'BEST OF THE BEST' • LIMITED EDITION V12

6.0L 48v V12 (M120 E60)

The first generation CL-Class was the sleek but hard-lined and redesigned W140-chassis (internally known as C140) coupé of 1992–1999. Designed by Bruno Sacco, the C140's final design was approved between late 1987 and early 1988. Though the coupé's physical appearance changed little over these years, the class underwent a name change several times. The V8 and V12 coupés were called the 500 SEC and 600 SEC, respectively, in 1992 and 1993. The 600 SEC was the first V12 coupé ever offered by Mercedes-Benz. For 1994, the model names were changed to the S500 Coupé and the S600 Coupé. The name CL-Class was adopted in June 1996 (1997 for MY1998 North American models), and the W140 coupés were called the CL500 and CL600. Production ended in August 1998.

The M119 5.0 L V8 engine was regarded as one of the best engines ever produced by the German manufacturer (according to various journalists from automobile magazines such as Car and Auto Motor Und Sport).[citation needed] Being much lighter at the front, the CL500 tended to have better handling characteristics than the heavier V12 flagship. The CL600 powered by the M120 48-valve twelve cylinder engine, developed 394 PS (290 kW; 389 hp) and 570 N⋅m (420 lb⋅ft) of torque.

Twelve cylinder variants are easily identified by the "V12" emblems at the base of each C pillar, placed immediately behind the passenger windows. An entry level model, the CL420, was available with a 4.2 L V8 engine (with the same architecture as the M119 5.0 L V8 engine) and since it was not available at all markets, it had very low sales compared to its larger-engined siblings. Production ended September 1998 with 26.022 Coupés produced.

The Mercedes-Benz M120 engine is a naturally aspirated high-performance automobile piston V12 engine family used in the 1990s and 2000s in Mercedes' flagship models

The M120 family is built in Stuttgart, Germany. It has an aluminium engine block lined with silicon/aluminium. The aluminium DOHC cylinder heads are 4 valves per cylinder designs. It uses sequential fuel injection (SFI) and features forged steel connecting rods.

The M120 was eventually replaced by the smaller, lesser-powered, short-lived, SOHC, three valves per cylinder, 5.8L, M137 V12 engine. Mercedes ceased production of the M120 because of new emission rules

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