Category: Exotic Sports 
Price Range: £46,255 to £75,050
Obscenely fast, grippy, fantastic to look at, plenty of safety features.
Pricey, rear space is compromised, huge running costs, poor residuals.
The standard CLS is no slouch, but this thing just raises the bar. It's a perfectly manageable high-class hot rod.
There are plenty of revisions inside the refreshed CLS AMG, including a three-spoke leather steering wheel with multi-function buttons. The grip areas are specially contoured and trimmed in perforated leather and behind it are two nicely-finished and extremely touchable aluminium gearshift paddles.
The CLS 63 AMG features bespoke AMG nappa leather upholstery with Alcantara leather shoulder inserts. Like all new-generation CLS models the AMG gets a new infotainment system that includes speed-sensitive volume control.
The new system has the 'media interface' set-up, which sounds very fancy, but it means you can control your iPod from the steering wheel while offering the same functionality as the iPod itself. There's also fully-integrated Bluetooth and, if you go for the all-singing, all-dancing Comand package (£1,995), you get voice-controlled sat nav. The Comand package also included a 4GB music register SD memory and an integrated CD/DVD changer.
If you want, you can opt for the AMG Performance Studio. With this you get a smaller diameter, flat-bottomed steering wheel and silver coloured gearshift paddles. This pack also includes AMG carbon-fibre trim, illuminated door sill panels, velour floor mats, the AMG exterior carbon-fibre package and the titanium-grey painted AMG 19-inch light-alloy wheels with a twin-spoke design and a polished finish.
The rest is still the same - it's based on the E-Class platform but 41mm lower and 90mm longer. That gives it those long and low coupe-like dimensions, but plainly poses a challenge for interior space, especially as none of that extra length is in the wheelbase. Sit two six-foot-plus blokes one behind the other and the one in the rear will find the headroom less than adequate.
Taller people will also find that the very shallow side glass makes the cabin feel a bit claustrophobic, especially with dark upholstery. That low roof also makes climbing in and out slightly awkward. The CLS is strictly a four-seater, with the two seats to the rear separated by a solid console on all models and no five-seat option.
The environment for the driver is first rate. If you want to, you can sit unusually low, which gives quite a sporting feel. The boot, at 505 litres, is also a decent size: smaller than that of an E-Class, but comfortably more spacious than those offered on most coupes.
Specification includes climate control, electric folding mirrors, alloy wheels and metallic paint. Major extras include the air suspension system.
