The 2018 Mercedes CLS Class was displayed at the Thai Motor Expo that concluded earlier this month. In Thailand, the most premium coupe-sedan in the company's lineup is available in two variants - CLS 300 d AMG Premium, priced at 4,980,000 baht (INR 10664344) and the performance-focussed AMG CLS 53, which has a sticker price of 7,090,000 baht (INR 1,51,82,772).
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Speaking on the aesthetics of the 2018 Mercedes CLS Class, Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer Daimler AG, has said -
The new CLS is a design icon as the archetype of the four-door coupé. In line with our design philosophy of sensual purity, we have reduced its DNA in an extremely puristic way and at the same time emotionally charged it with elegant beauty.
Much like its predecessor, the 2018 Mercedes CLS Class flaunts a steeply raked roofline, a bold rear shoulder line that blends int the flat rear-end, and frameless doors but carries better-sculpted surfaces with neater lines. The visual package offered by the latest-gen CLS is in line with the company's Sensual Purity design theme. Typical of Mercedes coupe models, the CLS features two-section tail lights and rear registration plate housing on the bumper.
The interior design offers clean lines and neat surfaces, which echoes the flowing contours of the exterior. The equipment list includes a 12.3-inch infotainment unit, a Virtual Cockpit all-digital instrument console, and a 13-speaker Burmester audio system. The cabin features an ambient lighting setup, which offers ten colour themes and two colour effects for a lounge-like appearance.
The Mercedes AMG CLS 53 gets a distinctive look that is courtesy of a twin-blade radiator grille in silver chrome, a chrome-finished front splitter, AMG-spec side sill panels, and larger wheels. The interior gets revised trim, along with revised instrumentation through the Widescreen Cockpit, which can even display engine and transmission oil temperature, lateral and longitudinal acceleration, engine output and torque, and boost pressure.
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The 2018 Mercedes CLS Class shares its platform with the latest E-Class. The CLS 300d is powered by a 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel that outputs 245 hp and 500 Nm. It comes mated to a nine-speed 9G-Tronic automatic transmission. The Mercedes-AMG CLS 53 is propelled by a 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo petrol engine that outputs 435 hp and 530 Nm. The EQ Boost system momentarily provides an additional 22 hp and 250 Nm. The motor comes mated to a 9G 9-speed automatic transmission.
In Thailand, the 2018 Mercedes CLS Class locks horns with the second generation Audi A7, which costs 53,99,000 baht (INR 1.1 crore), and Porsche Panamera, which has a sticker price of 94,00,000 baht (INR 2,01,37,048).
