∙Loaded with optional extras – cost over £100,000 new in 2011
∙Supremely relaxing and luxurious, and also savagely quick
The Background
The car you’re looking at here is a moment in time; a snapshot of sporting luxury that no longer exists within the Mercedes-Benz range. It was a supremely impressive creation, however, and proved sufficiently desirable and aspirational to remain in the line-up for a full twenty-two years. The model you see before you is the final iteration; the first CL Class debuted in 1992 on the W140 platform, the second-generation appeared in 2000 as a C215 coupe, and the third and final evolution was in production from 2006-14.
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-gen (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; being a post-2010 car this one is a facelift model, which means it’s got a raft of upgrades including bi-Xenon headlights, revised bumpers and grilles, LED DRLs, new wood trim options for the interior, Active Blind Spot Assist and Lane Keeping, crosswind stabilisation, torque-vectoring braking, reversing camera, and much more besides. The CL 500 BlueEFFICIENCY spec features a 4.7-litre M278 V8 engine that serves up a handy 429bhp, mated to the 7G-TRONIC transmission with optional paddle-shift.
The interior is sumptuously appointed, the exterior has crisp and purposeful styling, and the technology is super-advanced. You get all the benefits of an S Class limo, reimagined in a beautiful coupe body. And given how much these cars cost when new, they really are remarkable value these days.
As you might imagine of a flagship model of such impeccable luxury, these cars were eye-wateringly expensive when new. The model range started at £80,640, but there was an extremely long options list to play with and it’s very unlikely that a single CL Class left Mercedes-Benz in base spec. With the car you’re looking at here, the option boxes have been liberally ticked, with treats such as Harmon Kardon audio, paddle-shifters, cooled and heated seats, in-dash DVD with remote control, and much more. All of this pushed the new purchase price up above £100,000 – and when you consider that this was only ten years ago, you could be looking at the bargain of a lifetime today.
The car was specced and ordered brand-new by the current owner’s father, who drove it for a few years before passing it down to his son. He was having a rare old time in it, right up until he became the father to twins, which signalled ‘game over’ for CL ownership – while this is a proper four-seater with oodles of room in the back and a big boot, the lack of rear doors is a hurdle too far with child seats! So, with heavy heart, this magnificent luxury coupe has to go to a new home. With below-average mileage, single-family ownership and a full Mercedes-Benz service history, it’s going to be a heck of a car for its next keeper.
Everything you need for peace of mind is here. The car comes with original Mercedes-Benz books and manuals in their leather wallet, and the correct V5 is present too. Mercedes service records are managed online, and there’s a full set of printouts here to verify the service history and the mileage. The owner will also be putting a fresh MOT on it before sale.
ULEZ compliant for the prospective London owner - those living in London will know as of October 21st 2021, all cars across the capital are required to meet the Ultra Low Emissions Zone at £12.50 per day. The Blue Efficiency model 4.7 meets this standard unlike it’s older 5.5 version which means no ULEZ charge. Thanks to the 4.7 Blue Efficiency Model this version significantly reduces the annual road tax also, almost halving it, unlike the 5.5 although the 4.7 is a more powerful machine by far.
It has only been serviced by Mercedes-Benz since birth and has had more services than it’s due. The next service on the car is not due for another 7,500 miles. The pads, discs and tyres were recently replaced and are not due to need replacement for 10-15 thousand miles at least. This car wants for nothing and is ready to go.
The car comes with two MB working original Keys. The car was MOT’d after the photo-shoot two months ahead of time to reassure any prospective buyer - as anticipated it passed with flying colors. The MOT history illustrates how well the car has been looked after with zero MOT advisories since birth in 2011.
The interior of the final-gen CL is, frankly, fabulous. It is essentially an S Class with fewer doors, so expect to find a cosseting, luxurious, generously-equipped and limousine-like experience. Indeed, the owner previously had a Bentley and tells us that he far prefers the CL 500!
The specification is mightily impressive, featuring such highlights as in-dash DVD with remote-control, double-glazed pillarless windows, a flip-up phone control panel on the centre console, electric sunroof, cooled and heated seats, cooled and heated cupholders, sumptuous leather hide throughout, and extremely tasteful dark wood inlays. Absolutely everything works too – the Harmon Kardon audio system is particularly stirring, and every single button or switch you press does what it’s supposed to do.
The seats are in excellent condition with no marks or wear, and the electric motors work correctly to slide the seats forward and gain access to the rear. The carpets beneath the AMG-branded floor mats are very clean, as is the headlining. There are useful cubby holes everywhere – the doors have long and thin lidded storage for (one assumes) your Mont Blanc fountain pen or what-have-you, while the centre console storage has a very clever hinge system that allows it to be opened on a side-hinge from either side (which is clearly some sort of witchcraft). For rear passengers, there’s a fold-down armrest with yet another hidden cubbyhole, plus generous cupholders, and there’s enough space for the long-legged back there too. A proper grand tourer in the classic style, with thoroughly modern appointments.
Inside the boot it’s all dry and tidy, with even more hidden storage under the boot floor, and a space-saver spare wheel below that.
Black paint suits this imposing shape extremely well, allowing the chrome details to be artfully picked out by the eye, and the paintwork is all in superb condition here. It’s never been repainted, and aside from a very light mark on the front nearside wing where someone has possibly brushed against it with the rivet of their jeans, there’s no evidence of scratches, scuffs, dings or dents. Lovely condition throughout, and the pillarless profile with the windows down is really quite dramatic – part-Knightsbridge, part-Sicily.
The car sports the 19” AMG wheel option, and they’re in good condition with just a tiny bit of kerbing to one of them. (One of the centre caps is mis-matched and the other three are a little tarnished, but these are cheap to replace and readily available.) The wheels wear quality Continental tyres with decent tread. The light lenses and double-glazed window glass is all in good condition, and all the correct trim and badging is in place. This is clearly a CL that’s been looked after, pampered and cherished by doting owners.
It’s a formidable drivetrain package in this car, and this particular configuration is very much sought-after these days. You see, the pre-facelift CL 500 had a 5.5-litre V8 making 383bhp and 391lb.ft, but this smaller-displacement engine of the facelift model is actually far superior – the turbocharged 4.7-litre BlueEFFICIENCY V8 makes much bigger numbers (429bhp, 516 lb.ft), but also much lower CO2 emissions. Whereas the previous 5.5 put out 288g/km, this 4.7 emits 227g/km which puts it in a lower VED band. It’s also possible to approach 30mpg with it.
With a full Mercedes-Benz service history from new, we know that this car has always been correctly looked after and received the correct care and attention. Because of the owner’s growing family (and other cars in the collection), the CL 500 hasn’t seen a lot of use recently, but nevertheless it fired straight up for our test drive and behaved absolutely perfectly. It idles evenly, cruises with impeccable smoothness, wafts gracefully over speed bumps and shrugs off potholes… and when it’s warmed through and ready to play, the handling is keen and the acceleration is savage. A true polymath, with everything working as it should – no issues with the air suspension, impressively strong brakes, all as it should be.
The CL Class makes a very strong case for itself, being a relatively rare and thus intriguingly desirable model with stylish design and outstanding levels of equipment. And this particular CL 500 almost feels like a no-brainer, for three key reasons: first of all, there’s the fact that it’s the facelift BlueEFFICIENCY 4.7, meaning that it’s even more powerful than the previous CL 500 while also being markedly more efficient and affordable to run. Secondly, there’s the history – as a single-family ownership example with full Mercedes-Benz service history, there are no hidden surprises or skeletons in the closet, it’s all as honest as you’d hope for. And thirdly, there’s the price. Ten years ago, this car cost over £100,000. Today, you could buy it for markedly less than the price of a new Ford Fiesta. So what are you waiting for?
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
Car & Classic's secure payment system protects buyers and sellers. At the end of the auction, the winning bidder transfers payment into a third-party escrow account. Once the transfer of the vehicle is complete, both parties confirm they are happy with the sale and the money is released to the seller.
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2011 Mercedes-Benz CL500
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