The new generation CL-Class continues the great tradition of Mercedes-Benz coupes, which reaches back to the legendary supercharged cars of the 1920s and '30s. Since the 1950s Mercedes-Benz has produced an uninterrupted series of exclusive two-door cars which combine sophisticated design with trailblazing technology - every model an automotive classic. The W 188 model series 300 S Coupé - which entered series production in 1952 - marked the beginning. A contemporary report called it the "measure of what it is possible to achieve in automotive engineering".

This statement has remained true for all subsequent models, right down to the current Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, because the luxury coupes from Mercedes-Benz featured - apart from their timeless design and the highest level of comfort - trailblazing innovations in automotive technology. Thus it was that in 1961 the 220 SE Coupé was the first series-production Mercedes-Benz to be equipped with disc brakes. In 1995 the ESP Electronic Stability Program celebrated its world premiere in the S 600 Coupé of the C140 model series, and in 1999 the Active Body Control suspension system was introduced for the first time in the C215 model series CL-Class. The technological innovation PRE-SAFE® brake made its debut in a large Mercedes-Benz coupé. Now two new developments in the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, Active Lane Keeping Assist and the Active Blind Spot Assist, will help prevent accidents or reduce their severity.