Just like the performance, it impresses with its dynamic abilities too. The super-light steering inspires confidence, light at low speeds and just right when you work that right foot. The Airmatic suspension is also wicked as it comes with two modes: ‘comfort’ for travelling over smooth and eroded tarmac, we witness a lot of the latter in India, and ‘sport’ when you see smooth, winding roads and are feeling naughty. The system works perfectly as I found out while feeding a pothole-infested piece of tarmac to the CLS for breakfast. It gobbled up the beaten path without making me uncomfortable at all. Then came the time when I happily switched from ‘comfort’ to ‘sport’, both the engine and the suspension, as I was entering the road where fun comes alive. The change was noticeable instantly as the suspension firmed up and the engine was now holding the revs for longer. The steering had already proved its point by being amazingly sweet on the highway and now it was time to see its reaction time.
Tight left-hander followed by a sweeping right-hander and then a straight with a dip in it was cakewalk for the CLS. No understeer, nor did the tail kick out. It stayed true to the chosen line from start to finish. The steering responded precisely and the engine (in ‘Sport’) kept everything lively and spirited. Meanwhile, the CLS’ brilliant safety net ensures total protection should things go wrong. With the safety net in place the CLS’ crisp handling ensures a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
So refined is the overall package that there is little sensation of speed or time and I found myself at my destination before I could realise it. The Airmatic suspension that provides commendable ride and comfort and the steering, simply put, are very good. This combined with a good chassis, a beautiful body, ultra-rich features and superb build quality make the CLS350 a highly capable car in its segment. Priced at Rs 89.9 lakh (ex-showroom) the CLS maybe out of reach for many Indians, but I am sure there are quite a few rich Indians who can afford to add this baby to their collection as it is the last CLS to feature the competent naturally aspirated V6 engine. Not to forget, this is one great car to have in the garage.
