This is Mercedes' second-generation four-door coup, the CLS 500 BlueEfficiency. And it's a "very modern and appealing sports saloon indeed", says Matt Saunders in Autocar. It is five metres long and weighs nearly two tonnes, but the new stop-start automatic engine system and improved aerodynamics mean it is still capable of better than 30mpg while still developing 402bhp and hitting 62mph in under five and a half seconds.
The car is a "superbly quiet, comfortable and compliant machine" when you want it to be, and yet "accurate and willing" when you want to "stretch its legs". The electro-mechanical steering system is also "precise, responsive and direct". All in all, "Mercedes has pulled off something very special with this car" a saloon with dynamism, and all the refinements you'd expect from Mercedes.
The new cabin, which mixes a "simple but elegant console with top-quality materials", is a "supremely comfortable place to spend time", says Joaquim Oliveira in AutoExpress. And outside, the car looks "as spectacular as ever", with a more bold and aggressive appearance than its predecessor.
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The 500 is the top-of-the-range model, but the cheaper 350 also "provides the smooth, effortless and quiet acceleration" buyers will be looking for and is "a class apart in terms of refinement".
Price: about £60,000 (to be confirmed). Top speed: 155mph (limited). 0-62mph: 5.5 seconds. Engine: 4,663cc, V8, twin turbocharged petrol. Power: 402bhp @ 5,000-5750rpm.
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