More than a quarter of a million readers and a top-class jury comprising 40 automotive experts and prominent figures have voted the new Mercedes-Benz CLS the best new product in the executive and luxury class segment. As a result, "Bild am Sonntag", "Auto Bild" and 26 associated European publications have awarded the new four-door coupé model the "Golden Steering Wheel" - one of the most important automotive awards in Europe. This coveted award was officially presented to Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of Daimler AG and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Cars, in Berlin yesterday evening.

Ten new products in the executive and luxury class were put to the extensive reader vote for the "Golden Steering Wheel", which was announced across the whole of Europe. The jury for the "Golden Steering Wheel" is the largest and most international in the world. In the first round, readers of "Auto Bild", "Bild am Sonntag" and 26 European "Auto Bild" sister publications cast votes for their favourites. From Finland to Spain, and from England to Estonia, some 40 million readers decided which cars were worthy of winning the golden trophies. In the executive and luxury class, the Audi A7, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz CLS, Suzuki Kizashi and Volvo S 60 made it into the final. At the beginning of October, no less than 40 testers then put the vehicles through their paces on a test track in Balocco (Italy) over a period of three days. This is where the new Mercedes-Benz CLS emerged victorious to bring the "Golden Steering Wheel" back to Stuttgart for the 19th time.