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What's the difference?
Mercedes-Benz loves to fill a niche. This is the company, after all, that has a coupe version of its GLC and GLE SUVS, four-door coupes ranging in size from the CLA to the AMG GT 4-door, and enough electric vehicles to make Tesla jealous.
The nichest of all though, might the CLS, which has been updated for the 2022 model year.
Positioned above the E-Class but below the S-Class in the line-up as a sporty sedan for customers after a blend of style, technology and performance, the new CLS is available in just one engine now, while styling and equipment have also been tweaked in the update.
Can the CLS earn its place in the Mercedes line-up or is it destined to be a bit player amongst more popular models?
With Ferrari leaving the Fiat-Chrysler family and becoming an independent entity in 2016, Maserati was left without a technology partner.
Suddenly, the Trident brand had to go it alone and come up with its own engines for the first time in more than 20 years. The MC20 sports-car is the result of that rebirth.
While there’s no doubt the Maserati brand has the currency to pull this off, the MC20 is also a big step outside the company’s usual grand-tourer box.
The new coupe is aimed at McLaren, Porsche and even Ferrari buyers, so can the first true Maserati sports car since the MC12 of 2004 walk the walk? And let’s not forget that the MC12 was Ferrari Enzo-based…
No-compromise cars are often the ones that impose the most compromises, and in that sense, the MC20’s shattering on-paper performance means its greatest attributes can’t be enjoyed on a public road.
That’s why this review was conducted entirely on Philip Island’s 4.4km Grand Prix layout. As a result, we can’t tell you much about parking ease or highway fuel consumption. But as for the things that give a super-sports car its identity, read on.
Comfortable when it needs to be and sporty when you want it to be, the CLS 53 is a bit like Mercedes’ Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde – or maybe Bruce Banner and the Hulk is a better frame of reference for some.
While it doesn’t excel in any one particular area, its breadth of useability is commendable, but ultimately it might be its all-too-familiar aesthetics that is the biggest letdown.
From the inside, it looks and feels like any other large Mercedes model (not necessarily a criticism), while the exterior – in my opinion – doesn’t go far enough to differentiate it from the CLA.
After all, if you wanted a stylish and sporty sedan, shouldn’t feel special too?
With a 320km/h-plus top speed and the ability to get from rest to 100km/h in under three seconds, there’s no doubting the MC20 meets or exceeds its performance brief. But when you’re paying these prices, there must be more than just the measurable stuff going on.
And there is. The MC20 brings a big dollop of purity to the ranks of current supercars, doing away with all-wheel drive and hybrid tech and relying instead on and old-school approach in terms of handling and overall feel.
Anybody who wants to argue that call has plenty of alternatives to the MC20 from other manufacturers, and for some of us, that less-is-more thing will ring true.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.
Mercedes’ homogenised design is a bit of a double-edged sword, and while the CLS does wear its styling confidently, it probably looks a little too much like the cheaper and much smaller CLA for our tastes.
Both are swoopy four-door coupes from Mercedes-Benz, so of course there will be some similarities, but keen-eyed car spotters will notice some differences.
While the proportions are similar, the longer wheelbase and bonnet line gives the CLS a more mature look, and the extra details found in the head- and tail-lights, and front bumper stand it apart.
The changes to the 2022 version also brings in AMG’s 'Panamericana' front grille, which adds a bit of welcome aggression to the front end.
From the side, the steeply raked roof flows seamlessly into the rear, while the 20-inch wheels fill out the arches well.
All four doors are also frameless, which is always cool to see.
From the rear, quad-exhaust tips hint at the CLS’s sporty intentions, while a prominent rear diffuser and subtle boot lid spoiler also feature.
Inside, the biggest change to the CLS is now the inclusion of the MBUX multimedia system, which keeps it in line with the E-Class, C-Class and other Mercedes models.
AMG sports seats are also fitted, wrapped in Nappa leather and 'Dinamica' fabric upholstery for all pews.
Our test car also came fitted with red contrast stitching and seat belts, adding a racy streak to the CLS cabin.
Have to point out the new steering wheel that comes with the 2022 CLS, though, which mirrors the tiller offered in the new E-Class, and is a step back in terms of functionality.
It looks premium enough thanks to its chunky leather-wrapped rim and gloss black dual-spoke design, but using the buttons, especially when on the move, is difficult and unergonomic.
This design is definitely function over form, and might need a few more revisions to get it right.
Overall, we’d say the CLS is a good-looking car, but does play it a bit too safe with its styling?
Perhaps the most striking thing about the MC20’s design is that it’s so restrained. You won’t find wings, vents, fins and diffusers all over the car, but rather an overall shape that creates downforce, rather than that job falling to tacked on additions.
And, like any modern supercar worth its salt, the MC20 is based around a carbon-fibre tub for rigidity and low weight. From that tub structure are hung aluminium front and rear subframes which, in turn, mount the suspension and other mechanical bits.
The wind tunnel still got a huge workout in the car’s development, of course, but the aim was to integrate the downforce-inducing elements rather than having them demanding your optical attention.
As a result, the whole car is an upside-down wing, if you want to simplify it. But a very pretty upside-down wing.
This gives the MC20 a smooth, sleek look that stands it apart from the rent-a-racer crowd and supports the theory that sometimes, less is, indeed, more.
Some of the detailing is lovely, too. The vents cut into the Perspex rear windscreen form Maserati’s trademark trident shape, there’s lots of visible carbon-fibre inside the door jambs, there’s lashings of Alcantara inside and the two-tone body kit breaks up the shape perfectly.
Elements we’re not so sure about include the 'Park' button mounted way down low under the dashboard, and the swing-up, scissor-type doors, which, if your more than about 180cm tall, still require you to duck under them.
On the upside, the carbon-and-leather steering wheel with its integrated controls is gorgeous to hold and gaze at.
Measuring 4994mm long, 1896mm wide, 1425mm tall and with a 2939mm wheelbase, the CLS slots neatly between the E-Class and S-Class in size and positioning.
Up front, occupants are afforded ample room for head, legs and shoulders, while the electronically adjustable seats make it easy to find a comfortable position.
The steering wheel also features a telescoping function – an always appreciated feature – and the expansive glasshouse makes things feel open and airy.
Storage options include a deep door pocket, a cubby found under the armrest, two cupholders and a smartphone tray with wireless charging capabilities.
It’s a different story in the second row, though, as the sloping roofline does noticeably eat away at headroom.
Don’t get me wrong, a six-foot-tall (183cm) adult can still slide in there fine, but the roof is dangerously close to the touching the top of the head.
Leg- and shoulder-room is pretty good in the outboard seats though, while the middle position is compromised by the intrusive transmission tunnel.
In the second row, passengers have access to a bottle holder in the door, a fold-down armrest with cupholders, backseat map pockets and two air vents.
Opening the boot reveals a cavity offering 490 litres of volume, with an aperture wide enough to fit golf clubs or luggage for a weekend getaway for four adults.
The rear seats also fold in a 40/20/40 split fashion, but Mercedes-Benz is yet to detail how much volume is on offer with the rear seats down. And as a traditional sedan, the CLS is less practical than the liftback Audi S7.
Although the MC20 has a front and rear luggage compartment, they’re both small enough to be pretty much useless. This is a shame, because as a long-weekend getaway car, the Maserati otherwise makes a strong case for itself.
The other area that suffers for the car’s art is the interior practicality. While the driving position is great and the pedals and wheel relationship is spot on, when it comes to storing anything, you’re on your own. Best the MC20 can offer is a single cupholder at the rear of the central tunnel.
The mid-engined layout also means there’s precious little vision through the back window. To counter that, Maserati has fitted the MC20 with an interior rear-view mirror that can act as a conventional mirror (you can still see only the engine) or as a screen for the rear-mounted camera.
The catch is the image projected to the 'mirror' lacks depth of field and forces the driver to refocus on the image rather than simply glance at it.
When the third-generation Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class hit Australian showrooms in 2018, it was available in three flavours, but the 2022 refresh has trimmed the line-up to just one – the top-spec AMG-tuned CLS 53.
The discontinuation of the entry-level CLS350 and mid-tier CLS450 means the CLS-Class now kicks off at $188,977, before on-road costs, which makes it more expensive than rivals like the Audi S7 ($162,500) and Maserati Ghibli S GranSport ($175,000).
With BMW ditching the 6 Series, the Bavarian brand doesn’t offer a direct rival to the Mercedes-AMG CLS 53, but its bigger 8 Series is offered in a Gran Coupe body style that starts at $179,900.
So, what does Mercedes include in the CLS’s asking price?
Standard equipment includes interior ambient lighting, a head-up display, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, power-adjustable and heated front seats, woodgrain interior trim, powered boot lid, rear privacy glass, push-button start, keyless entry, and a sunroof.
As an AMG model, the 2022 CLS is also fitted with a unique steering wheel, sports seats, illuminated door sills, drive mode selector, 20-inch wheels, a performance exhaust, boot lid spoiler and blacked-out exterior package.
Handling multimedia duties is a 12.3-inch 'MBUX' (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) touchscreen, with functions including Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, digital radio, a wireless charger, satellite navigation and a 13-speaker Burmester sound system.
It’s a long and fully-featured equipment list, for sure, and it’s so extensive that there aren’t really any options available.
Buyers can opt for an 'AMG Exterior Carbon Fibre Package', power-closing doors, and different finishes for the exterior paint, interior trim and seat upholstery – that’s it!
While its nice that everything you’d want comes included in the asking price, it’s hard to ignore the fact that its Audi S7 rival is more than $20,000 cheaper, but also well equipped.
Maserati has followed the lead of many a high-end carmaker by using the options list to ramp up the profitability of the MC20. Of course, that’s after the MSRP of $438,000 has been dealt with by your accountant.
The point is that you kind of need to suspend disbelief when it comes to supercars and their value-for-money credentials. By any sane, conventional measure, they’re seriously over-priced, but within its peer group, the Maserati is neither the cheapest nor the most expensive way to go this fast.
But back to those options: Again, it’s all a case of throwing away what you think you know, because there are several options for the Maserati that cost more than a good, brand-new hatchback.
The carbon-fibre engine cover alone will cost you a staggering $13,164, and according to Maserati management, it’s a popular option.
Then, there are the carbon-fibre brakes which not only cost $28,961, but if you want the yellow-painted calipers, that’ll be another $2962.
The hydraulic front-lifter which allows you to deal with driveways and speed humps is a monstrous $8721, but at least there’s some engineering in that. Unlike the black-roof option which is, er, a black roof at $10,202. And the external carbon-fibre kit? A cool $92,806!
Powering the Mercedes-AMG CLS 53 is a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine, punching out 320kW/520Nm to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission and Merc's '4Matic+' AWD system.
A 48-volt mild-hybrid system, known as 'EQ Boost', is also fitted that serves up to 16kW/250Nm from take-off.
The result is a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.5 seconds, keeping it on pace with the likes of the 331kW/600Nm Audi S7 (4.6s) and 390kW/750Nm 250kW/500Nm BMW 840i Gran Coupe (5.2s).
While not as brutish as AMG’s eight-cylinder engine, the straight six strikes a great balance between pace and poise that perfectly suits a model like the CLS 53.
Previous generations of Maseratis borrowed Ferrari (both brands were once part of the extended Fiat Chrysler family) technology for their drivelines in a deal that allowed both brands to share the cost of development.
And since having a Ferrari-built engine in your car was never seen as a sale hindrance, it was a sweet deal for Maserati. But when Ferrari was spun off and became a publicly-owned company in 2016, Maserati’s supply of engines dried up.
The solution was to take engine design in-house and the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 in the MC20 is one of the first fruits of that.
While it’s undoubtedly a high-tech powerplant, in other respects it’s fairly conventional. Maserati, for instance, has a long history with the V6 layout, and there’s no hybrid element to the driveline. Nor is there a hybrid option.
Maserati claims the V6 is the world’s most powerful six-cylinder production-car engine and, with no less than 463kW at 7500rpm and 730Nm between 3000 and 5500rpm, that’s a credible statement.
Technical details that you won’t see on most road cars include a dry-sump lubrication system (where the engine oil lives in a remote tank rather than the hot sump of the engine itself) and a sophisticated fuel injection system with two injectors per cylinder.
The real trick, however, is an ignition system with two spark plugs per cylinder. There are also effectively two combustion chambers, the first ensuring multiple flame fronts to achieve a more complete burn of the fuel in the main combustion chamber.
The rest of the driveline is similarly aimed at the purists out there; the transmission is an eight-speed dual-clutch, driving not all four wheels, but only the rears through a mechanical limited-slip differential.
Selectable drive modes from GT (the default setting) through to 'Wet', 'Sport', 'Corsa' (Track) and 'ESC Off' tailor the shift points, throttle sensitivity and suspension behaviour, but still allow for full engine power.
Official fuel consumption numbers for the CLS 53 are pegged at 9.2 litres per 100km, while we managed an average of 12.0L/100km in our launch drive.
All of our driving was relegated to country back roads and high-trafficked urban areas however, with no consistent freeway driving.
We’ll reserve judgement on how accurate the fuel economy figures are until after we’ve had the car for longer, but the EQ Boost system is designed to help keep consumption down by being able to coast the engine in particular situations.
Fuel economy is probably not going to be top of mind for most MC20 buyers, but the official combined figure of 11.6 litres per 100km is still pretty greedy by 2022 standards.
Balanced against the available performance, however, and an engine making more than 600 old-fashioned horsepower with that combined fuel-economy number is still cause to reflect on modern technology and efficiency.
The MC20 has a 60-litre fuel tank, making it a handy cross-country car for weekends away.
There are certain expectations on a vehicle when it wears a Mercedes badge, namely it should be comfortable to drive while also dripping with the latest tech. And here the large four-door coupe delivers in spades.
Driving the car is smooth, easy and comfortable when in its default drive setting, you can really sink into the CLS and just eat up the miles in comfort.
There are small niggles, like the 20-inch wheels and low-profile tyres (245/35 front and 275/30 rear) throw up a bit too much road noise into the cabin, but for the most part, around town, the CLS is serene, supple and supremely soothing.
However, switch it over to Sport or Sport+ and the steering gets a bit heavier, the throttle response a bit sharper, and the suspension a bit stiffer.
Does it transform the CLS into a sports car? Not quite, but it certainly dials up driving engagement to a level where you can really have some fun.
Though this isn’t a full-fat AMG in the same vein as an E63 S and doesn’t feature the ubiquitous 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, the CLS 53’s 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine is still plenty potent.
Coming away off the line feels particularly brisk, likely due to the EQ Boost system adding a bit of poke, and even flat-footing it mid-corner delivers a noticeable surge of urgency from the creamy straight six.
However, the best of the CLS 53 experience, in my opinion, is actually the sound, with the exhaust letting off the right sort of pops and crackles in Sport+ mode on overrun.
It’s rude and obnoxious, but also completely surprising coming from the motoring equivalent of a three-piece dress suit – and I love it!
The brakes are also up to task for scrubbing speed, but our relatively brief time with the car was in extremely wet conditions, so the 4Matic+ AWD system was hugely appreciated.
Here’s where your half-a-million bucks has gone.
The MC20’s acceleration is absolutely shattering and is all the more amazing for the fact the car uses neither all-wheel drive grip nor hybrid torque to achieve its sprinting abilities.
While the V6 is not the most sonorous of powerplants, it does manage to sound high-end and pretty sophisticated and it’s never as shouty as some of its opposition which seem to confuse decibels with kiloWatts.
While the sheer thrust confirms the existence of two turbochargers, the lack of lag (or throttle delay) and the ability to charge into the rev limiter in the lower gears does not.
Even though power peaks at 6500rpm (as with many a modern turbo motor) the MC20 will happily smash on to the redline at 8000rpm; sometimes too happily if you don’t have your finger over the upshift paddle. As with other good modern turbocharged units, this one doesn’t actually feel overtly turbocharged.
The transmission shifts relatively smoothly in GT mode, but as you crank up the mode selector to Sport, the shifts become very fast with an accompanying jolt through the backrest as each gear clicks home. The shifting process is fairly foolproof, although you do get full over-ride, so you need to pay attention.
Both the cars we were able to sample at Philip Island were sporting the optional carbon-ceramic braking package, and one was also fitted with the optional 'birdcage' alloy wheels which are lighter.
Each of them needed a firm shove on the pedal to slow things down, but it’s true the lighter wheels seem to be worth their almost-$3000 ask as that car required less leg-pressure for the same result.
The lack of a hybrid element to the driveline, as well as the rear-drive layout, suggests a degree of purity of purpose in the car’s design. And that’s backed up by its behaviour in the first corner.
Fundamentally, instead of just hurling it at an apex and allowing the electronics to sort it all out for you, the Maserati requires a more 'classical' technique if it’s to really shine.
It doesn’t, for instance, reward trail-braking (where you continue to brake once you’ve turned into a corner) and would much prefer you get your braking over and done with before applying any meaningful steering lock.
Ignore this, and the rear weight bias of the mid-engined layout can see the car try to yaw, with the rear end becoming light and the vehicle over-rotating (which is a spin, to you and I).
Similarly, getting on the power before you’ve actually got the MC20 turned, can unload the front end and send the front wheels ploughing (ploughing is an exaggeration, but at the speeds we’re dealing with here, even a small degree is a big deal) towards the outside of the turn.
Ultimately, then, the technique becomes a text-book case of brake, turn and then power out, at which point the MC20 reveals itself to be huge fun and incredibly fast. The only thing to deal with then is the knowledge that whatever happens next is going to happen extremely quickly.
The Mercedes-Benz CLS is yet to be tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, which means there is no official crash-test rating that applies to local market vehicles.
However, the standard safety equipment list is extensive, and covers autonomous emergency braking (AEB), nine airbags, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, tyre pressure monitoring, a surround-view camera, route-based speed recognition and lane-change assist.
The rear seats also feature two ISOFIX mounting points for child seats.
Neither ANCAP nor Euro NCAP have tested the MC20 for crash safety, so we can’t give it a star rating.
But the lack of standard safety gear such as rear-cross traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring (it’s optional at $2797) can’t go unmentioned. That’s especially concerning when you consider the mid-engined layout makes for very poor rear visibility.
Like all new Mercedes-Benz models sold in 2021, the CLS 53 comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assist over that period.
This outclasses the assurance period offered by BMW, Porsche and Audi (three-year/unlimited kilometre), and matches that available from Jaguar, Genesis and Lexus, who recently upgraded their offering.
Scheduled service intervals are every 12 months or 25,000km, whichever occurs first.
The first three planned services will set buyers back $3150, broken down as $700, $1100 and $1350 apiece.
High-end cars often disappoint on the details, and the Maserati is no different here, offering just a three-year factory warranty (albeit with unlimited kilometres).
That trails even the most humble commuter cars these days, and suggests there’s still a degree of indifference from some carmakers. And, possibly, their customers.
There is, however, the option of fixed-price servicing for the MC20 with the first three years’ worth of servicing costing $4000.
Scheduled services are every 15,000km or 12 months, whichever comes first.