2009 Mercedes-Benz CL 500 *100 years of the trademark* Anniversary Edition review and pictures

Mercedes-Benz CL 500 *100 years of the trademark* Anniversary Edition review:

Special CL 500 model: "100 years of the trademark" - Anniversary edition with exclusive appointments

This year Mercedes-Benz is celebrating the one hundredth birthday of the Mercedes three-pointed star and the Benz emblem with a particularly exclusive edition of the CL Coupé. This anniversary model shines with an extensive package of appointments and exquisite details. These include an elegant paint finish from the designo collection, a new AMG Sports package, top-class leather, black piano lacquer trim and beautifully executed emblems of the original trademarks inset into the centre console. These are accurate reproductions of the emblems that Daimler Motorengesellschaft and Benz & Cie registered as trademarks one hundred years ago, forming the basis for the Mercedes star. With this special edition, Mercedes-Benz is adding even more individuality to the luxury coupé, and showing that even the best can still be perfected.

The histories of the Mercedes star and the Benz laurel wreath began independently of each other: on 24 June 1909Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft officially registered the design of the Mercedes star, and on 6 August Benz & Cie. registered the letters "Benz", enclosed by a laurel wreath, as a trademark with the Imperial Patent Office. The fact that both vehicle makers registered their new trademarks in the summer of 1909 appears in retrospect as a parallel to the year 1886. That was the year when, again independently of each other, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz invented the automobile. Twenty-three years later the two companies, competitors at the time, created new brand symbols which promptly appeared as a badge and device on their respective vehicles.

On 18 February 1925 - more than a year prior to the merger of Daimler and Benz on 28 June 1926 - the two brands registered the new joint logo: Daimler`s Mercedes star set within Benz`s laurel wreath. From this the trademark of Mercedes-Benz, valid to this day, developed.

The CL-Class has been acknowledged as a masterpiece of automobile engineering since its inception. It combines the comfort of a prestigious luxury saloon with the dynamism of a sports car, with a captivating design and trailblazing high-tech features. With its exclusive appointments, the special "100 years of the trademark" model underlines the special status of the CL.

The crowning highlights of the anniversary edition are the historic trademarks dating from 1909 in gilded plate brass, which are inset into the centre console. Together with the designo metallic graphite paint finish these accentuate the model`s exquisitely luxurious character. Sporty visual touches are provided by the new AMGSports package with muscular front and rear aprons, side skirts and sports pedals of brushed stainless steel with black rubber studs, plus painted brake callipers with Mercedes-Benz lettering. The anniversary edition also includes high-sheen 20-inch 5 twin-spoke AMGlight-alloy wheels painted in titanium grey, which are only available for this special CL-Class model. They are shod with 255/35 R 20 tyres at the front and 275/35 R 20 at the rear.

The interior is fitted with exquisite, partly hand-stitched designo aniline leather with contrasting seams in a light sand colour. The high-quality wood/leather steering wheel harmonises with the interior trim in shining black piano lacquer and the anthracite Alcantara roof lining. The black floor mats with AMGlettering feature sand-coloured edging.

The 285 kW/388 hp special CL 500 model "100 years of the trademark" is equipped with all the new features of model year 2009. These include new exterior mirrors with larger lenses, an eye-catching indicator design in LED technology and improved aerodynamics, a new, upgraded telematics generation with a further development of COMAND APS, an SD card slot in the centre console and a USBinterface in the glove compartment. The Front Seat Entertainment package is also available as an option, with a 6-disc DVDchanger, surround-sound system and SPLITVIEW. This innovative display technology enables the driver and front passenger to view different content on the same display at the same time. On request a universal Media Interface is available for connecting mobile audio devices.

The special "100 years of the trademark" model can be ordered with immediate effect, and will be available from 26 June as the CL 500 and CL 500 4MATIC. The extra price for the extensive and highly desirable additional appointments is 17,850 Euro incl. 19% German VAT.