The Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class has
undergone its first redesign since its
introduction back
in 2005 when it first started the coupe-sedan fusion
craze. It now has a handful of new competitors that all
have different unique personalities. One of its toughest
competitors will be the all-new Audi A7 Sportback. The
A7 isn't exactly a clone of the CLS's body type and
features more of a fastback design than coupe.
Nevertheless, many potential buyer's may be swayed
toward Audi's direction with it's svelte looks and clean
design.
The original CLS was a trendsetter with a coupe-like
body that has now been mimicked by numerous other
automakers. Critics everywhere clamored about how
gorgeous it was. Some might argue the redesign of the
CLS is a step in the wrong direction and they may have a
point. The new CLS loses the understated elegance of its
predecessor favoring more heavily-sculpted panels and a
more masculine overall design. But the way I see it, the
new CLS is two steps forward, one step back. It has more
presence than before with a more aggressive face and
domineering stance. That aggression however, has been
taken a few steps too far. The front end now protrudes
awkwardly from the body and is too tall for a sedan's
body. The enormous front grille seems more at home on an
SUV rather than a design trendsetter. The new CLS's
design may have swayed too far from the path left by the
old one for some people.
For other's, the new CLS hits the nail on the head. It's
more detailed, more contemporary, and more assertive. It
trades in poise for intimidation. There's something
Mafioso about it. It's a car that the Godfather would
feel right at home in, whether it's Marlon Brando or Al
Pacino. If they were going to do a remake, they'd pass
on Cadillac's and move straight to to the CLS.
The A7 Sportback on the other hand, would feel right at
home in the next Iron Man movie. Tony Stark
could leave the R8 for the weekend and take the A7 on
his way to Stark Enterprises every day. It has a more
technical feel to it, the way that every line is
carefully calculated and every design cue seems more
styled with a computer than with passion.
The CLS retains the same proportions as the previous CLS
but the styling evolution seems to have skipped a few
generations. There are some key similarities though such
as the long hood, swooping roofline, and short deck with
frameless windows in-between. But every other feature
gets modernized to a significant degree such as the new
headlights and taillights. Those headlights by the way,
are LED but unlike other LED headlights like Audi's, the
CLS uses LED's for every light function from turn
signals to high beams. A total of 71 LEDs are used and
they all look like they were made using Swarovski
crystals.
The A7 Sportback has no predecessor to build upon but it
is essentially a bigger version of the A5 Sportback sold
in Europe. We won't be getting the A5 so I guess we
should count our blessings that Audi has brought the A7
to our shores. Styling cues come straight from other
Audi models. There's a lot of A4 through A8 in the
front, a little R8 in the headlights, and a lot of A5
everywhere else. It's become harder than ever to
differentiate between various Audi models and that trend
is likely to continue.
The CLS comes with more powerful engines that the the A7
can't compete with. Mercedes may seem to have fast
getaways in mind by throwing in a twin-turbocharged
4.6-liter V8 and a monstrous 6.2-liter V8 under the
hood. That power comes at price but nothing a few bank
heists wouldn't pay for.
The A7 Sportback's engines are more pedestrian in
comparison but luckily the A7 has a lot less weight to
tug around. Extensive use of aluminum has brought the
curb weight down to around 3,700 pounds which is a lot
by itself but featherweight compared to the CLS's 4,000
pounds. What it loses in acceleration it should make up
for in cornering.
When the CLS first arrived, it had nothing to compete
with leaving buyers with one option if they wanted to a
sedan that was as comfortable and luxurious as it was
stylish. But now there a handful of options to suit
every person's personality. There's the CLS for
gangsters, the A7 for technophiles, the
Porsche Panamera
for those who prefer performance over design, and the
Aston Martin Rapide who are willing to pay for both.
Things have never looked better. |
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