An array of hi-tech six-cylinder engines has strengthened the debut of Mercedes-Benz’s all-new CLS. The swoopier, E-Class-based coupe will launch initially with three new engines as Mercedes moves away from shorter V6 power and back to its traditional — and inherently smoother — in-line layout. Derivatives for SA have yet to be confirmed, with the new model arriving here in the fourth quarter of 2018, but the third-generation CLS will arrive internationally with two turbodiesel, in-line sixes and a flagship (for now) 270kW turbo petrol motor, all of which use three litres of swept volume. The hi-tech petrol engine uses 48V technology to deliver a system total of up to 750Nm of torque in brief bursts, which is well into what was once only diesel territory. The CLS450 4Matic’s 2,999cc motor typically generates 500Nm of torque by itself, but gets a helping hand from an integrated starter-generator that can add 16kW of power and 250Nm of torque, and an extra lithium-ion battery. The bas...

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