Mercedes-Benz to introduce CLS 250 CDI soon
This year has been an unstoppable ride for Mercedes-Benz India, as the company has slated 10 new car launches and it has already launched the new S-Class with S500 and S350 as the two engines, GL 63 AMG, ML 63 AMG, CLS 350, Edition 1 A-Class and B-Class and the CLS 350. Next week, we witness the launch of the CLA 45 AMG also. This will be their first AMG priced under a crore making it the new entry-level variant for the AMG badge.
Recently, the CLS 350 was launched and now the company will be introducing the CLS 250 CDI. The CLS 250 CDI has already reached India for homologation testing and we can expect it to be launched by this year end or early 2015. The CLS 250 CDI will be powered by a four-cylinder 2.2-litre diesel engine that produces 204bhp of power, and is the same mill to power the E-Class and the ML 250 CDI too. This engine will come mated to a seven-speed self-shifting transmission and will do a 0-100km/hr in about 8 seconds.
The exterior of the CLS gets the same governing radiator grille. The muscular rear end with its wide shoulder line appends to the appearance and it retains the same sloping roof like a coupe. The CLS 350 sports a new 18-inch alloy wheel with 15-spoke design, however we expect the 250 CDI to get 17-inch alloy wheels.
The CLS 350 gets Harman Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system and this has been custom-tuned for the interior of the CLS 350. With 14 high-performance speakers, including a subwoofer, and a nine-channel DSP amplifier and a 610-watt Dolby Digital 5.1 system.
When we spoke to Eberhard Kern, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India on the CLS launch, he stated, “CLS-Class is a perfect embodiment of modern sense of status and sensual shapes. With its exciting design and refined sportiness, the model year 2014 CLS offers highest level of exclusivity, ride comfort and safety that is second to none.”
The CLS 350 gets a 3498cc V6 petrol engine that delivers 370Nm torque and 305bhp of power. This too comes mated to the 7G-TRONIC. It is priced at an introductory price of Rs. 89.9 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi), and we can expect the CLS 250 CDI to be priced at around Rs 80 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Being born and brought up in a family that has been a part of the Automotive industry for over seven decades, Rachit has cars in his blood. Four wheelers are his childhood love, and he has grown up playing with bolts and spanners. To add more value to this passion, he studied automobile engineering and even karted at National level competitions.
Soon after that, he got into motoring journalism- where began the process of testing and evaluating cars. He has driven a wide range of cars beginning from Tata Nano to the Aston Martins, most of the cars that are currently sold in the Indian car market. Apart from this, he has also done many long road trips, and shall continue to do so. Rachit was one of the first journalists to take a Nano across the Golden Quadrilateral.
