29 Jun 06
Mercedes says the styling of the CL is intended to be a blend of the contemporary and classic, the latter harking back to the tradition of Mercedes coupes going back to the 50s. There are, for example, details such as the trademark radiator grille with its wide chrome louvres and the swooping C-pillar, which harks back to the 220 S/SE Coupe (W 180/W 128 model series) from 1956 and its successor model, the 220 SE Coupe (W 111/112).
Also reminiscent of Mercedes coupes of the past are fully retractable side windows with a continuous aperture uninterrupted by a B-pillar and a large, curving panoramic rear window - a typical styling feature of Mercedes coupes such as the 220 SE Coupe from 1961.
Mercedes-Benz is currently in the process of developing the brand's 'design idiom', based on the design philosophy of modern purism, which is meant to dispense with excessive ornamentation. This can be seen in the CL-Class in what Mercedes describes as 'the interplay between tautly drawn lines and large, tranquil surfaces'. So, at the front of the car, headlights with transparent lenses and the broad radiator grille can be seen as a continuous flowing unit, adding emphasis to the width of the body.
Looking at the CL from the side, there are two lines at different heights: one is intended to structure the upper third of the flank, forming a dividing line between the light and shade created by convex and concave surfaces; the other is the shoulder line, which picks up the lines of the wings and extends them from the lower edges of the windows to the rear of the car.
