2011 Mercedes CL63 AMG Updated. Styling Cliches Included.
by Gunnar Heinrich ::: img Daimler AG ::: 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG
CLAWING furiously for market share in a fiercely competitive market, Mercedes’ design team seems to be throwing every cliché including the metaphorical kitchen sink at their customers.
The latest refresh of the W216 generation CL-Class (S-Class coupé) is one such highly stylized tell-tale. The 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG appears bolder with taller, clap-top hood, squared-off grille, mildly scalloped headlamp housings (a hint of SL) and then there are those LED accent lights set in the front air intakes…
Mercedes rightly picked up on Audi’s usage of LED accent lighting. For Ingolstadt, they’ve become a signature accent to Audi models from the R8 on down.
Trouble is Mercedes has yet to convincingly incorporate the new lights in such a way that can convince us their original in concept. It’s one small example of how team Tri-Star is fumbling awkwardly through this decade of countering the last’s ambivalent avante-garde trends.
The current result – LEDs included – seems too deliberately stylized. And on a functional point, Mercedes is still using Xenon discharge lamps as primary headlight source when rival Lexus has already implemented LEDs as the actual headlights.
This is odd, considering Stuttgart’s hyper knack for keeping up with its rivals in every design and technological trend. Not that the latest refit of the handsome-enough CL is bad, per se. But Mercedes still lacks clear direction in product design.
About the Author: Gunnar Heinrich is publisher of Automobiles De Luxe online and is executive producer of the Automobiles De Luxe Television series on PBS member station CPTV.
Chris | Aug 4, 2010 | Reply
I can’t figure out what was wrong with the first generation CL and why it needed to be updated so soon. This doesn’t look bad, but it looks like a step in the wrong direction.
I am starting to see more of a resemblance to the older C126 coupés however.
Euri | Aug 4, 2010 | Reply
Porsche and Mercedes are more conservative in adapting LED accent lights then Audi does. However the public opinion concerning these LED accent lights is that Porsche & MB should not adopt these trashy/ ‘bling bling’ like lightning strips on their models in the first place. Here we allready see older VW models equiped with aftermarket audi LED accent lights to ‘upgrade’ their cars… This will certainly not help Audi to become a future ‘Automobile de Luxe’ brand at all.
I would say: don’t make a mercedes look like an audi or an audi look like a christmass tree.
headbang8 | Aug 4, 2010 | Reply
The LED running lights (LED Tagfahrlichten) will become mandatory on cars sold in Germany from 2011. The stylists had little choice, I’m afraid. They resisted the glitter-ball effect for as long as they could.
Euri | Aug 4, 2010 | Reply
True, but there are other solutions like BMW’s corona ring daytime running lights.
Gunnar | Aug 4, 2010 | Reply
Chris – I think you’re using your imagination here
Euri – Quite true re: Porsche & MB. Though, I believe Audi’s used them successfully.
Headbang8 – Thanks for that bit of info. So, I should see plenty of V-dubs with the same Audi treatment soon?
Josh | Aug 4, 2010 | Reply
Chris – I also see the resemblance to the 126 coupe. Benz is obviously trying to incorporate elements of Sacco’s best-loved design into the the first S-coupe penned after his retirement.
Euri – I agree with you that LED lights look trashy. I think the E550 employs them the worst. Maybe next, automakers can affix little LCD screens all over their bumpers and allow drivers to change colors according to mood!
Gunmar – MB’s styling department needs some major help. The E looks like it was built from LEGOs. The S-class is getting so fat, soon women will be scared to drive it. And the SL. Oy! It went from being one of the best-looking cars in the world (pre-facelift) to one of the worst (post). You must know important people at Benz. Please, do something!!!
And all – watch this commercial. It’s awesome!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDNWFlhrWo4
Gunnar | Aug 5, 2010 | Reply
We are doing something Josh. We’re giving them feedback!
That SL commercial is a favorite. Thanks for sharing.