- Incredibly luxurious

- Seriously high spec

- Meticulously maintained

- Wonderful V12 symphony

- Enthusiast owned

The CL600 is nothing short of a masterpiece. Manufactured to rival the likes of Bentley and Rolls Royce (with a pricetag to match), the V12 powerhouses were made for those who required only the absolute best in the upper echelon of luxury vehicles. The C215 chassis is based on the S-Class W220 chassis, having just an 8 inch shorter wheelbase. A technical marvel of its era, with more technology packed into it than most modern cars, some would argue that it was the best car money could buy when it hit the market - and we couldn’t agree more!

The current owner of this vehicle has had the car for the last 7 years or so and has cherished every last minute of it. Thanks to the current owner being quite the car enthusiast and having a great history of high-end, luxurious sports cars it’s easy to understand that the greatest and utmost care has been taken to ensure this vehicle has been meticulously maintained - regardless of cost. There are some eye-watering repair bills to be found in the binder of paperwork which accompanies this vehicle, which we’ll talk about in a little bit. 

The current owner does use this car on a somewhat regular basis, therefore it is equipped with snow tyres on the OEM wheels to ensure that it doesn’t have any problems in the upcoming months. So a new custodian can be assured they’ll have the best chance possible when the cold weather hits!

The V5 is in the current owner's name ready to be transferred, and there is also a binder as mentioned before with some very hefty bills! Being a V12 there is always bound to be some heavy upkeep, and all of this documentation kept by the owner is extremely valuable - showcasing how well cared for the vehicle has been over the years.

In 2016 the CL600 was subjected to a fair bit of maintenance which included surface grinding and washing both of the cylinder heads, replacing the oil cooler, any removed gaskets replaced and  completely built back up - this invoice alone totals over £2,000. There’s a gargantuan bill of £5,500 in 2019 with the invoices attached which is certainly worth looking through, as well as another in 2020 totaling nearly £3,200 after chasing down a misfire from the left bank. Certainly a binder you’ll want to read through at some point!

Excellently opulent, is one way to describe it. For a 20 year old car to be so heavily outfitted with so many creature comforts just goes to show you how incredibly far ahead of its time it really was - a lot of the features in the vehicle we still don’t really see in modern day cars! Our favourite, however, certainly has to be the hands-free Nokia 6210 outfitted in the centre console just under the arm rest. This was some seriously executive level stuff in the early 2000’s!

The interior is made up of beautiful exclusive leather in Orion Grey with Basalt Grey accents on the upper dashboard and upper portions of the door cards. The crente console and steering wheel portions finished in beautiful dark wood as well as some inserts on the door cards too - a lovely contrast against all of the light materials used throughout the cockpit. The floor mats are all present and in very presentable condition, and the seats are in great shape too. 

The driver's side seat does show some signs of colour transfer from the years of use, though the owner does state he has the correct colour for the leather and it will be repaired before the sale - so the new owner can be assured the seat will look as good as ever! The passenger seat and both rear seats look as though they have rarely been used over the years, leather is still tight and soft and all of the stitching is present without damage. The electronic functions of the seats still work too, such as the position memory, the heating and massage functions (yes you read that right, massaging seats!), as well as the rather suave function of when you pull the front seat forward to access the rear, the electric motors roll the seat forward so you don’t have to.

On the dashboard, the dials are crisp and clear, and the small LCD display under the speedometer still works a treat showing you a multitude of different information depending on your selection. No unwelcome warnings or CEL’s are present upon starting the car (which it does with absolute ease, and a lustful grumble). The steering wheel itself is finished in the same Orion Grey with wooden pieces, the wheel does show some signs of use but most predominantly on the functional buttons at either side of the airbag which is to be expected. 

All of the control stalks are in great condition with none of the screen printed text of symbols fading away, and the cruise control still functions as you’d expect it to - another luxury item to have in the early 2000’s. The automatic steering column also works a treat, too - raising the steering wheel out of the way when you remove the keys from the ignition to make it easier to get in and out of the drivers seat - gone are the days of battering your thighs off of the wheel!

Located on the centre console are a multitude of buttons with some very advanced functionality - we’ll get to those in just a second. The elephant in the room here is the LCD display mounted on the centre console beside the number pad. Any guesses as to what that number pad is used for? You guessed it, that retro Nokia 6210 under the armrest. It also doubles as preset buttons for different  menus on the multimedia screen, such as for changing radio frequencies, changing CD tracks, and can be used for navigating the multimedia menu itself. Onto the multimedia display - this multifunctional display operates as a CD player (the car has a CD auto changer mounted in the boot of the car), a tape deck, a satellite navigation system and a TV - however the TV functionality seems to no longer be working, which might actually be a good thing to stop you from getting too distracted! 

All of this is fed through a gorgeous Bose sound system which is an audiophile's dream, with a wonderful range of sound through higs, mids and lows, with an excellent amount of bass. Above the multimedia console there are a barrage of switches. One of which is for the automated rear window blind (how suave, eh?), one controls the alarm system for towing and disabling, one for the automated rear headrests which can be raised and lowered to allow for better visibility. There is also a button to control the extremely advanced active suspension system for raising and lowering the car - the suspension system on this vehicle is a true active suspension system which uses hydraulic rams to keep the car level through harsh corners - which makes for a surprisingly nimble driving experience!

Lastly to mention would be the beautiful Orion Grey alcantara headliner, wonderfully presented with no signs of damage and right in the middle of it we find a completely functional sunroof - a fantastic addition to any car! There are also reading lights hidden under the rear view mirror, which thanks to their clever positioning don’t cause any visual unpleasantness as you’re not forced to look directly at the bulbs like most vehicles. The inside of this CL600 oozes class and luxurious features, it’s a place you’d truly be happy just sitting and admiring the over-engineered cockpit.

Finished in Tanzanite Blue Metallic, the paint still retains all of its shimmer in the sunlight. A beautiful deep blue you could really get lost in, one that showcases the cars curves and lines wonderfully while retaining that sleek dark luxurious look that all of us lust after. 

One outstanding feature of this CL600 is the pillarless design, meaning when you roll down the front and rear windows you truly feel like you could be in a drop top. All of that additional visual space makes for a much more enhanced driving experience - and even more space for that wonderful V12 symphony to trickle through to your ears!

Starting at the front of the vehicle there is some minor lacquer peel to be found on the driver side just beside the fog light as pictured, however this is a pretty easy fix and the only area of lacquer peel that we could find while walking around the vehicle. The headlights are still intact with no signs of any cracks - and they still function as they should. The CL600 was the first vehicle in the world to feature bi-xenon headlights which function as low beams and high beams - more proof of how excellently advanced this vehicle was for its time. The chrome tri-pointed star in the centre of the grill is still present and glistening as is the hood emblem which is excellently preserved! The bonnet itself is nice and straight and shows no signs of any difficulty when opening or closing. 

As we move around to the side of the vehicle we can admire the sleek design of this Mercedes, riding on the OEM 18” wheels wrapped in winter rubber, ready for the colder weather. All of the panel gaps are excellent as you can see and the panels show no signs of damage - in fact the only flaws we can actually pick with the sides of this CL600 is a couple of very small blemishes - one located to the rear of the passenger window on the driver side, and a similar blemish located on the passenger side just above the front window. 

Aside from that, this Benz is a true beauty, and one that simply cannot be overlooked! The doors open with ease and in a very fascinating way, using special hinges which push the doors forwards as they move out so that the long doors do not protrude as far out as they normally would, making getting out of the car in tight spaces a little bit easier. The doors also feature a soft close function which works magnificently, just push the door gently until you hear the latch click and the door will pull in automatically, softly closing the door completely. This same function can actually be found on the bootlid, too! Quite an addicting feature. 

To the rear of the car, the badges are still present showcasing that incredible V12 badge and flexing to anyone who might be lucky enough to be sitting behind you - making sure they know just how special this big lump of a Merc really is. It’s not everyday you get to be face to face to a V12 propelled super-saloon. The boot lid itself, as mentioned, features a very desirable soft close function - so no more slamming the boot shut. It’s worth noting too, inside the boot there is a spare wheel with all of the OEM tools and fuses still in place, as well as the OEM warning triangle. The rear lights are in excellent condition with no signs of damage or cracks, still wonderfully vivid and clear. The bumper is also in outstanding shape with no apparent areas of damage, with the paint still looking as gorgeous as it would have when it left the factory! 

Overall, a seriously well kept example, one that has been used and cherished over the years. It’s easy to see just how much pride the owner takes in this vehicle and it will be a shame to see it go - but whoever the lucky new owner may be will be absolutely ecstatic that they’re the new owner of such a lust worthy beauty.

Now to the fun bit. M137. To normal uninformed ears, that code may mean nothing, but here it’s the code of the engine which propels this monster. Not to be mistaken with the later bi-turbo model, this is a 5.8 litre V12, naturally aspirated and producing a whopping 362bhp and 391lb/ft of torque - and thanks to that natural aspiration you can rest assured that this V12 sounds absolutely incredible at full chat through the stainless steel exhaust system. 

You’ll struggle to keep your foot off of the go-go pedal. Thankfully, when you want to relax and watch that MPG gauge crawl up a little, this V12 features something called active cylinder control, which shuts down 6 of the cylinders under light load to help reduce the fuel usage. This opinion was axed on the later bi-turbo model, which is a shame, because what a great and useful bit of tech this is! It’s only recently become more common in modern cars - yet another sign of how technologically advanced this car was.

Mated to a tiptronic automatic gearbox and power sent directly to the rear wheels, the drive is exceptionally well presented in any manner. Whether you want to punch it and fly through the gears, the box is snappy and responsive, or if you want to relax and take it easy, the box is forgiving and gentle. You also have the option to manually shift up and down the gears, thanks to this tiptronic gearbox allowing you to use the shifter almost like a sequential gearbox without the use of a clutch. 

This really is a car that's capable of pretty much anything you require it to do. As mentioned before, this car features a true active suspension system which uses hydraulic rams to keep the car level through harsh bends and turns, something which was very rarely seen in the early 2000’s, but still works exceptionally well today. You’d be surprised how this big land yacht manages to handle its weight in the bends!

Being enthusiast owned, you can rest assured that no expense has been spared when it comes to maintenance. Servicing has been religious regardless of mileage, and any issues have been dealt with promptly  as can be seen by the invoices included in the sale of this CL600. Cost of upkeep has been completely disregarded and this Benz has had nothing but the absolute best - a lot of the work has actually been carried out by a main dealer to ensure the correct working practices have been followed, and rightly so, with such an expensive powertrain you’d want to ensure the best of the best.

An incredible opportunity to own an equally incredible car. A CL600 is, and always has been at the top of its tier, knocking some of the biggest car manufacturers off their podium in terms of luxury and technology. An absolute future classic, with an engine which will stand the test of time and make any petrolhead fall head over heels for that V12 soundtrack. Don’t hang around on this one, this is exclusivity at its finest!



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