There are not many models that can be said to be the progenitor of a popular niche. This can certainly be said of the first generation Mercedes CLS. Mercedes created the niche of the four-door coupé with this car. The CLS was a bull's eye and other brands eagerly followed this idea. This Collectable is about the top version of the CLS when it was introduced in 2004: the CLS 55 AMG. This version looks subtly more brutal, but fortunately the elegant lines have remained intact.
The roaring V8 Kompressor comes straight from the E 55 AMG. Yet this car is more than an E 55 AMG with a nicer body. Thanks to the stiffer suspension and the more direct steering, the CLS actually drives more sporty. That said, we should not underestimate the power of a beautiful body. The graceful lines are without a doubt the main reason this car is so desirable and has received so much imitation. The CLS 55 AMG was not built for long: in 2006 the car was replaced by the CLS 63 AMG. It had more power, but the full 476 hp of the 55 AMG is already at your disposal at a lower speed. In addition, the 55 AMG has more torque (700 Nm versus 630 Nm), which is already available at 2,650 rpm. The 63 AMG may be slightly faster on paper, in practice the 55 AMG feels at least as fast. An additional advantage: the 5.4 V8 is also slightly less thirsty. Of course, you don't buy an AMG for that, but it is still a bonus. More importantly, since this car dates from 2005, the car is subject to the young timer scheme. This CLS 55 AMG could make your business kilometers more fun in several ways.
This pristine white copy from 2005 was imported from Japan by Next Classics. The accompanying documentation has also made the crossing. With Japanese cars you normally have to get in on the right if you want to have a steering wheel in front of you, but fortunately that does not apply to this CLS. The steering wheel is on the only 'right' side. You often see that with these types of cars in Japan, where left-hand drive cars seem to be a status symbol. The color white is also something that the Japanese love. In our country, it is mainly black and gray that is the order of the day, so white CLS 55 AMG's are thinner here.
The AMG has changed its Japanese license plate for yellow plates in 2018. This CLS is certainly not the only car that has made the crossing to the Netherlands in recent years. Japan is becoming the new Switzerland when it comes to car imports. The cars from Japan have always been very well maintained, which is partly due to the fact that they set the inspection bar very high there. This also applies to youngtimer specialist Marco Hof, who now offers this CLS.
