On the French Autoroute, the CL cruised serenely in the 80-100 mph range. According to Mercedes, the top speed is about 155 mph.
The CL500 accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, which is on par with the Jaguar XK8 and edges the Aston Martin DB7's 6.2 seconds. On the road, the CL500's aluminum 5.0-liter V8 is as smooth as you'd expect from a Mercedes and feels every bit as strong as the 302-horsepower rating. The V8 left us wondering why anyone would want the V12.
The five-speed automatic transmission changes ratios imperceptibly. Acceleration comes in a steady rush with no perceptible spikes or flat spots in the torque curve and the transmission seems perfectly matched. However, manual-minded enthusiasts looking for Porsche Tiptronic-like action from the Mercedes Touch Shift will be disappointed. Touch Shift functions like a traditional automatic transmission that is shifted manually. It can be forced to a lower gear, but it continues to shift automatically among the selected gear and lower ones. It will downshift unexpectedly mid-curve, and then won't respond to the request for a manual upshift at full throttle on the ensuing straight. A manual shift option should provide true manual shifting, not automatic shifting with fewer available ratios. The Touch Shift seems pointless because even skilled drivers do just as well to leave the selector in 'D'. It seems to be the only flaw in the CL's otherwise apparent perfection. Next Page