Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class: More than 100,000 Units Delivered to Customers

- Positive customer response as an impressive proof of the success of Mercedes-Benz' product strategy
- U.S. and Germany are the top sales markets for the four-door coupe
- CLS 350 CGI offers world's first direct-injection gasoline engine, cutting fuel consumption by ten percent despite higher performance

"The CLS-Class combines the elegant design vocabulary and dynamics of a coupe with the comfort and functionality of a sedan in a completely unmatched way," says Dr. Klaus Maier, Executive Vice President Mercedes Car Group, responsible for Sales and Marketing. "The extraordinarily positive customer response to a model that is still unique underscores Mercedes-Benz' role as a trendsetter in the development of new vehicle concepts and impressively demonstrates the success of our product strategy."

Demand for the CLS is particularly high in the U.S., where about 27,000 units have been sold since the vehicle was introduced to the market in January 2005. The second most important market for the four-door coupe is Germany accounting for about 20 percent of global sales. The most popular engine version in Germany last year was the CLS 320 CDI, which was chosen by more than half of the customers.

Since the end of June 2006, Mercedes-Benz has also offered the CLS-Class with the world's first direct-injection gasoline engine with a spray-guided combustion process. Due to this pioneering injection system, the CLS 350 CGI consumes ten percent less fuel than the highly efficient V6 gasoline engine with duct injection, while at the same time considerably boosting engine performance by 15 kW/ 20 hp. The advanced technology, which will soon be offered in the E-Class as well, already enables the CLS 350 CGI to meet future emissions limits - DaimlerChrysler.