Mercedes-Benz CLS-class

UNLIKE many Mercedes-Benz sedans, the CLS four-door coupe isn’t a car for the totally pragmatic. Rather, it’s a sensuous sedan that appeals first to the visual senses before turning completely hedonistic and bathing the passengers in shameful luxury while titillating the driver with a melodious, powerful engine and sharp, responsive handling.

The E-Class, which donated the CLS’s basic underlying structure, would be horrified at the wantonness of it all. Styling appeal is a matter of individual taste, but there aren’t many who remain un-captivated by the slinky Benz.

It is a lovely car to look at, and equally lovely to experience on the road. It breathes competence and quality, is luxurious and fast and asks fewer compromises than a two-door coupe. The boot is great, but the rear compartment not so - particularly if you’re reasonably tall.

The CLS 500 is about $16,000 more expensive than an E500, CLS 55 AMG is $22,300 more than an E55 and the CLS 350 is about $15,000 more than the E350.