A sedan or crossover SUV states that you’re practical. A convertible says that you’re not. But a coupe, especially a luxury coupe, says that you appreciate art.

That’s because luxury coupes have long been four-wheeled sculpture. But it seems as if no one appreciates art anymore.

Certainly America and their automakers have abandoned them: The Buick Riviera, Cadillac Eldorado and Lincoln Mark VIII are consigned to the history books.

Cadillac does make the CTS coupe, but its diminutive size isn’t the grand statement that once was this marque’s hallmark.

One automaker still knows why such vehicles are important: Mercedes-Benz.

The face-lifted 2011 CL 550 is not the sort of car you will often see, nor should it be. Instead it’s a rarefied treat, a majestic statement to the power of a true full-size luxury coupe.

No, they won’t sell a lot of them, but every one will enhance the brand’s image.

This is not a car; it’s an automotive frock that you wear for a night at the opera.

Certainly, it’s extravagant.

How else can you describe a car that’s a whisker over 16 feet long, yet has a minuscule 13.5 cubic foot trunk?

That’s easy: gorgeous.

Its arched side windows, swoopy body line and large, aggressive face bedecked with chrome is the embodiment of living large, albeit with a heavy dose of grace.

Inside, it’s just as refined, with subtle colors and sumptuous materials tell you that this car resides in the high-rent district. This isn’t a coupe you have to describe as a luxury car; it obviously is. Climb inside and its aroma, its feel, its silence tells you all that you need to know.

Add in a heavy dose of speed and you have a car sure to impress any patron of the arts.

The CL is available in four flavors. The base car is the CL 550 4Matic, an all-wheel drive model with a 429-horsepower twin-turbocharged V8. Next up is the CL 600 with a 536-hp, 5.4-liter V8 and rear-wheel drive. Two performance variants also are offered, the 510-hp CL 63 AMG and the 621-hp CL 65 AMG. The difference between the base $114,025 CL 550 and the $210,175 CL 65, $96,150, would buy any number of nice cars. Yet the difference in 0-60 mph performance is a half-second – 4.8 vs. 4.3 – according to Mercedes-Benz.

Whether a half-second is worth that much money, I will leave you to decide.

The CL 550 4Matic’s new twin turbo 4.6-liter engine has 12 percent more horsepower and 32 percent more torque than its 5.5-liter predecessor. Yet fuel economy, at 15 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, is good enough that the car no longer carries a gas guzzler tax. That may not have you calling Greenpeace, but it’s a step in the right direction.

It’s mated to a smooth-shifting 7-speed automatic transmission that features economy and sport modes, which alter the driving characteristics of the car. Guess which one I left it in?

The car’s remarkable poise is commensurate with its price. Certainly it’s fast, although you can feel this car’s mass when it’s time to tackle the twisties. But this is a grand touring car, not a sports car, so comfort is expected. That’s not to imply that the car doesn’t handle well. In fact, its grip is remarkable, while any under-body motions are squelched. And the ride quality? Yum.

Gilding the lily is a hefty dose of standard equipment. Still, even at $114,000, some items are optional. On the test car, they totaled an additional $13,050.

First, there’s the $3,490 Premium Package, with a rear-view camera, massaging front seats, night-view camera and pedestrian protection.

Next came the $2,950 Driver Assistance Package, with radar-guided cruise control, blind spot detection, which alerts you to vehicles in your car’s blind spot, and Active Lane Keeping Assist, which alerts you if you drift out of your lane.

There also was a $5,900 Sport Package, which adds 19-inch five-spoke AMG wheels with all-season tires, and revised body trim.

Finally, there was $710 for Splitview, which allows the driver and passenger to view two separate programs on the front screen of the car.

At this price point, it seems that no option is too extreme. After all, this is the ultimate Mercedes-Benz coupe, a car created to coddle its occupants in speed, style, sumptuousness and safety.

And if it seems too expensive, remember that great art carries a significant price tag.

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2011 MERCEDES CL550:

—Engine: Twin-turbocharged 4.6-liter DOHC V8

—Wheelbase: 116.3 inches

—Length: 200.6 inches

—Weight: 4,619 pounds

—Cargo space: 13.5 cubic feet

—EPA rating (city/highway): 15/23 mpg

—Fuel consumption: 20 mpg

—Fuel type: Premium

—Base price, base model: $114,025

—Base price, test model: $114,025

—As tested: $127,050