Mercedes-Benz badging can be confusing. What with CLS, CLK, C-class and CL vying for your attention it’s probably easier to name all the Cub Scouts’ 33 activity badges. Better to start off with a simple question, such as which is the best four-seat luxury coupé in the world? Then the answer is easy: the CL.

It’s not necessarily the company’s prettiest coupé, nor the most practical, and definitely not the cheapest, but the CL represents the distillation of everything Mercedes knows about building large, luxurious cars. Sharing its underpinnings with the S-class saloon, the CL is a formidably engineered machine.

When it went on sale in Britain in 2007, it was larger, more powerful and better equipped than ever before. Even the “entry level” CL 500 has a 5.5-litre V8 producing nearly 400bhp, enough to propel the 2,000kg-plus car from 0-62mph in 5.5 seconds. Quicker still is the CL 600, with a 5.5-litre V12 and two turbochargers churning out 517bhp. Who needs a highly stressed Ferrari when the prod of a Gucci loafer on the CL’s throttle will achieve the same effect without the histrionics?

Yet the CL gets madder still, in the guise of the AMG high-performance versions. The CL 63 AMG produces 525bhp while the CL 65 offers 612bhp. For used buyers, the really good news is the fact that both depreciate as fast as they accelerate. The CL 63 AMG is worth 43% of its original value (£106,610) after three years. The CL 65 AMG is worth 50% (of £149,215) after the same time.

The CL delivers a remarkable blend of performance and comfort. The car remains virtually level through corners and under heavy braking and acceleration. Even at speed, it is so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

To many, the sweet spot in the range is the CL 600, virtually as powerful as the CL 63 and super-smooth thanks to its twin-turbo V12 engine. Its standard kit is good, with massaging front seats among the highlights.

Across the range, front and rear space is cavernous by coupé standards, and the huge front doors make for easy access to the individual rear seats, albeit at the expense of making them awkward to open in tight parking spaces.

Reliability and servicing

Servicing is due every 15,500 miles or every 12 months, with the A and B ser­vices (B is more detailed) alternating. The prices of £250 and £400 respectively may look like a bargain, but beware: the CL requires extra work such as brake fluid changes, air and fuel filters and even spark plugs not included in these prices. Strike unlucky and you could see an A service rise to well over £1,000 before you add in the inevitable tyres and brakes that a two-tonne car consumes.

Residuals

The CL 500 loses less of its value than any other model in the range, but generally depreciation is high. Focus on the more powerful, higher specced cars and you’ll bag something fit for royalty at servant-quarters prices.


Need to know

Adaptive cruise control: An option on most CLs, worthwhile if you cover many motorway miles
Colours: Dark exteriors and light interiors are popular, though AMG models with dark interior and exterior colours are highly prized
Dashboard: Check the display for when the next service is due as this can help when negotiating the car’s price
Gearbox: Auto gearbox on all models; CL 500 has seven-speed and CL 600 five
Paperwork: Look for bill of sale to establish the factory extras fitted when new
Safety: Pre-Safe Brake system prepares for impact if an accident is imminent. Check its radar sensor is working
Upholstery: Leather as standard but some owners will upgrade with Alcantara and leather on dashboard and roof linings





 

The one to buy

A 2008 08 registered Mercedes-Benz CL 600 coupé with 20,000 miles on the clock
Price Pay £66,500 at a Mercedes dealer or £63,000 privately


 

Alternative

Or for similar money:

Bentley Continental GT coupé 2007 07
Aston Martin DB9 coupé 2007 57
 
Figures based on CAP July 2010 edition

 © Bumper Media Limited July 2010