Mercedes-Benz has released first details of the new CLS, which will be shown at the Paris Motor Show.

The new CLS will retain the 4-door ‘coupe’ format of the original CLS, with frameless side windows and a long, low profile.

Engine choices are expected to reflect those in other high-end Mercedes-Benz products, so expect a CLS 350 CDI V6 diesel as well as direct injection V6 and V8 petrol engines.

Headlights are all-LED, and take styling cues from the SLS supercar, as does a lot the exterior, with pronounced wheel arches and a prominent grille.

The interior features hand-stitched leather in various grades and colours, as well as several different types of wood and metal finishes, allowing buyers a high degree of personalisation. There are also additional carbon-fibre and piano-black trim options.

"The new CLS points the way forward for the future perceptible design idiom of Mercedes-Benz," explains Professor Gorden Wagener, head of design at Mercedes-Benz. "At the same time it takes its inspiration from the great tradition of stylish, refined sportiness which has always been a feature of Mercedes coupés."

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