The Detroit Newspapers's view

We can’t imagine the new 2007 Mercedes-Benz CL550 coupe made the “ten best” list this year at the Sierra Club. It’s an oversized, overstuffed, gas-guzzling brontosaurus from a bygone era of self-indulgence and decadence, right?

That conclusion would be, well, incorrect.

While we won’t try to debate the sociopolitical merits of the CL550, from a purely automotive perspective, we can say with some assurance that it is one of the world’s finest coupes — a cut above the BMW 650i and just a shade behind the Bentley Continental GT.

Depending on your financial perspective, the 2007 CL550 is outrageously priced, at $100,675 (including shipping), or a relative bargain, when you consider the Continental GT starts at $165,000.

But let’s go back to some of those Benz-bashing stereotypes.

Yes, it’s true the extravagant new CL coupe is pretty much an indulgence for the super-rich. With room to accommodate four adults in extreme comfort, it isn’t exactly aimed at families. But for the exclusive target audience at which it’s aimed, the CL550 hits the bull’s-eye with unerring accuracy.

Start with the sensational exterior design, a delicious blend of curves and angles that recalls the shapely CLS sedan, only on a grander scale. In fact, the CL is a sizeable vehicle, measuring nearly 200 inches long overall, riding on an ample 116.3-inch wheelbase and weighing in at a hefty 4,485 pounds. It simply dwarfs the 6-Series BMW and, for that matter, most other luxury two-doors.

But here’s the catch. The CL550, despite its proportions and mass, is amazingly swift and nimble.

Under the hood sits a lovely powerplant — a twin-cam 5.5-liter V8 that delivers 382 horsepower and 391 pounds-feet of torque to the rear wheels through a sophisticated seven-speed automatic transmission. Mercedes was thoughtful enough to mount fingertip shift controls behind the steering wheel, so it’s a snap to downshift quickly through one or two gears to tackle hairpin turns and tight S-curves. Acceleration is remarkable; the 0-60 sprint takes a mere 5.9 seconds. What’s more amazing is that the Bentley, with its twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter 12-cylinder engine, is only half a second quicker.

An unexpected fringe benefit is decent fuel economy, at least for a large, luxury vehicle with this sort of performance. The EPA rates the CL550 at 16 miles per gallon in city driving and 24 on the highway. We averaged just over 20 mpg. during a week-long test drive.

We were also impressed with how supple and responsive the CL felt, even on rough, slick pavement. Mercedes has fitted an adaptive suspension that automatically adjusts itself to compensate for vehicle speed and road conditions. The self-leveling suspension comes bundled with gas-pressurized shocks and standard 18-inch wheels and tires, and does an outstanding job of soaking up potholes and other surface imperfections. The automaker’s active body control also helps keep the car’s occupants firmly planted while negotiating high-speed turns with virtually no body lean or roll. The speed-sensing, variable-rate power steering feels crisp and reacts almost instantaneously to driver inputs.

Mercedes has built in all sorts of active safety systems and devices. In terms of standard equipment, the CL550 comes with adaptive headlamps and cornering lights, which do a great job of letting you see around sharp bends at night. Standard antilock brakes, traction and stability control, rain-sensing wipers and rear Parktronic add to the sense of security.

Our test vehicle was fitted with the company’s $2,850 Distronic Plus radar cruise control, which maintains a set distance from the vehicle ahead. We found the system to be a huge convenience in heavy freeway traffic that was constantly shifting speeds between 35 and 75 mph. We almost never had to touch the brakes or accelerator; the Distronic system does all the heavy lifting automatically.

Like its four-door sibling, the S-Class sedan, the CL550 is outfitted with the latest version of the Mercedes Pre-Safe system. When Pre-Safe senses an impending impact, it automatically tightens the seat belts, begins to apply the brakes and makes other adjustments to help cushion occupants in a crash. The CL also comes equipped with standard side air bags and curtains for all four occupants.

It’s easy to be dazzled by the level of technology on the new CL — and equally overwhelmed by the array of luxury accoutrements, most of which are included in the car’s $100,000 base sticker.

The cabin is a rich and sumptuous environment swaddled in leather and wood. It seems as if Mercedes has thought of practically every amenity, and then some.

The CL’s so-called infotainment hardware includes TeleAid, an emergency communications system similar to OnStar, and COMAND (shorthand for “cockpit management and data”), which is Mercedes’ answer to BMW’s iDrive. Unfortunately, COMAND is just about as complicated, confusing and user-unfriendly as iDrive. As premium cars get even more laden with high-tech gadgetry, automakers and their suppliers are going to have to do a better job of helping customers navigate through all that complexity.

But there are plenty of goodies, too. Speaking of infotainment, the standard audio gear on the CL includes a Logic 7 system, which bundles a 600-watt amplifier and 11 speakers with a six-disc CD changer, Sirius satellite radio and even a weather band. Rear-seat occupants get their own DVD entertainment system.

There are lots of other thoughtful little details: A power rear sunshade, power door-closing assist, a cooled box in the console, voice-activated dual-zone climate controls.

But our all-time favorite accessory is part of a $5,650 premium option package — it’s dynamic front seats with active ventilation. We have yet to find more comfortable seats, especially for long journeys. The ones in the CL can be programmed to grip your hips and thighs in high-speed corners and, even better, to massage your spine and lumbar region in one of four different settings.

Our only real issue, outside of those complicated cockpit controls, is visibility. The thick rear pillars and tall parcel shelf are a bit daunting; they tend to make lane changes and backing up more difficult and dramatic than they need to be.

With those caveats in mind, spending hundreds of miles behind the wheel of the CL550 in mid-December has been one of the more invigorating and entertaining driving experiences of 2006.

We just hope the Sierra Club doesn’t revoke our family membership.