Mercedes safety features go hi-tech
The Mercedes-Benz CL-Class coupe arrived last week with a facelift, new engine and lots of safety technology.
The marque has reworked the bonnet, V-shaped the radiator grille and curved the headlamps. There are also three air intake openings and a chrome trim strip on the front bumper.
The headlamps are controlled by the marque's Intelligent Light System and have Adaptive Highbeam Assist, in which a camera spots oncoming vehicles then adjusts to avoid dazzling drivers. The new model also has LED indicators and redesigned tail lamps.
Mercedes-Benz has redesigned the bi-turbo BlueEfficiency V8 for the CL 500 (from HK$1.89 million). The 4,663cc block is 0.8 of a litre smaller than its predecessor's, but is 12 per cent more powerful, with 435hp and has 32 per cent more torque, at 700Nm.
The coupe can sprint to 100km/h, half a second faster than the old model, in 4.9 seconds, but guzzles 9.5 litres of premium petrol per 100km, 23 per cent less than its predecessor. The engine's carbon dioxide emissions have also fallen, from 288g/km to 224g/km.
The marque has reduced friction in the engine's pistons, rings and cylinder barrels to save energy and petrol.
The coupe also has a BlueEfficiency package that includes an energy-efficient alternator, fuel pump, air conditioning compressor and power steering. There is also an ECO start/stop function and low rolling-resistance tyres.
The 12-cylinder bi-turbo CL 600 (from HK$2.65 million) has 517hp and sprints to 100km/h in 4.6 seconds, and also complies with Euro 5 emissions control standards.
The CL also boasts the latest safety technology. Active Lane Keeping Assist works with a camera inside the windscreen and causes the steering wheel to vibrate if the vehicle shows signs of crossing a continuous lane marking line.
The car warns drivers of tiredness with Attention Assist, which evaluates 'more than 70 parameters to identify driver drowsiness, and provides a warning before the dangerous microsleep phase begins', Mercedes-Benz says. The coupe in Zung Fu's Causeway Bay showroom is packed with advanced infotainment tricks.
