2015 Mercedes-Benz CLS 400 Previewed At Petronas Formula 1 Driver Meet And Greet

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia today held a preview of the new Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, specifically in its CLS 400 form, during an exclusive dinner jointly organised with Petronas in conjunction with the 2015 Malaysia Formula 1 Grand Prix happening this coming weekend. On hand to introduce the CLS 400 are Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team drivers, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.

The preview is not only a showcase of the car, but also a signal of intent from MBM to have this model launch in Malaysia this year. However, no prices nor estimates were shared with us.

Powering the stylish four-door coupe is a 3.0-litre V6 bi-turbo petrol engine that churns out 333hp and 480 Nm torque, sent through the brand's all-new 9G-Tronic torque converter automatic transmission.

The front end of the CLS 400 adopts Mercedes-Benz's latest styling cues, distinguised by characteristics such as the diamond grille found on the smaller Mercedes-Benz A 250, as well as large air intakes with a lower front bumper lip. The brand’s MULTIBEAM LED headlights are also seen on the preview model here.

The rear sees dual exhaust tips on opposing ends of the bumper. Large AMG alloy wheels complete the stylish look.

Step inside and you’ll be greeted by the familiar Mercedes-Benz interior, with acres of leather upholstery and trim in place all-round. A three-spoke steering wheel faces the driver along with an 8-inch display unit for the COMAND Online infotainment unit. The AMG Line Plus tags on additional equipment and comes standard in the CLS 400.

MULTIBEAM LED

A key highlight on the CLS 400 is its MULTIBEAM LED headlights that comprises of four control units, dedicated to ensure the 48 LEDs (24 in each LED module) adjusts the light distribution automatically to virtually any road and traffic condition. The ideal light pattern is calculated 100 times per second to make this possible and each LED is dimmable in 255 stages.

The MULTIBEAM LED headlights also contain a low-beam module that works in tandem with a camera to swivel up to 12 degrees, illuminating bends or curves in the road. This features works even when the driver has not turned the wheels.

One last feature to note is the headlights’ “welcome” home function where in addition to providing daytime running lights, side lights and turn signal lights via multifunctional fibre-optic cable, it also casts a blue light when the vehicle is unlocked to welcome the driver.

Safety

The CLS 400 isn’t short of safety features either. Fitted as standard include COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS that applies autonomous braking to avoid rear-end collisions. Other safety systems that have also trickled their way down from the flagship S-Class are DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot, BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist, PRE-SAFE Brake with predestrian detection, PRE-SAFE PLUS, Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Traffic Sign Assist, Active Parking Assist with PARKTRONIC including parking in end-on spaces.

Infotainment

Handling the infotainment and navigation needs, the COMAND Online system is displayed on an 8-inch head unit and can be controlled by voice. The unit comes with a hard-disc navigation feature, displaying topographical maps with 3D buildings and map rotations.

To handle your music needs, the system can be connected to an iPod or iPhone and will replay your tracks through a 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. The system is equipped with a digital signal processor (DSP) to control the frequency response and ensure a harmonious acoustic sound.