The current gen Mercedes-Benz CLS has been on sale since the 2012 model year, and it is a good time for something new. The German carmaker decided it is a right moment to replace the old CLS with the new 2019 model, which we have spied and caught on video for you. The CLS, to be honest, has a lot more in common with the E-Class than the S-Class, but as we found out the CLS badging will remain, and the company will not change that to CLE, as some have speculated when the rumors about this new model emerged.
This whole situation was somewhat cleared when Mercedes announced their naming strategy back in 2014, and when they stated that the CLS name would definitely stay. This all, of course, has a lot of sense. First it is entering in its third generation, and secondly, the CLS is starting to have an icon-like status especially with the notion that it started the entire fastback sedan trend.
2019 Mercedes-Benz CLS Design
As far as the design of the car goes, under the skin, it is the latest E-Class twin, but as you will notice from the spy shots, the 2019 Mercedes-Benz CLS will be somewhat longer and wider. The increase in size has a lot of sense because according to Mercedes, this one should fill the gap between the E-Class and S-Class. The images here also show that the 2019version will also share the entire dashboard with the E-Class as well. The platform stays the same, well known MRA design, which underpins the C-Class and E-Class, and that also means that the new CLS will allow you to choose between RWD or AWD configuration, it will carry the good old 9-speed automatic transmission, and it will have the plug-in hybrid capability.
For the US market Mercedes will stick to the standard powertrain which should be company’s new turbocharged 3.0 L inline 6 unit, while more potent variants are expected to be the Mercedes-AMG CLS53 which also packs an inline-6 but with a high-powered electric motor which boosts the output to V8-like levels. As we managed to find out, this time there will not be a direct rival to the AMG’s existing CLS63 since the Affalterbach tuner decided to make its own fastback sedan. That one was previewed by the GT concept which was unveiled at the 2017 Geneva auto show.
2019 Mercedes-Benz CLS Release Date
So far the talks are that the reveal of the redesigned 2019 Mercedes-Benz CLS is set for late 2017 while the expected arrival at the showrooms should be in 2018. One more bad news is that there won’t be a repeat of the wagon body style, referred to as a CLS Shooting Brake which somehow became a very popular in the US.
