The new CLS is the first car in the world to feature optional LED High Performance headlamps, which combine the exciting daylight colour impression of LED technology with the performance, functionality and energy efficiency of today's bi-xenon light generation. The new light system features the Intelligent Light System which has already been tried and tested in Mercedes-Benz models with bi-xenon headlamps. Its five light functions - country mode, motorway mode, enhanced fog lamps, active light function and cornering light function - have been specifically designed for typical driving or weather conditions.

In contrast to the first vehicles equipped with LED headlamps, no compromises are now necessary with respect to the functionality and performance of the lighting technology. There are further arguments for the LED-based lighting technology: the average operating life of an LED is around 10,000 hours, around five times longer than that of a xenon light; moreover, LED headlamps most closely approximate to the colour of daylight. This means that LED light is in keeping with the normal human perception patterns. Studies have shown that the closer the colour of artificial light comes to daylight, the less the strain on the eyes. With a colour temperature of 5500 kelvin, LED light is closer to daylight (6500 K) than xenon light (4200 K). The driver's experience of this effect is that colour impressions at night-time seem close to daylight colours and he or she has the feeling that there is greater brightness on the road.

The light specialists at Mercedes-Benz have also been able to combine LED technology with the innovative Adaptive Highbeam Assist for the first time, leading to a completely new level of safety at night. The basic principle behind Adaptive Highbeam Assist is as follows: if the system detects an oncoming vehicle or a vehicle in front with its lights on, the system dims the headlamps and continually adjusts the headlamp range in such a way that the cone-shaped beam of headlamp light does not reach these vehicles. There is, in addition, the Night View Assist Plus system as an option.

But good visibility is not only needed at night - and can also depend on a number of seemingly irrelevant factors. So that the CLS driver's view when looking forward at an angle is not obscured - despite the angled coupé-like windscreen and A-pillars - the exterior mirrors are not mounted in the window triangle. Instead they have been given a new elevated position on the beltline. This improves all-round visibility, especially when turning into side streets, for example.