This 2019 Mercedes-Benz CLS 450 is finished in metallic gray over brown leather and represents the opening model year of the third-generation CLS (C257), the model that gave Mercedes a chance to revisit the four-door coupe formula it effectively created back in 2004. Where earlier CLS generations leaned on V6 and V8 power, the 450 marked a clear shift in direction with sleeker proportions, a more restrained interior philosophy, and a powertrain built around Mercedes' return to the inline-six layout for the first time in nearly two decades.
Power comes from the M256 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six paired with the EQ Boost 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The setup uses an integrated starter-generator sitting between the engine and transmission to fill in low-rpm response, smooth out stop/start cycles, and provide a brief electrical assist under acceleration. An electric auxiliary compressor works alongside the conventional turbocharger to reduce lag before boost builds, giving the engine a more linear pull than the displacement alone would suggest. Backing the six is Mercedes' 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic with shift paddles, a transmission designed to keep the revs settled at highway pace and stay out of the way until the driver asks for more.
Inside, the brown leather cabin is equipped the way buyers expect a CLS to be equipped, with heated and ventilated front seats, a sunroof overhead, factory navigation, and the Burmester premium audio system Mercedes reserves for its more upscale trims. The third-generation CLS pared back the button count compared to the cars it replaced, leaning on the widescreen displays and the COMAND controller for most functions, and the overall presentation lands closer to a grand tourer than a traditional sport sedan. Metallic gray suits the body shape, since the C257's long roofline and frameless doors read as more deliberate when the paint stays out of the way.
As a first-year example of the M256-powered CLS, this car sits at the intersection of Mercedes' luxury four-door coupe lineage and the company's transition toward electrified powertrains. For a buyer who wants a modern Mercedes that drives like a six-cylinder grand tourer rather than a downsized turbo-four, the 450 is the configuration that delivers it.
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