Mercedes-Benz has finally come clean on its new CL, issuing the first official photographs of the sleek S-class-based coupe ahead of a planned public unveiling at the German automaker’s new museum in Stuttgart this week.

The luxuriously equipped Bentley Continental rivaling two-door, engineered under the internal codename C216, has been completely overhauled for 2007. Among the developments being hailed by Mercedes is an advanced rear-wheel drive chassis, upgraded range of V8 and V12 gasoline engines as well as a host of high-end features fully befitting the CL’s haughty price tag, which will be announced closer to the vehicle launch early next year.

Holding true to tradition, the new CL boasts an eye-catching design rich in classic Mercedes styling elements. Developed under the guise of Mercedes design boss Peter Pfeiffer, the exterior clearly reflects the design approach taken on the latest S-Class, with pronounced wheel arches and taut surfacing dominating throughout to give the new car added presence and a more muscular appearance. “It’s not a sports car but it has a sporty attitude,” says Pfeiffer of the new car’s design.

Other distinguishing features include new trapezoidal shaped headlamps in place of the familiar double rounded units found on the old model. They combine with a reworked air duct in the lower part of the bumper to accentuate the car’s width. Newly enacted European pedestrian safety regulations mean the bonnet is mounted slightly higher, while the grill has been made a touch wider, sits at a more upright angle and integrates more closely with the bumper to further strengthen the look.

A deep beltline similar to the S-Class adorns the flanks which are characterized by long, frameless doors that open wide to reveal a luxurious four-seat interior in keeping with CL’s up-market positioning. The big coupe retains the heavily curved roofline of its predecessor and in keeping with tradition, does without B-pillars; all four side windows retract into the body work to provide it with an uninterrupted opening.

Like the front, the car’s backside receives a whole new look, with a rounded rear window, shorter trunk lid and new taillight graphics. The new car has grown in every vital dimension, putting on three inches in length, a half-inch in width and roughly three-quarters of an inch in height. It also rides on a nearly three-inch longer wheelbase, which equates to increased room for rear seat passengers. Trunk space has also increased slightly to 12.9 cubic-feet.

Two engines will be available from the start of North American sales. They include Mercedes’ four-valve-per-cylinder 5.5-liter V8 with 382 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque, first launched in the new S-Class late last year and recently made available in the face-lifted E-Class. The CL550 now moves from 0-60 mph in an estimated 5.4 seconds (down from 6.3 seconds with the old CL500)..

Sitting above it in the lineup is the CL600, running an updated version of Mercedes’ three-valve-per-cylinder, twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12. Now with 510 hp and an impressive 612 lb-ft of torque, it provides Mercedes’ new range-topping coupe with the sort of off-the-line performance to challenge the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti; the official 0-62 mph time is estimated at a sizzling 4.5 seconds, or 0.9 seconds faster than the old CL600.

At the Paris Motor Show in September, Mercedes will also pull the wraps off the new CL63 AMG. The replacement for the old CL55 receives AMG’s naturally-aspirated 6.2-liter V8 good for 514 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque and is due to reach North American customers early next year. Also planned is a follow-up to the CL65 AMG running the same twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 as the outgoing model with 604 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque.

Standard equipment levels are high in keeping with the CL's positioning. Although the final North American specification is yet to be finalized, features such as Mercedes’ active body control, active light function, adaptive brakes and COMAND communication center will be included, according to Stuttgart insiders.