“You have to hand it to the Germans—they make great cars.”[1] The Gentleman Motorist agrees with Monsieur Déjà Vu[2]. Why? Attention to detail. And the Gentleman Motorist would like to point out a detail that many motorists may not be familiar with—the pillarless coupe.
Before we extoll the virtues of the pillarless coupe, a primer may be in order. Pillars, when referring to an automobile, are the vertical bits that support the roof. And it is convention to address them in order, from front to back, beginning with the A pillar, B, pillar, and C pillar and so forth. To be clear, it is typical to have three such pillars in a coupe or sedan and four in a wagon or SUV. But Mercedes-Benz said, “nicht so schnell,” and eliminated the traditional B pillar from its coupes. Case in point, the CL 500 (C216) coupe pictured above. Lovely.
As a result, one can roll down[3] all four windows, completely exposing the sides of the cabin from front to back with nary a pillar in between. Much like Steve Hermann’s Glass Pavilion in Santa Barbara, California, one may directly enjoy the beauty of his or her surroundings while seated in the lap of luxury[4]. For obvious reasons, the pillarless coupe is not nearly as popular in Siberia as it is in Saint-Tropez. That may be due to the climate, but it is also due to the disparate average incomes of their respective residents. Simply put, the C216 is not cheap.[5] Indeed, in its greatest iteration (the CL 65 AMG), one will encounter an MSRP of $221,485.00. The sensation you are now feeling is called “sticker shock.” But, at that price, you can listen to the hand-built, symphonious 6.0 Liter BiTurbo V12 engine producing 621 bhp and 738 lb. ft. of torque in all its all its glory.
So the pillarless coupe is a seamless, elegant detail that few automakers offer. And since the devil is in the details, do not be surprised if one encounters the prince of darkness cruising by in CL 65 AMG with the breeze blowing through his horns. Or, more commonly, a hedge fund manager enjoying the same experience. After all, the pillarless coupe is the most elegant way for the stinking rich to air out the cabins of their vehicles.[6] Mmmm. Smells like money.
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[1] From the movie Top Secret.
[2] This character from Top Secret was brought to life by the actor Jim Carter, who is better known for his more recent gig as Mr. Carson on Downton Abbey.
[3] The Gentleman Motorist just realized that this expression is completely obsolete and now feels very old.
[4] It should be noted that the Glass Pavilion has a walnut-lined gallery that can display up to 32 cars. The Gentleman Motorist personally thanks Monsieur Hermann for building his dream house.
[5] Fortunately for the plebeians, Mercedes-Benz has introduced another pillarless coupe to its line-up—the more attainable E-Class Coupe (W212).
[6] Yes, convertibles are good for that as well. But there is a certain exclusivity to the pillarless coupe as it is rare and expensive.
Photo(s) from Wikipedia.
Before we extoll the virtues of the pillarless coupe, a primer may be in order. Pillars, when referring to an automobile, are the vertical bits that support the roof. And it is convention to address them in order, from front to back, beginning with the A pillar, B, pillar, and C pillar and so forth. To be clear, it is typical to have three such pillars in a coupe or sedan and four in a wagon or SUV. But Mercedes-Benz said, “nicht so schnell,” and eliminated the traditional B pillar from its coupes. Case in point, the CL 500 (C216) coupe pictured above. Lovely.
As a result, one can roll down[3] all four windows, completely exposing the sides of the cabin from front to back with nary a pillar in between. Much like Steve Hermann’s Glass Pavilion in Santa Barbara, California, one may directly enjoy the beauty of his or her surroundings while seated in the lap of luxury[4]. For obvious reasons, the pillarless coupe is not nearly as popular in Siberia as it is in Saint-Tropez. That may be due to the climate, but it is also due to the disparate average incomes of their respective residents. Simply put, the C216 is not cheap.[5] Indeed, in its greatest iteration (the CL 65 AMG), one will encounter an MSRP of $221,485.00. The sensation you are now feeling is called “sticker shock.” But, at that price, you can listen to the hand-built, symphonious 6.0 Liter BiTurbo V12 engine producing 621 bhp and 738 lb. ft. of torque in all its all its glory.
So the pillarless coupe is a seamless, elegant detail that few automakers offer. And since the devil is in the details, do not be surprised if one encounters the prince of darkness cruising by in CL 65 AMG with the breeze blowing through his horns. Or, more commonly, a hedge fund manager enjoying the same experience. After all, the pillarless coupe is the most elegant way for the stinking rich to air out the cabins of their vehicles.[6] Mmmm. Smells like money.
_____________________________________________
[1] From the movie Top Secret.
[2] This character from Top Secret was brought to life by the actor Jim Carter, who is better known for his more recent gig as Mr. Carson on Downton Abbey.
[3] The Gentleman Motorist just realized that this expression is completely obsolete and now feels very old.
[4] It should be noted that the Glass Pavilion has a walnut-lined gallery that can display up to 32 cars. The Gentleman Motorist personally thanks Monsieur Hermann for building his dream house.
[5] Fortunately for the plebeians, Mercedes-Benz has introduced another pillarless coupe to its line-up—the more attainable E-Class Coupe (W212).
[6] Yes, convertibles are good for that as well. But there is a certain exclusivity to the pillarless coupe as it is rare and expensive.
Photo(s) from Wikipedia.
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