G14 AUTOMOTIVE
OPQRS
THE CAR PAGES The weather outside is frightful, but the car is so delightful
S
omething happened onmy way to Earth, the intended destination of this week’s column in terms of
reviewing a vehicle affordable for most of us. I was hit by ameteor—a hot, shapely,
pricey piece delivered in the form of the 2011Mercedes-Benz CL550 4Matic coupe. It was irresistible. And the threat of snow made it even more so. Luxury is one thing. But luxury
expressly designed to run in the nastiest of climates is quite another. The CL550 4Matic coupe is that kind of luxury- gifted with excess, loaded with practicality. Its sinewy exterior, absent the central
“B” pillars found in other two-door cars designed to accommodate four people, evokes envy and lust in fair weather. It’s a head-turner supreme. But beauty, in this case, has no fear of
the beasts of winter. Consider the term “4Matic.” It refers to the advanced all-wheel-
drive system that is standard on the 2011 CL550. “Advanced” refers to the integration of all-wheel drive with the car’s electronic stability and traction control systems. The result is a car that seems to
“think” in the snow and in other slippery weather. Torque—the power actually driving the wheels—is automatically transferred from wheel to wheel, favoring the wheels that have the most grip.
Automatically means instantly— nanoseconds. The car’s work here practically is imperceptible in terms of power transfer points. What is noticeable and thoroughly satisfying is the CL550’s confidence in its place on wet and snow-covered roads. The car’s self-assuredness measurably bolsters the driver’s sense of well-being. And although the CL550 is pricey, with a base cost substantially in excess of $100,000, the complete peace of mind it offers in nasty weather is priceless. The CL550’s long list of standard
luxury amenities assists psychic comfort. It includes supple premium- leather-upholstered seats and instrument panel, hand-polished burled-walnut trim, noise-reducing and infrared-reflecting glass, and multicolored “mood” lighting to help reduce the stress of night drives. Cars are increasingly becoming
mobile computers and communications
BD
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2010
NUTS&BOLTS Mercedes-Benz CL550
Bottom line: Forget the politics affecting incomes of $250,000 and much higher. It’s good to be rich.
Head-turning quotient: Neck-snapper supreme.
Ride, acceleration and handling: Superior marks in all three.
Body style/layout: The Mercedes-Benz CL550 4Matic coupe is a compact front- engine, all-wheel-drive two-door super- luxury car with a traditional notch-back trunk.
Engine/transmission: The CL550 4Matic comes with a twin-turbocharged 4.7-liter, double-overhead-cam, 32-valve (electronically controlled variable valve lift and timing) V-8 that delivers amaximum 429 horsepower and 516 foot-pounds of torque.
Capacities: There are seats for four people. Rear seat space is tight for adults. Maximum luggage capacity is 13.5 cubic feet. The fuel tank holds 21.9 gallons of gasoline. Premium is required.
Mileage: You average 15 miles per gallon in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. This is not a car for someone who worries about the price of gasoline. But it is loaded with technology, too much to be discussed in this space, to help that gasoline burn more cleanly.
MERCEDES-BENZ VIA WIECK
WARREN BROWN On Wheels
stations—a trend led by the high end of the industry. But I wonder whether all the high-technology stuff is becoming much too much. Consider the CL550’s Comand
(Mercedes-Benz’s patented Cockpit Management and Data) system, which includes a “speech filtering” program
TheCL550is yet more evidence that the rich are getting richer.
designed to correct human imperfection in electronic voice communications. The program filters out itinerant “ah” and “um” sounds and automatically changes “yeah” and “nah” answers to more precise “yes” and “no” responses. Really! Who needs that? What’s next?
Will we get a Comand program that comments on your wardrobe and
suggests appropriate changes, and then directs you to the nearest store where the corrective apparel might be obtained? I had fun with the CL550 and am
most grateful that it fell intomy hands. It is yet more evidence that the rich are getting richer, which is a good thing if you are fortunate enough to be among them. But the vast majority of us need
something that fits more easily into our increasingly constrained pocketbooks. On Wheels will bring you many of those in future columns. But it’s fun, every now and then, to take a good look at how the other side lives.
brownw@washpost.com
Safety: Standard equipment includes four- wheel ventilated disc brakes, anti-lock braking protection, emergency braking assistance, all-wheel drive, electronic stability and traction control, pre-collision safety system, post-collision safety system, side and head air bags, high-pressure headlamp washers (especially helpful in snowy, muddy weather).
Price: The base price of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550 4Matic coupe is $113,150. Dealer’s invoice price on that model is $105,230. Price as tested is $115,815, including $490 for optional heated steering wheel, a $1,300 federal gas-guzzler tax and an $875 destination fee. Dealer’s price as tested is $107,861.
6 Nextweek: The all-electric Nissan Leaf 3
washingtonpost.com/cars: Search a
database of past reviews, plus the latest auto news.
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