OK, let’s forget all about the “coupe” portion of the CLS 450 name. The four-door Merc seats five in an interior that’s part luxury, part cut scene from the video game Myst. But in a good way. With wood paneling across the dash punctuated with Mercedes-Benz’s propeller-like vents, you shouldn’t blame me for wondering if I turned one of the vents in a particular order I would be whisked away to Myst island.

Any whisking is actually done by the 3.0-liter straight-six engine that has an electric motor between it and the nine-speed automatic. That little power plant is part of the vehicle’s 48-volt mild hybrid system that’s powered by a 1kWh battery pack. While the gas-powered bits push out 341 horsepower and 185 foot-pounds of torque, the electric parts add an additional 21 horsepower and 184 foot-pounds of torque. That all adds up to smooth and quick acceleration off the line, thanks to a combined 362 horsepower and 369 foot-pounds of torque.

Source: Engadget