Test drive Mercedes Benz Cl C215 1999 - 2002 coupe

Compartment for active

The Mercedes S-class representative can be called one of the most successful debuts last year. The elegant body, power, comfort, quality - the car instantly won many fans, and the queue lined up behind it. In an effort to develop success and use the wave of interest in the new model as much as possible, the Daimlerchrysler AG Corporation immediately announced the start of the released version at the end of this summer.

The corporation fulfilled its promise, and on August on August, Mercedes dealerships resembled Russian wine stores from Gorbachevsky rule. The lucky ones, who placed the order in advance, proudly left for sparkling cars, and less quick to the end of the first day of sales could be signed only in the spring of 2000.

Such a stir occurs infrequently around machines with such a body. Ideology car for a driver, characteristic of the compartment, makes these cars less popular than sedans or station wagons. But the new CL is so good that buyers for the sake of possession are ready to sacrifice utilitarianism.

The list of standard equipment that facilitates control and promotes comfort and safety includes 77 positions - from ABS and active suspension to an inflatable side curtain and telephone system Free Hands. From the whole variety of devices and devices invented by the end of the 20th century to turn a trip into pleasure, only 14 points are left to the share of options in this machine. And then half of them are individually ordered options for finishing the cabin, rudders and heads of the automatic transmission handle. At the same time, the new Mercedes CL stands (taking into account the equipment) is almost not more expensive than the previous model.

From the initial machine, the sedan of the S-class, the compartment apparently differs primarily the presence of four round headlights. Thus, the designers of the corporation, as it were, finally claim an image ... five years ago. Is it really with subsequent restyling and sedans each drop -shaped headlight will be divided into two? The rest of the body, the compartment quite accurately copies the four -door model, whose middle racks are almost invisible - disguised as glazing.

To reduce weight, reduce the cost and relieve subsequent disposal of the front wings and the outer panels of the windshield frame are made of plastic. On the safety and strength of the body, this is not reflected due to the presence of internal power elements.

However, we talked about the similarity and difference between S and CL models in April (motor #4, 1999). As well as about an active self -leveling suspension with electronic control, and about some other components of the compartment. That story was theoretical, now it was the opportunity to get to know the car alive.

The machine turned out to be equipped with a maximum, the only device that is not included in the list of options was on it is the Distronic system, which automatically maintain a safe distance to the walking.

Having put a card with a microchip in my pocket, I am heading for the driver's door to identify the machine with the car. From a distance of 2-3 meters, the car welcomes me with a blink of lighting equipment. On the chrome handle there is a small plastic button, when touched, the mechanical unlocking door is triggered. As soon as the hand begins to pull the pen, the glass lowers a little, slipping out from under the seal in the roof, and the door opens (it is wide enough for free passage to the rear seat, I was convinced of this later).

A brilliant metal lining is striking on the eye on the verge of the side of the front back, with frank heads of the mounting screws - a tribute to traditions that go into the sports past. Sitting behind the wheel, I begin to explore the salon. Compared to the sedan of the S-class, which we tested earlier (motor #1-2, 1999), are no changes. The same luxurious leather-solid finish, the same magnificent comfortable chairs with heating and ventilation, informative, well-readable devices on the panel. All adjustments - seats, steering column, external mirrors - electric, with memory for three.

I remember that the lower part of the cabin, cheap plastic, which did not correspond to the expensive skin in the upper and middle parts, attracted attention in the sedan of the S -class. The compartment is not so, instead of plastic, soft porous material is used, similar to the skin.

Having adjusted the seat for myself, I look around. Wide frontal and continuous lateral glass provide an excellent review forward and to the sides. Panoramas, which opens in the intra -saline mirror, is quite enough when driving around the city and the freeway, and during parking, you can navigate the distances (massive feed limits visibility).

The car is equipped with a Keyless Go system, which allows you to do without a ignition key, it is enough to touch the key with the key on the headband of the automatic transmission of the automatic transmission of the automatic transmission. (You can use the usual key, which, incidentally, is mounted by the security alarm control). The microchip in the card lying in the pocket constantly responds to the requests of the on -board computer, and until the owner is in the cabin, the car is fully functioning. If the card leaves the already started car, the engine will only work at idle, without reacting to the gas pedal.

I’m driving away from the car dealership slowly ... several turns - and now the entrance to the autobahn. A small press on the gas pedal - and it presses me into a chair: under the hood of a car - 5 l V8 with a capacity of 306 hp, developing 460 nm of torque. The speedometer arrow is rapidly counting tens of kilometers. I did not grab a stopwatch, but it feels to accelerate to a hundred takes no more than 7 seconds. No less intensively and acceleration to the second hundred.

The car is equipped only with an automatic 5-speed box, which allows you to choose the gears and manually. The automatic transmission adaptive, which controls the box, the computer makes it adapt to the driver’s driving manner.

The engine power makes it possible to safely interfere in the operation of the machine. According to the switching program, they occur after reaching 2500-3000 rpm. But even if you force the box to switch to the next gear by 1000-1200 rpm., On acceleration, this will not affect much.

The adaptability of the automatic transmission was checked as follows. With a sharp acceleration, the moments of switching in general a very smooth box still manage to feel and, having practice a little, to prevent, pumping the lever to the left - towards the decrease, a moment before the transition to a higher gear. Thus, you can promote the engine to almost 7000 rpm. in each gear. After a double execution of such a maneuver, it is recorded in the memory of the computer, and then switching occur at the peak of torque. So it is possible to achieve the most dynamic behavior from the car. You can return the machine to normal mode - again, interfering in its work.

Assuming that the ideologically sporting compartment should have a more stringent suspension than that of the sedan, I repeat the manipulations that Mercedes S-class tried to rock up last year. Sharp accelerations, braking, fast steering wheel transfer and switching to low gears cannot force the body to deviate from the horizontal. But unlike a four -door car, as if soaring above the ground, Cl is a more elastic, assembled, allows you to better feel the contact of the wheels with the road, to capture the slightest deviations of the machine from the course (recall, the CL suspension is controlled by hydraulics, not pneumatics, like S -class).

Unlike the sedan, on which, due to the constant horizontal position of the body, it is very difficult to determine the moment of starting the braking, the compartment after a sharp discharge of speed with the tempo is clearly squatting. Moreover, where this happens - on the descent or rise - does not affect the intensity of slowdown.

At low speeds, the suspension of the compartment supports an enlarged road clearance, which is necessary to develop possible irregularities of the coating. With an increase in speed, the car drops, clinging to the road. This is especially clearly visible in the autobahn. If you pre -configure the lateral rear -view mirror so that the asphalt is visible in the rear wheel area in the lower part of the picture, then after reaching a speed of about 100 km/h the reflection of the road will take three quarters of the mirror area.

Experimenting with a box and an engine, I quietly drove away from the city by 160 km and was surprised to find that it took less than an hour. To try out the car in other conditions, I decided to return on secondary roads, not as smooth as an autobahn.

The area is unfamiliar - it does not matter, the navigation system is at my service. Bringing the monitor on the monitor screen, with the help of the joystick, determined the city of destination, and then the street. First of all, the navigator, of course, suggested returning to the autobahn. I got stuck - and then two more acceptable routes were designated on the screen. Choosing the one that is more authentic, I stopped paying attention to road signs and followed only the advice of an electronic conductor. For which he paid very quickly, falling on the repaired area where the through passage was closed (I recalled the recent story with some German who, having trusted the hints of the navigation system, confidently turned on a non-existent bridge, mistakenly laid down in its memory instead of a real ferry) . I had to stop and adjust the route.

The rest of the path was passed without incident. In all modes of movement, the car behaved amazingly - obediently, predictably, confident. For some time I was driving with a cruise control - manually the car is controlled no worse than in a traditional way, using pedals.

I did not cease to be surprised how much a trifle was thought out in this car. It seems that he is able to guess and instantly perform every whim of the driver. Power, speakers and stability with more than enough to safely perform any maneuvers - overtaking, rearrangements - in a dense flow of machines that go at high speed. Maneuverability is quite enough for parking at the most tiny sites, and the salon is so comfortable that you literally relax at the wheel. Undoubtedly, of all cars intended for active drivers, Mercedes CL can most fully satisfy their requirements ...

Having enjoyed the car as a driver, I try to evaluate it as a passenger. In front, everything is clear - a wide door, a light landing on the seat, the legs, shoulders and heads. And what is the back? Pulling the lever on the driver's back, I slightly tilt it forward - and the electric drive moves the seat forward. The formed passage is quite wide and allows you to easily step into the cabin. Behind - two chairs separated by a wide armrest with a box for little things and a first -aid kit. The backs are soft, with well -developed side support, and the pillows are long enough to provide knee support. However, it is not worth it to strongly pull the legs forward, since the front chair, returning to the programmed position, can pinch them. Nevertheless, there are enough legs for the legs, and the rear passengers will not feel deprived of space.

The moment of parting is an important part of the test. The feeling with which you leave the car says a lot ... for example, relief. And it happens, you say goodbye, without any feelings. With CL500 I said goodbye, having regretted it. In the few hours that we spent together, he proved himself worthy - a real modern means of transportation! - So the excitement that accompanied the beginning of sales of this coupe seems quite justified.

Text: Evgeny Romatovsky
 

Source: Motor magazine [No. 11/1999]