron, side sill panels and stainless steel rectangular tailpipe trim; 19-inch AMG light alloy wheels; and perforated brake discs up front with silver-painted brake calipers. Inside, wood trim and the wood/leather steering wheel are fitted in black ash, while AMG-inscribed velour mats and stainless steel sport pedals complete the package.
The AMG Sports Package is available for all 2009 S-Class variants as well as the 2009 CL500 and CL500 4MATIC models, with pricing ranging from EUR 5,831 to EUR 7,973 (including 19% VAT). Its market launch will commence in June 2009.
For more information describing the new AMG Sports Package for the 2009 Mercedes S-Class and CL-Class, keep reading for the press release and photo gallery (click any picture to enlarge)