2010 Paris Auto Show: Mercedes-Benz CLS

Among the four Mercedes-Benz world premieres from this year’s Paris Auto Show these days, the German carmaker has included the new edition of the CLS, a model that will arrive in showrooms in January 2011. The CLS is said to be the first car in the world to feature optional LED High Performance headlamps.

These types of headlamps combine the Intelligent Light System from Mercedes models using bi-xenon headlamps with LED technology.

Also, according to Mercedes-Benz, all of the engines in the CLS are new and help to guarantee an improvement in fuel consumption of up to 25 percent and a higher output compared with the previous models. Moreover, the CLS also premiered the use of the electromechanical Direct-Steer system.

The new CLS also boasts a host of driver assistance systems, headed by the Active Blind Spot Assist and Active Lane Keeping Assist.

Inside the CLS, Mercedes-Benz is offering a choice of five interior colours, five trim designs and three types of leather. Customers can choose between three exclusive types of wood: high-gloss brown burr walnut, high-gloss black ash and satin-finish light-brown poplar.

"Customers all over the world benefited from our bold move to launch a completely new vehicle concept onto the market," stated Joachim Schmidt, head of Sales and Marketing for Mercedes-Benz. "And with its exciting design, the new edition of the CLS also benefits from the fact that we are a whole generation ahead of the competition with our four-door Coupé."

Already available for ordering, the new CLS is priced from EUR59,857 for the 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY developing 204 hp variant.