There aren’t many Mercedes-Benz models at the 2018 Bangkok Motor Show that aren’t already available in Malaysia, but here’s one. The new 2019 Mercedes-Benz CLS is the star of the stand at Impact, launched here in a single imported CLS 300d AMG spec for 4.98 million baht (RM 615,411).

The powertrain of the CLS 300d is an entry 2.0 litre twin-turbo diesel with 245 hp and 500 Nm of torque delivered from 1,600 to 2,400 rpm. The familiar four-pot is paired with Merc’s nine-speed 9G-Tronic automatic transmission. 0-100 km/h in 6.4 seconds. The four-door coupe was launched late last year with a full turbo inline-six engine line-up with 4Matic – 350d, 400d and 450 – but there’s no mention of AWD on the CLS 300d.

The AMG Line car’s standard kit includes AMG star-spoke 19-inch alloys with a staggered tyre setup (245/40 front, 275/35 rear), Multibeam LED headlamps (with ALS and adaptive highbeam assist), twin 12.3-inch digital screens for the Widescreen Cockpit, Burmester surround sound paired to the Audio 20 GPS system, head-up display, two-zone AC and Distronic Active Distance Assist, among other things.

The third-generation of the original four-door coupe is very sleek in the metal, and the heavily-creased styling of its predecessor is not missed. It’s a lot more like the Mk1, but rendered in Merc’s current design language and wearing shiny jewellery. The tapered headlights are slanted to complement the diamond-studded grille, while the two-piece LED tail lights are angular and feature Edgelight backlighting for a crystalline 3D appearance.

The five-seater interior has been lifted almost wholesale from the W213 E-Class that it’s based on, with the same horizontal dashboard design. The jet turbine-style air vents from the E-Class Coupe are present here, illuminated by ambient lighting available in 64 colours.

Coming soon to Malaysia, for sure. What do you think of the new CLS, design wise? I think it looks slimmer and more elegant than the other star-badged four-door coupe – the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe.

GALLERY: Mercedes-Benz CLS 300d


GALLERY: Mercedes-AMG CLS 53