The Mercedes CLS created a market for swooping four-door coupe saloons, and now it’s raised the bar.

The second-generation CLS received its world debut at the Paris Motor Show, and sees a raft of updates to fend off competition from the Audi A7 Sportback and Volkswagen Passat CC.
The CLS gets a new look, but keeps the svelte coupe lines it has been praised for. Its rear haunches have been beefed up, and the front gets a snouty grille reminiscent of the SLS AMG supercar.
Every engines is new, and are said to deliver fuel economy improvements of up to 25 per cent. Four engines will be available: two petrol and two diesel.
The CLS 350 CDI and 250 CDI are likely to be the biggest sellers, offering 204 and 265bhp respectively. A pair of petrols will also be offered: the 306bhp 350 and the 208bhp 500.
A hot AMG version will be offered at a later date.
The most-efficient version of the Mercedes S Class also received its debut in Paris. Mercedes says the car is the first car in the luxury class to achieve fuel comsumption figures of more than 49.5mpg.
CO2 emissions of just 149g/km undercuts the forthcoming two-wheel drive Audi A8 and will appeal to chauffeurs looking for luxury with low running costs.