Tested: 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL550

It’s big. With its S-class sedan underpinnings (on an 8.3-inch-shorter wheelbase), uninhibited dimensions, and too-long-at-dinner mass (4699 pounds), the new Mercedes CL550 (modestly face lifted, generously adrenalized) is one of the largest four-seat coupes on earth. Only the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé is bigger.

It’s potent. A new twin-turbo, 4.7-liter direct-injection V-8 boosts output over that of the old naturally aspirated 5.5-liter by 47 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque, doing so with less displacement and a 2-mpg increase in highway mileage. (Unlike the previous CL550, the base price does not include a gas-guzzler tax. The EPA forecasts 15 mpg city, 23 highway. We recorded 16 in, uh, spirited driving.)

It’s sexy. The sweeping profile, an interior that’s a symphony of  handsome stitchery, elegantly subdued colors, superb materials, and great seats—here’s a package that’s as seductive as Salome wriggling her way down to veil No. 1. And the cost for this show isn’t nearly as high as hers (recall that John the Baptist lost his head). Still, you might have to open a vein: The MSRP is $114,025.

That’s a lot of shekels, and our test car’s window sticker was inflated by a trio of option groups, a $6650 Sport package (20-inch  AMG wheels, summer tires, appearance add-ons) most significant among them.

The various extras complement a standard-equipment list (nav system, 14-way power front seats, power tilt-and-slide sunroof, Harman/Kardon audio) that would otherwise seem to omit nothing. Still, even with $14,290 in options (and standard all-wheel drive), the CL550 is $24,410 less than the CL63 AMG, $32,560 less than the CL600, and $84,860 less than the twin-turbo V-12 CL65 AMG.

The difference between the CL550 and the CL65 is enough to buy a Porsche 911 Carrera, for days when you’re feeling really frisky. Not that the CL550 is slow. No, no. It scoots from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds, bettering the pace of the CL63 we tested in October 2007 by 0.1 second, and covers a quarter-mile in an equal 12.8 seconds.

But frisky is not what comes to mind when hustling the CL along some twisty stretch of unknown back road. The car has plenty of grip, well-controlled body motions, and powerful brakes, but the combination of SUV mass and steering that’s a little numb makes it tricky to place this big coupe precisely on apex-clipping expeditions.

On the other hand, plenty of smooth power—instantly available, as linear as an aircraft carrier launch—is hard to resist, and the seven-speed automatic makes the most of  it.

Add a stout yet supple ride, plus a couple of new safety options (the lane-keeping system covers for attention lapses, and Active Blind-Spot Assist helps prevent side-swiping adjacent vehicles), and you have an ideal long-haul cruiser.

Imagine rolling east on I-80, crossing the Wyoming-Nebraska line, and knowing it’s 455 miles before you’ll be in Iowa. In this car, that prospect would provoke a smile.

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Source: Reviews - aranddriver.com