2011 Mercedes-Benz CL Debuts at Goodwood

Just the Facts:

• Mercedes reveals its redesigned 2011 CL at Goodwood.
• CL550, CL600, CL63 AMG and CL65 AMG versions will be offered.
• Horsepower ratings range between 429 for the CL550 and 621 for the CL65 AMG.

GOODWOOD, England — Mercedes-Benz said its big CL-Class coupe, whose newest variant debuts this weekend at the 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed, is being "extensively updated" this fall for model year 2011, but the big news is under the hood.

The company also officially quashed persistent rumors in Europe that the big two-door would be rebadged as the S-Class Coupe.

The new 2011 CL550 4Matic features a twin-turbocharged 4.7-liter gasoline direct-injection V8 that makes 429 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, with a 23 percent reduction in CO2 emissions and an improvement of up to 15 percent in fuel economy. A seven-speed adaptive automatic transmission and all-wheel drive are standard. Perhaps more to the point, the car can gallop from zero to 60 in only 4.9 seconds.

Slotted above the CL550 is the 2011 CL600 with its twin-turbo 5.5-liter V12, which delivers 510 hp and 612 lb-ft and trims the 0-60 dash to 4.5 seconds, although top speed is electronically limited to 130 mph.

The U.S. market will also get the 2011 CL63 AMG with a new twin-turbo 5.5-liter GDI V8, fitted with an AMG MCT gearbox and rated at 536 hp and 590 lb-ft. Topping the range is the 2011 CL65 AMG, producing 621 hp and 738 lb-ft.

All versions of the new CL get a revised hood, fenders, grille, bi-xenon headlights with LED turn signals and daytime running lights, LED taillights, bumper-integrated exhaust pipes and reverse lights relocated to the deck lid.

New tech highlights on the 2011 CL-Class include Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, Attention Assist with drowsiness detector, Night View Assist Plus infrared pedestrian-detection system and Active Body Control with crosswind stabilization system.

Inside Line says: As always, the CL continues to serve as one of the company's technology flagships. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent