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2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550 4Matic Coupe (photos)
The CL550 is a monster of technology, featuring a new engine with twin turbochargers and direct injection, massage seats, an air suspension, all-wheel drive, and excellent and innovative cabin tech.
Wayne Cunningham
The CL550 sits among Mercedes-Benz's top cars, a vehicle that shares technology and power trains with the flagship S-Class. The CL550 is a coupe, with an update for 2011 that includes a new engine and an extraordinary amount of cabin tech.
The CL550 is unmistakeably a Mercedes-Benz, with contour lines down the sides, and this two-bar grille. To emphasize the sporty nature of the CL550, Mercedes-Benz embedded a badge on the hood rather than using a stand-up ornament.
A strip of LED parking lights, a feature seen on many cars these days, adorns the headlight casing.
Replacing a 5.5-liter V-8 is this twin turbo 4.6-liter direct-injection engine. It produces much more power than the outgoing engine, and gets slightly better fuel economy.
The CL550 has a very sleek design. Its pillarless side allows for an open-air feeling when the windows are down. The front seats are very comfortable, but the rear is a little tight.
The CL550 rides on an air suspension that includes comfort and sport modes. It does a tremendous job of insulating the cabin from bumps in the road. The car also comes standard with an all-wheel-drive system.
The trunk is fairly capacious and can certainly accommodate the luggage needs of two people.
The cabin of the CL550 is very comfortable. Mercedes-Benz uses fine materials throughout, and keeps buttons to a useful minimum.
The CL550 feels like a big car from behind the wheel. It turns easily and shows good handling, but it does not feel nimble.
The center of the speedometer serves as a display area for a variety of information, including the trip computer, shown, audio information, the phone system, and route guidance.
The speedometer also shows a display of the adaptive cruise control, including the currently set following distance. It also shows if there is slower traffic ahead.
What appears to be an analog speedometer is actually an LCD, which can be switched to this night vision display.
This COMAND dial controls most of the infotainment systems. It moves like a joystick as well as turning.
Mercedes-Benz also includes a keypad in this pod, but it is not really necessary. We made all of our phone calls through the voice command system.
This simple button cluster controls the phone, changes the stereo volume, and activates voice command.
The CL550's maps show rich 3D detail, including topographical features and some buildings. They also show traffic flow and incidents.
This horizontal line for alphanumeric input works reasonably well, but can be a little tedious.
The stereo offers quite a number of audio sources, although notably missing is Bluetooth streaming.
This screen shows the various technologies in the car for entertainment, including DVD, Dolby audio, and Gracenote, a database of music.
The phone system downloads contact lists, making them available on the car's LCD and through voice command.
The backup camera looks good, but does not show trajectory lines. The car can also help you park by showing how far to turn the wheels.
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