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USCar Trader import service
Choose a specific vehicle. Where data is available, its detail page shows the import cost calculation. We assess any possible duty benefit with you before purchase.
Important: A 0% EU import-duty rate may be available for a vehicle covered by Regulation (EU) 2026/1455 that has US origin and is imported directly into the EU. CETA may apply to a vehicle with preferential Canadian origin. Whether the requirements are met is assessed for the individual case. Please contact us before purchase; we review the possible duty benefit and provide non-binding support through the process. Import VAT and other costs are assessed separately.
CarHub · Mercedes-Benz
The CLS invented the four-door coupe segment: a full-size sedan with a low, tapering roofline and frameless doors that turned a practical body into something genuinely elegant.
Model profile
Three generations reached the US. The C219 (2005–2011) was the original, style-defining car. The C218 (2012–2018) modernised the shape, added twin-turbo power and refined the cabin. The C257 (2019–2023) reinvented the CLS as a sleeker five-seat coupe-sedan built on the newer platform shared with the E-Class.
Powertrain and equipment
Engine choice tracks the generation. The C219 offered the CLS500/CLS550 V8 (M113 then M273), plus the supercharged CLS55 AMG and the naturally aspirated 6.2-litre M156 CLS63 AMG at 507 hp.
Across all three generations the body is the four-door coupe. Equipment climbs from well-appointed base cars to Premium packages, and the AMG line (CLS55, CLS63, CLS53) sits at the top. US cars are typically loaded — leather, ventilated seats, premium audio and driver-assistance packages are widespread.
Vehicle selection
CLS supply in America is good, especially the C218 CLS550 which sold in healthy numbers. Expect a wide mileage band, from pampered garage cars to six-figure-mile highway machines.
The CLS suits a buyer who wants presence and long-distance comfort in a shape that still turns heads, without stepping up to an S-Class footprint.
Vehicle data
| Body style | Detail (US-market CLS): 4-door coupe (sedan); no US Shooting Brake |
|---|---|
| Seating | Detail (US-market CLS): 4 (early) / 5 (C257) |
| Segment | Detail (US-market CLS): Full-size four-door coupe |
| C219 engines | Detail (US-market CLS): V8 (CLS500/550), CLS55 AMG supercharged, CLS63 AMG 6.2 M156 |
|---|---|
| C218 engines | Detail (US-market CLS): CLS550 4.7 biturbo V8, CLS400 V6, CLS63 AMG 5.5 biturbo |
| C257 engines | Detail (US-market CLS): CLS450 3.0 inline-6 + EQ Boost, CLS53 AMG |
| CLS63 AMG (M157) output | Detail (US-market CLS): up to 550–577 hp (S) |
| Transmission | Detail (US-market CLS): 7G-Tronic / 9G-Tronic automatic; AMG SpeedShift |
| Drivetrain | Detail (US-market CLS): Rear-wheel drive; 4MATIC on many later cars |
| Fuel | Detail (US-market CLS): Premium unleaded (petrol) |
| Generations sold in US | Detail (US-market CLS): C219 (2005–2011), C218 (2012–2018), C257 (2019–2023) |
|---|---|
| Suspension | Detail (US-market CLS): Airmatic air suspension on many trims |
| Brakes | Detail (US-market CLS): Ventilated discs; AMG uprated calipers |
| Origin | Detail (US-market CLS): Germany — verify by VIN |
Values are reproduced verbatim from the existing article table. The documents for the specific vehicle govern.
Pre-purchase review
For the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, the agreed inspection plan focuses in particular on vehicle history, visible body and underbody condition, fluid leaks, warning messages, tyres, brakes and accessible suspension components. USCar Trader can document these points through a separately commissioned on-site inspection; inaccessible areas or unauthorised road tests are explicitly recorded as unchecked.
Germany and Europe
US cars use amber side markers, US-spec headlights and no rear fog lamp, all of which a German inspection expects corrected.
Plan for rear fog-lamp provision, headlight conversion or adjustment to the European beam pattern, and clear odometer documentation.
USCar Trader services
As a buyer based in Germany, you do not have to inspect the vehicle yourself in the United States or Canada. Within the agreed scope, USCar Trader can coordinate document review, a separately commissioned on-site inspection and purchase processing.
Covered inspection points are agreed in advance. An on-site inspection records condition at the appointment and is not a guarantee.
Next step: Before commissioning, USCar Trader and the customer agree which document, history, inspection and transaction checks suit the vehicle and are included in the service. This records what was actually checked.
Import process
The assessment depends on the specific vehicle and the circumstances of the transaction. Please contact USCar Trader before purchase; we review any possible duty benefit and provide non-binding support. Import VAT and other costs are considered separately.
Questions and answers
No. The estate was Europe-only, so American cars are four-door coupes.
The C218 CLS550 with the 4.7-litre twin-turbo V8 is the most plentiful.
No, US CLS cars are petrol; the diesels were not offered there.
Airmatic air-suspension wear, plus engine-specific issues on early M272/M273 and the AMG V8s.
No, not automatically. A 0% EU import-duty rate may be available for a vehicle covered by Regulation (EU) 2026/1455 that has US origin and is imported directly into the EU. CETA may apply to a vehicle with preferential Canadian origin. Whether the requirements are met is assessed for the individual case. Please contact USCar Trader before purchase; we review the possible duty benefit and provide non-binding support. Import VAT and other costs are assessed separately.
Yes, all-wheel drive is common on many later CLS models, alongside rear-drive cars.
The M157 biturbo V8 produces up to 550–577 hp in S form — quick but costly to run.
Yes, from sourcing and escrow to freight, customs and TÜV preparation.
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