From nose to tail, the CL is something out of the ordinary. Seen from the front, it's instantly identifiable as a Mercedes from its three-slat grille, long a staple of Benz sport models and SUVs. The famous three pointed star emblem is front and center and as large as dinner plate, just to be sure you don't mistake the CL for any other brand. As if you could. At 199.4, this is a large car and its size gives it presence.

The front end stretches wide and sweeps back into a pair of prominent flared front wheel openings, a design element derived from the S-Class sedans this car shares its underpinnings with. The width makes it look solidly planted and substantial. There's surprisingly little chrome up front. The CL could use a bit more twinkle to announce its arrival. But it's still a knockout first impression. Projector beam headlights add the final bit of modernity to the nose.

It's the sweep of the roof that makes the CL's compelling style statement. The top arcs dramatically over the side glass and down into the C-pillar without the interruption of a B-pillar, the central support post most cars have between front and rear side windows. The roofline is sleek. And this is a true hardtop; you can drop the large side windows down for a panoramic view and an open-air feeling. Handsomely wrought chrome trim framing the large side-window opening emphasizes both its shape and the absence of the second pillar. In profile, the CL is gorgeous and sporty.

Even as it drives away, the CL keeps your attention. The rear window's horseshoe-like shape is especially intriguing, and not seen anywhere else in the automotive kingdom. Below the backlight (rear windscreen) the tail tapers gracefully into a pair of large taillights and a taut trunk lid wearing a subtle built-in rear spoiler at its top edge. No, standard sedans don't look like this, and that's just the point.

Outside of the model nomenclature on the deck lid, both CL models are essentially identical from the outside.