Cold Air Intake for Mercedes Benz CLS-Class (2015-2017) 3.0L

High-Flow Cold Air Intake for 2015-2017 Mercedes Benz CLS-Class (C218)

What it Does: The Cold Air Intake replaces the restrictive factory air box and narrow ducting on the 2015-2017 CLS-Class to lower intake air temperatures, sharpen turbo spool, and increase airflow to the twin turbochargers.

The Stock Mercedes Benz CLS-Class Intake Restriction and Thermal Soak

The factory intake system on the C218 CLS400 routes airflow through accordion-style plastic plumbing with tight bends and integrated acoustic baffles designed to suppress engine noise. These restrictive corrugated ducts generate internal boundary-layer turbulence, starving the twin turbochargers of velocity at higher engine speeds. Furthermore, the OEM composite air boxes sit directly above engine-bay thermal sources without adequate thermal shielding, allowing ambient engine-bay radiant heat to heat-soak incoming intake air, which causes the ECU to retard ignition timing under sustained load.

The Engineering Solution

This intake system swaps the narrow OEM tracts for oversized, smooth-bore mandrel-bent aluminum inlet pipes paired with a dedicated adapter flange. The increased cross-sectional diameter stabilizes airflow velocities and reduces compressor inlet depression for improved throttle response and audible turbo spool. Ambient heat rejection is managed via a laser-cut, powder-coated heat shield that isolates the intake filters from radiant engine-bay heat. Filtration is handled by an oil-free, washable dry-pleat filter element engineered to preserve factory sensor calibration without fouling the intake tract. A precision-machined lower port retains the factory mass-airflow / intake sensor in its OEM position without triggering a Check Engine Light.

What's Included

• 1 x Cold Air Intake Kit (Oversized Inlet Pipes, Adapter, Laser-Cut Heat Shield, Washable Dry Air Filter, and Sensor Integration Port)

Technical Specifications

Compatibility

• 2015-2017 Mercedes Benz CLS-Class CLS400 (C218 Chassis, 3.0L V6 BiTurbo M276)

Frequently Asked Questions & Fitment Warnings

Does this fit the C218 CLS-Class?

Yes, this is a direct fit for the 2015-2017 Mercedes Benz CLS-Class equipped with the M276 3.0L twin-turbocharged engine. It does not fit CLS550 V8 or CLS63 AMG models.

Does the dry air filter require oiling after cleaning?

No, this system features a dedicated dry synthetic element that requires no oiling; service with water every 20,000 km and replace completely every 60,000 km.

The Mercedes Benz Precision Standard

Engineered to match European performance tolerances, this intake maintains factory air-fuel metering baselines to ensure error-free operation without Check Engine lights.