Birth of an Icon: Mercedes-Benz Releases Special-Edition CL550

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed)
Apr 24th 2009 at 10:02AM

Some logos are a dime a dozen, but some stand the test of time. Mercedes-Benz' iconic three-pointed star definitely falls in the latter category, standing out as one of the most highly recognized emblems in the world, inside or outside the automotive industry. As well it should be: it's been around for a hundred years. Back in 1909, Daimler registered the patent on the logo, and a few weeks later in the same year, Benz did the same with theirs. A century later, Mercedes-Benz is celebrating the only way it knows how: with an even more exclusive edition of one of its most high-end luxury coupes.

The "100 Years of Mercedes-Benz Edition" is a special package that can be ordered, in limited quantities, on the V8-powered CL coupe. Sold overseas as the CL500, in North America it's labeled the CL550 and comes standard with the company's proprietary 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. Special touches for the special edition include a custom interior featuring tan leather with contrasting dark grey touches, from the top-stitching to the carpeting and headliner. The exterior is painted a special dark grey as well, and comes with unique five-spoke 20-inch wheels and a new ground-effects aerodynamics package. Pricing hasn't been announced for the United States, but in its home market, Mercedes is charging a substantial €17,850 ($23k) premium for the special edition, on top of the €132 base price.

Tags: 100th, 100th anniversary, 100thAnniversary, 4matic, anniversary, badge, benz, centenary, centennial, cl, cl500, cl550, cl550 4matic, Cl5504matic, icon, logo, mercedes, mercedes cl, mercedes cl550, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz cl500, mercedes-benz cl500 4matic, mercedes-benz cl550, mercedes-benz cl550 4matic, Mercedes-benzCl500, Mercedes-benzCl5004matic, Mercedes-benzCl550, Mercedes-benzCl5504matic, MercedesCl, MercedesCl550