Mercedes-Benz CL600: Spotted

At less than a tenth of its original cost, could this 5.8-litre V12 coupe be the ultimate in bargain luxury?

There's something deeply decadent about the idea of a large, powerful and luxurious two-door coupe, especially one based on an existing four-door saloon. It not only embodies the proper etymology of the moniker 'coupe' - literally a carriage cut short - it also broadcasts to the world at large that the owner, or at least the original owner, had enough money to spend a little more on a little less, all in the name of style.

Thus it is that those quite rightly tempted by an elderly S-Class saloon would be much better off in this dashing CL600, a top-of-the-range grand tourer with huge amounts of tech and much added road presence - just check out the shape of its gorgeous rear window, for one.

It's shorter in the wheelbase, natch, and faster, being a fraction lighter and a little lower. Under the elegant bonnet of the early second-gen car we've located in our classifieds is a 362hp 5.8-litre V12, admittedly not the wonderfully powerful twin-turbo version found in later models, but nonetheless an engine hot enough to waft the CL from 0 to 60mph in a swift 5.8 seconds and on to a whisper-quiet and limited top speed of 155mph.

On the road, you'll still be hard-pressed to find something more refined and comfortable today. The ride of these things is soft and pillowy, the body control imperious and the handling surprisingly agile, thanks in no small part to its hydraulic Active Body Control system, which helped to keep it all on an even keel.

Indeed, considering the amount of technology inside these things, it's a wonder they can move at all. The CL is dripping with driver aids, with electrical this and electronic that, while inside is a heavily luxurious leather-lined interior stuffed with all sorts of goodies. And if you're worried about its two doors being less practical, fear not: they have multi-link door hinges for wider opening and easier access and are pneumatically self-closing, too.

This particular car cost £98,000 when it was new in June 2000, and has had a claimed £100,000 spent on it since, an enormous and slightly frightening figure seemingly backed up by a huge stash of invoices. That it's up for just £6,890 could be seen as a good return - or a bad one, I suppose, if you're selling it. It also has a full Mercedes-Benz service history and an MOT until January 2019 and, while it's true that you can pick up a similar CL500 V8 version for even less than this V12 one, if you're going to be deeply decadent why compromise?

SPECIFICATION - MERCEDES CL600

Engine: 5,786cc, V12
Transmission: 5-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 367@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 391@4,250rpm
MPG: 21.2
CO2: 310g/km
First registered: 2000
Recorded mileage: 119,000
Price new: £98,120
Yours for: £6,890

See the original advert here.

Mark Pearson

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