“No that is not a Volkswagen Passat CC!” might be a common exclamation if you purchase the 2010 Mercedes-Benz CLS 550. The CLS 550, in the last leg of its first generation, debuted as a 2006 model year, and VW was the first to successful mimic its design style. The MB CLS is also the reason you may be noticing 4-door sedans with the shape and styling of a coupe.
True to its heritage, the 2010 CLS 550 is luxurious and powerful. Under the hood, the Mercedes 550 boasts a 5.5 liter V8 that produces 382 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission. Though quite a large vehicle, with all of the aforementioned power, the CLS can go 0-60 in a mere 5.3 seconds. The downside of a vehicle of this size with the huge engine is the fuel economy, averaging 17-18 mpg in mixed driving or 14 city and 21 highway… and oh yea, the CLS 550 takes premium.
If you’re buying the CLS as your daily driver, cost is probably not an issue, but in addition to a future filled with premium fuel, you’re going to be hit with a $1300 gas guzzler tax on top of your $72,400 base MSRP price, or in our case, the $83,000 as-tested price which includes the option $5,100 Sport Package.
For more on the 2010 CLS 550, like interior styling and add-ons, check out our video review.
Want to discuss the CLS 550 with like-minded folks? Hop on over to the Mercedes-Benz CLS forums.