The Mercedes-Benz CL-Class is something that doesn’t exist any more in the showroom line-up, but it ran for twenty-two wonderful years, and the model you see here is the final iteration. What is a CL? Quite simply, it’s a sporty coupe variant of the S-Class, which has always put it in quite an interesting position, conceptually speaking. After all, the S-Class is the flagship, the plutocrat-spec limo with all the toys and gadgets along with impeccable luxury in spades.
Reimagining these titanic behemoths as svelte two-door coupes must have resulted from some very tense meetings at M-B HQ, but we can all be glad that the dreamers won out over the accountants, because every single CL the company built has been a thoroughly splendid thing. In this third-generation (C216) guise, we’re looking at a pillarless coupe that shares its wheelbase with the S-Class, lending it an imposing and Rolls-Royce-like quality, with the CL 500 spec featuring a 5.5-litre M273 V8 engine that serves up a handy 383bhp, mated to the 7G-Tronic transmission.
The interior is sumptuously appointed, the exterior has crisp and purposeful styling, and the technology is super-advanced, including partial autonomous braking, adaptive cruise control, and five-mode intelligent headlights. All the benefits of an S-Class limo, reimagined in a beautiful coupe body.image00007.jpeg4.89 MB
The History
This was an expensive car when new, thanks in part to the extensive ticking of option boxes: on top of a base price of £78,735, this CL was specced with the AMG body styling package, 20” wheels in staggered widths, Distronic Plus radar-assisted cruise control, ‘Passion’ leather upholstery, Multicontour front seats, keyless go, wood- and leather-trimmed steering wheel, and Harman Kardon audio system – all of which knocked the price up to a mighty £90,850.
When the current owner bought it, he knew exactly what he was looking for – a CL with precisely these factory options, the exterior styling helping to give it a more contemporary look. It works too, doesn’t it? With a private plate fitted, most people wouldn’t guess that this is a 2007 car, it looks impressively modern.
With a full service history, and significant expenditure in the last eighteen months on a diverse selection of work, this outstanding example really does represent incredible value: perhaps not quite lemonade money, but certainly a Champagne lifestyle.image00029.jpeg2.28 MB
The Paperwork
The car comes with a full and complete service history. There are twelve stamps in the service book – eleven of which were from Mercedes-Benz main dealers, with the most recent one being from a marque specialist. The car was last serviced in June 2020, at 105k miles. The current MOT is valid until October 2021.image00002.jpeg3.35 MB
The Interior
The condition of the interior was one of the major selling points to the current owner; he describes it as ‘time-warp condition’. Aside from some very minor wear to the bolster on the driver’s seat (as you’d expect of a car that’s covered 107k), you can see what he means. The condition throughout is extraordinarily tidy. A few upgrades have been carried out very recently to keep the CL at the top of its game: an official Mercedes-Benz Bluetooth phone adaptor has been fitted, and the sat-nav has been updated with NTG 3.0 Maps to the latest available 2018/19 data. The owner has fitted a PCMCIA adapter and memory card to allow the Harmon Kardon audio system to play MP3 files, and the function of the Multicontour seats and the air pump for the pneumatic rear headrests have been repaired. Inside the boot it’s extremely clean, and you’ll find a full-size spare wheel and original jack in there. The only issue to address is that the air-conditioning needs a re-gas, but that’s a simple thing to do.image00078.jpeg2.29 MB
The Exterior
The bodywork of this CL gleams beautifully with the paintwork displaying a deep lustre, having recently been professionally machine-polished and detailed. Benefiting from the rare AMG body-kit (a £3680 option!), the car really stands out and gives it even more appeal!
The panels all sit correctly with even gaps, and there are no obvious parking scuffs to the bumpers, with just a very minor scratch to the front bumper on the driver’s side. There’s a little light surface corrosion on the edge of the bootlid, but other than that it’s all in outstanding condition. The wheels were refurbished in October 2019 with new tyre pressure sensors fitted, along with a correct set of Mercedes-specified Pirelli P-Zero tyres, which now have around 5-6mm of tread left all round. The engine bay is very clean, and the underside appears to be as solid as you’d hope.image00002.jpeg4.62 MB
The Mechanicals
The venerable V8 runs superbly, with the seller describing the power delivery as ‘effortless’ – which, of course, is just how a high-end Benz should be. These cars combine deep-lunged power with billionaire-grade wafting, and that’s all present and correct here.
A not-uncommon issue with the 7G-Tronic transmission has been addressed, with the owner having a new conductor plate fitted to it as well as the gearbox oil and filters changed, so all is peachy with the drivetrain. The brakes are immense, and in very fine fettle owing to them recently being treated to new Brembo discs and pads all round, along with new parking brake shoes and new rear callipers.
The engine’s accessories belt and idler pulley have been replaced, and both the starter and accessories batteries have been replaced with new OEM-spec Bosch AGM units. A replacement Distronic long-range radar sensor has also been fitted and calibrated. It’s evident from the level and quality of work that’s been carried out that this CL has been looked after in no-expense-spared fashion.image00063.jpeg2.91 MB
The Appeal
The CL-Class has always enjoyed a strong niche appeal; its unique position of being a high-performance coupe based on a luxury saloon platform means that it’s never been a massive seller, but those buyers who have invested find themselves becoming lifelong fans. It’s just such a brilliant formula, so beautifully executed, and so sublimely packaged.
This CL 500 has been looked after with fastidious care throughout its life, and the level of attention it’s received with the current owner in particular shows that it’s never wanted for anything – it’s always been given what it needs, along with a few tasteful and useful upgrades to boot. The owner reports that ‘it looks and drives like new’, which is quite an accolade, and its credentials are backed up by a bulletproof history. This must be one of the very best examples of a C216 CL 500 on the market today.
** The photos in this listing have been provided to us by the seller **
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