New Mercedes-Benz CLS revealed

The covers have come off the updated Mercedes-Benz CLS that will enter Australian showrooms in October this year brandishing a new look and several key upgrades. 

Local pricing and specs for the CLS four-door luxury coupe have yet to be announced, however the 2021 Mercedes-Benz CLS has received a major overhaul that is immediately apparent on non-AMG models with its redesigned front-end that brings a new grille, headlights and bumper.

At the rear, the latest CLS features a black “diffuser-look insert” in the rear apron, along with a silver-chrome trim strip and a choice of five-twin-spoke or multi-spoke 19-inch light alloy wheels.

An AMG-Line Exterior package can be added, bringing an AMG front apron with a black A-wing, a silver-chrome front splitter, more distinctive air intakes with vertical bars, AMG sill trim and boot spoiler lip.

Larger 20-inch wheels are also added in either tremolite grey or high-gloss black.

New exterior colour choices include jupiter red, cashmere white magno and emerald green.

Inside, new trim finishes that extend to the centre console include open-pore brown walnut and high-gloss grey wood, while the leather upholstery can be had in neva grey/magma grey and sienna brown/black combinations, both of which are new.

Other two-tone Nappa leather seat combos include classic red/black, saddle brown/black, tartufo brown/black, deep white/black and yacht blue/black.

The current range is available in Australia with a couple of 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol variants with EQ Boost mild-hybrid tech: the 270kW/500Nm Mercedes-Benz CLS 450 4MATIC (from $164,600 plus on-road costs) and the 320kW/520Nm twin-turbocharged Mercedes-AMG CLS 53 4MATIC+ (from $189,100 plus ORCs).

The local line-up for the incoming update is still to be confirmed, but diesel and smaller petrol engines are not expected while the powertrains in the CLS 450 and CLS 53 continue unchanged.

The CLS 53 will, however, enter with a host of updates, including a new AMG bumper, a signature AMG grille with vertical bars and the choice of an AMG Night Package (adding gloss black highlights) or AMG Exterior II Carbon Package (carbon-fibre highlights).

There’s also a new steering wheel for the AMG-honed CLS 53, wrapped in Nappa leather.

The German car-maker says it will also release a limited-edition CLS based on the flagship model, with just 300 units to be available worldwide in a choice of two colours – cashmere white or selenite grey – both finished with grey (on white) or black (on grey) racing stripes.

Standard features include black 20-inch five-spoke light alloy wheels, the AMG Night Package, rear heat-insulating tinted windows and side mirrors that project 3D ‘AMG’ emblems onto the ground.

Inside, the special-edition AMG gets two-tone Nappa leather seats in black/silver grey pearl, as well as carbon trim details, AMG centre console lettering and a Nappa leather steering wheel with red top-stitching and AMG steering wheel buttons.

Across the CLS range, that steering wheel now features a two-zone sensor pad that can detect the driver’s hands, meaning no steering input is required to inform the vehicle’s systems that the driver is in control when using semi-autonomous driving modes.