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The Mercedes-Benz CLS500 is an impossibly sleek sedan that looks as though it came from Jaguar, not Stuttgart. Porsche’s Boxster S is the latest iteration of a slick speedster inspired by actor James Dean’s racing 550 Spyder. Closed or open? Take your pick.
Mercedes-Benz CLS500: A Seven-Speed Snazzy Sedan
Mercedes-Benz astonished styling critics with a radical new four-door coupe that diehard two-seater fans will adore. As we hustled this shapely new CLS500 through Italian country towns, people stopped to stare, wave and cry, “Che bella macchina!” With its low roofline, luxurious cabin, arched body reveals and radius wheel openings stuffed with 18-inch light alloys, the CLS500 looks more like a snazzy show car than a boring sedan. A 306-hp, 5-liter, 4-cam V-8 engine is linked to a seamlessly smooth seven-speed automatic (a world first) with a select-shift manual capability. As befitting a serious sports model, the CLS500 sprints from 0-to-60 in just six seconds. Need more speed? The AMG performance version, with a 469-hp supercharged 5.5-liter V-8, and a five-speed, sports-tuned automatic is 1.5 seconds quicker to 60.
The CLS’s handling is taut and precise. Passengers nestled deeply below the high beltline are coddled with four-zone Thermotronic climate controls, protected by eight airbags, and wafted along on infinitely adjustable Airmatic suspension. Fine leather and matte surface burl walnut underscore the interior’s elegance. All the latest Mercedes-Benz electronic handling, assisted braking and traction control wizardry is included, so the CLS’ specs read like alphabet soup: Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC). Brake Assist, Distronic proximity cruise control, Parktronic parking aids and three suspension settings, normal/sporty/sports, are just a few of countless luxury features. Optional Bi-Xenon headlights combine with cornering lamps to point your way around the tightest curves. The CLS slots neatly between Mercedes’ mid-range E-Class and the top-line S-Class.
Porsche Boxster S: Going Uptown With The Top Down
If it’s fast, topless motoring you crave, consider the new Boxster S. It’s Porsche’s “entry-level” sports car, so you’ll save about $20,000 versus a classic 911. The S’s up-rated 3.2-liter flat six is now 280 hp. A short-throw six-speed manual makes shifting a joy. With Porsche’s Active Suspension Management system (PASM), you just push a button, the Boxster S drops 0.4 inches and hyperactive sensors determine optimal shock settings while you streak through corners faster than you thought possible. Optional ceramic brakes with carbon fiber-reinforced vented discs ensure you stop on a pfennig. The newest Boxster S shares many 911 Carrera styling features, and some 55 percent of its parts, including powerful Xenon headlamps.
Inside, everything is uptown. The cockpit is wider now, more luxurious, with low, form-fitting buckets, sportier pedals, a grippy tilt-and-telescope steering wheel and, for those who must have a latté and drive, clever cup holders that disappear behind a dash molding.
Convertible tops can be deal breakers. Not so in the Boxster S. Its new cover-up is a smart-looking three-layer affair stretched tautly over a magnesium frame. If you want (though we can’t see why you would), you can operate the top at speeds up to 31 mph. Safety devices abound, including a world first: windowsill-mounted head airbags that combine with front airbags and seat-mounted front airbags. Porsche Stability Management is included, so if your exuberance tries to lead you off-road, Papa Porsche will protect you.
