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2018 Mercedes-Benz CLS Loses Battle with BMW on the Nurburgring

The third generation of Mercedes-Benz's four-door coupe model is almost ready to reveal itself without any of the camouflage, but until it does (most likely at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show in December), it looks determined to spend the remaining time well by stretching its legs on the Nordschleife.
2018 Mercedes-Benz CLS on the 'Ring 1 photo
Photo: YouTube screenshot
Truth be told, it doesn't look like it's enjoying itself that much out there. Apart from the AMG versions, the CLS has always been more of a luxury vehicle than a sports car. It's not that it's lacked power, nor will the new version, but it was the elegance of its design that urged you to behave like a gentleman and not a racer.

The new CLS appears to keep that ethos, and to make matters even clearer, it will also be stripped of the AMG badges for good. That's not to say we won't have a four-door coupe from Affalterbach, it's just that Mercedes decided to make it a separate model altogether.

That would be the Mercedes-AMG GT four-door with its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine and 600+ horsepower. The new CLS will have to make do with no more than 500 hp, likely from a hybrid powertrain that uses a straight six engine and an electric motor.

It looks fast enough on the track - not that we know whether this is the top model or not, so it might be even quicker - but the ride height, its weight, and the soft suspension setup won't allow it to corner without massive amounts of tire squeal. Just look at that BMW M140i fly by right after the one minute mark.

Even though the CLS-Class has more in common with the E-Class than the S, Mercedes-Benz will want to boost its luxury aura to support the inflated prices over those of the standard E-Class sedan, so sticking with the CLS moniker, as rumored, would make some sense.

The interior is no secret either, partly thanks to a set of spy shots we've shown you earlier and partly due to Mercedes-Benz's predictability in this respect. We do know the digital instrument cluster won't come standard, but expect the CLS-Class to feature tons of technology just like the E-Class.

For those who like to mix elegance with a bit of fuel efficiency, Mercedes-Benz will also offer at least two diesel options - the 350d and 400d models - which will use the new inline six modular engines.

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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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