Even though it was not the first four-door coupe on the market, the car revived the forgotten trend of faux-coupe bodyworks.
Rover introduced the Rover P5 in 1962 as a four-door coupe, with a sloped rear end and a styling that resembled sporty vehicles. That trend didn’t last too long since it wasn’t as practical as a regular sedan. Still, the idea remained and, in 2004, Mercedes-Benz brought it back to life in the form of the CLS lineup.

Mercedes-Benz unveiled the CLS range in 2004, and it was based on the Vision CLS concept-car showcased at the 2003 Frankfurt International Motor Show. The narrow front with swept-back headlights made it into production. Its raked windshield was similar to that of a sporty coupe, but the car featured four doors. Its frameless windows amplified the coupe sensation. Yet, it featured a B-pillar, unlike the former fake-cabriolets, due to safety reasons. In the back, the windscreen was almost on the same line as the sloped trunk lid.

Inside, the CLS featured four seats only with low-mounted seats. Its dashboard design and steering wheel were similar to the ones installed in the CLK range. Mercedes-Benz tried to offer the CLS as a coupe version for the S-Class, while the CLK was the coupe for the E-Class (W211) even though the latter was based on the W203 C-Class. Its luxurious interior was fit for the luxury car buyers, but the rear seats offered limited headrooms, where a six-footer (1.85m) could barely sit.

Since Mercedes-Benz built the CLS on the W211 (E-Class) platform, it used some of its engines and drivetrains. It took only the V-6s and the V-8s units and paired them to either a six-speed manual or the new 7G-Tronic automatic gearbox.