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2001
ICOTY Awards - Luxury
Most
Respected: Mercedes-Benz CL500
 There
isn’t much about the CL500 that wouldn’t inspire
one to lead. It is a car so good that itshould have you
doing anything you can to claw your way up the corporate
ladder just to own one. And what are its credentials, you
ask? Well, for one thing, just look at it. The artful lines
of the pillarless windows and body seams impart a certain
delicacy, and its overall proportions give it its mass.
Its design strikes that all-too-rare balance of substance
and elegance, appearing at once light and airy yet considerable
and impressive. Appealing equally to both men and women,
it is the rightful image leader for the brand of the three-pointed
star.
The
CL’s driving environment is accordingly sublime.
Rich wood and butter-soft leather are everywhere. Gauges
are precise, legible, and easy to understand. The COMAND
system, which unifies the radio, climate control, hands-free
telephone and navigation systems into one screen-based
operation, can be a bit confusing at first, but once the
learning curve has been passed, it can be your best friend,
entertaining you while guiding you wherever you’re
going in safety. Speaking of safety, it’s hard to
top the CL, with its Brake Assist, Stability Control system
and a virtual cocoon of airbags to protect you in case
anything goes really wrong. Sound like a lot to learn?
It is, but should you have even the most asinine of questions,
help is only the press of a button away, thanks to the
TeleAid assistance center, standard on all Mercedes, which
staffs its centers with real people who are there just
to help you in case of emergency, a flat tire, or just
plain confusion.
Granted,
the price of admission is steep at around $90,000 for
the CL500 (V-8) and $120,000 for the CL600 (V-12), but
hey, this is a car that’s reserved for the leaders
of this world, a clientele Mercedes has been serving for
more than a century. Ladies and gentlemen, sharpen your
claws!
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