Mercedes-Benz CLS 400 for Export from Dubai

The CLS 400 is the value entry into Mercedes-Benz's four-door coupé, and it is also the one badge in the CLS range that genuinely needs checking before you buy. The name has been carried across two different generations of the model, and the engine behind it is not the same in both — on the earlier cars it is a twin-turbocharged petrol V6, while on the later generation the 400 designation was applied to a three-litre inline-six that, in several markets, is a diesel. Duty bands, emissions rules and in some countries import eligibility itself all turn on that distinction, so settle it first. The second question is age: stock here is older than on the rest of the range, which makes the destination's age limit the constraint that decides most purchases. Answer both and the CLS 400 is a lot of car for the money. This page covers the specification, the two generations, buying and shipping, the export steps, tiers, paperwork and destinations.

Vehicle specifications

The CLS is Mercedes-Benz's four-door coupé — a saloon with a low, tapering roofline, frameless doors and a boot rather than a hatchback — and the 400 sits in the middle of the range, below the 450 and well below the AMG cars. On the earlier generation the CLS 400 uses a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol V6 driving through a seven or nine-speed automatic, to the rear wheels or, on 4MATIC cars, to all four. On the later generation the 400 badge covers a three-litre inline-six, and in a number of markets that engine is a diesel rather than a petrol, sold alongside the petrol 350 and 450. Equipment on Gulf cars is generous in both generations, and the later cars add the twin widescreen display layout.

Two checks come before everything else on this model. First, the engine and fuel type: petrol V6, petrol six or diesel six are three different propositions at customs, and several markets now restrict or surcharge diesel imports regardless of the car's condition. Second, the generation, which follows from the model year and determines the styling, the interior and how the car will be valued at the other end. Both are verifiable against the VIN and neither should be taken from the listing text. Where the car is a 4MATIC, confirm that too, since some registration authorities record the drivetrain.

Mercedes-Benz CLS 400 Export Dubai: logistics and buying process

On OneClickDrive you deal directly with the seller. To buy a Mercedes-Benz CLS 400 for export from Dubai, browse the live listings, filter by model year, engine, trim and mileage, then contact Dubai's CLS 400 export dealers by phone, WhatsApp or callback. There is no agent in between and no commission added. Confirm the generation, the engine and fuel type, whether the car is a 4MATIC, the mileage, the service history and the VIN, and ask for current photographs rather than stock images.

Three checks are worth making on a premium saloon of this age. First, service history, which matters more here than on a newer car because the maintenance record is most of what separates a good example from an expensive one, and it is what the buyer at the other end will ask for. Second, the air suspension where the car is fitted with it, since it becomes a known maintenance item as cars accumulate years and it will not show in a photograph — ask whether the car sits level after standing overnight. Third, the options list, because interior specification, seat packages and wheels move value noticeably and two cars of the same year can be very differently equipped.

Shipping is conventional. This is an ordinary petrol or diesel car with no traction battery, so none of the dangerous-goods rules that complicate electric and plug-in hybrid shipping apply — no state-of-charge limit, no carrier restriction, no surcharge. Roll-on roll-off is the economical route and works well for a car in this price bracket, while container shipping costs more and is worth it on a low-mileage, well-specified example. Once you agree a price, the seller or their freight forwarder arranges the booking, the customs filing and the bill of lading.

Step by step: choose your generation and engine; confirm colour, interior, wheels, drivetrain and options; receive an export quotation covering shipping and documentation; secure the booking with a verified payment option; then take delivery worldwide by sea or overland. The dealer handles everything from inspection to export documentation and customs clearance.

Export process and requirements

For a used car registered in the UAE, clear any fines, Salik or finance first, with a bank No-Objection Certificate where the car was financed. The RTA then de-registers it and issues temporary export plates and the Export Certificate, which cancels the local registration and replaces the registration card, the Mulkiya. The export is declared to Dubai Customs, and GCC destinations need a Vehicle Clearance Certificate to register on arrival. This is the route almost every CLS 400 takes, since stock on this model is used rather than new.

For a new 0 km car that has never been registered in the UAE, there is no Mulkiya and no de-registration. It moves on the dealer's purchase invoice, with a Certificate of Origin, the Dubai Customs export declaration, a VCC and the Bill of Lading. Exports are usually zero-rated for VAT when completed and documented in time.

The age limit is the binding constraint on this model and it should be checked before anything else. Stock here is older than on the rest of the CLS range, which puts it beyond the cut-off in every market that refuses imports older than five years and beyond it in most that use eight, leaving the ten-year markets and the countries with no limit at all as the realistic destinations. That is not a reason to avoid the car but a reason to establish your rule first and shortlist within it. The second check is diesel: where the car turns out to be a diesel six, confirm both the duty treatment and whether your destination restricts diesel imports or requires a minimum emissions standard.

Available export models and pricing

The Mercedes-Benz CLS 400 export price in Dubai depends on generation, engine, drivetrain, mileage, options and condition, so the live listings always show current prices as stock turns over. The cheapest CLS 400 export from Dubai is generally an earlier-generation car with higher mileage, and the saving against the 450 in the same range is substantial. Later-generation cars with lower mileage sit well above them. Specification moves value more than mileage does on this model, so compare on the build. Stock is shallow, so if you want to export CLS 400 Dubai cars in more than single quantity, tell the seller up front and expect to wait for the right examples.

Tier	Profile	Price position	Best for
Value (earlier generation)	Petrol V6, higher mileage, rear-wheel drive	Most affordable	Markets with a ten-year limit or none
Balanced (later model years)	Inline-six, lower mileage, well specified	Mid-tier	Everyday use and resale
Premium	Low mileage, 4MATIC, full options list	Highest	Age-limit markets and buyers prioritising condition

Required export documentation

For a used car registered in the UAE: the original registration card or Mulkiya, the RTA Export Certificate and temporary export plates, a bank NOC if the car was financed, clearance of fines and Salik, and insurance for the export plates valid for about 14 days. This is the usual route on this model.

For a new 0 km car that has never been registered: the dealer's purchase invoice in place of the Mulkiya, plus a Certificate of Origin.

For both: the buyer's passport or Emirates ID and the seller's ID on a used transfer, the sale invoice showing the price and VIN, the Dubai Customs export declaration, a VCC for GCC destinations, and a Bill of Lading. Check three details here: that the model year is correct and verifiable against the VIN, since your destination's age limit is calculated from it and on this model that is the constraint that decides eligibility; that the engine, displacement and fuel type are recorded accurately, because petrol and diesel are treated differently by a growing number of customs codes; and that 4MATIC is stated where the car has it. Keep originals and copies, and check the drive-side and Certificate of Conformity rules.

Key locations and hubs

• Al Aweer Auto Market, Ras Al Khor: Dubai's main used-car and export cluster, and where most older premium saloons sit.
• Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Quoz showrooms: where lower-mileage examples are held.
• RTA Tasjeel and Al Aweer centres: de-registration, export plates and the Export Certificate.
• Dubai Customs: the export declaration and VCC.
• Jebel Ali Port, JAFZA: the main sea gateway, and the RoRo route that suits this price bracket.
• Overland borders: Al Ghuwaifat for Saudi Arabia, and the Hatta or Oman crossings for GCC road exports.

Popular export destinations for the Mercedes-Benz CLS 400

Because age eligibility does most of the filtering here, the map is narrower than for a newer Mercedes and concentrates on markets with generous limits or none at all. The GCC and wider Middle East is the most straightforward route and the most permissive, moving overland easily to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq and Jordan, with a VCC required. Africa is the largest destination for cars of this age, with steady demand from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Libya, Egypt and Morocco, where a well-kept German saloon holds status and where the running-cost case for a six-cylinder is accepted. Central Asia and the Caucasus buy Gulf-preserved premium saloons consistently, particularly Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Uzbekistan. In every case, confirm the exact model year against the VIN and the engine's fuel type before you commit, because those two facts decide whether the car can be landed at all.

Whichever the destination, the dealer can match the car, the specification and the paperwork to it.

Browse our complete list of cars for export from Dubai, or see Mercedes-Benz cars for export. Related models include the Mercedes-Benz CLS 450 and the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT 53.

Our range of Export Mercedes Benz Cars from Dubai offers versatile choices to match every driver’s needs, from everyday comfort to high-performance models. If you want to broaden your options, our complete hub of used cars for sale in Dubai features thousands of vehicles to explore. Looking to upgrade or switch your vehicle? You can also easily sell my car Dubai through OneClickDrive and connect with serious buyers across the UAE.