The Mercedes-Benz CLK coupe turned heads when it went on sale five years ago, but it didn't exactly snap them back when blasting down a twisty road. The CLK was lovely to behold, but its performance never quite lived up to its looks, and its cramped interior belied Mercedes' promise that it was a real four-passenger coupe.
Say hello to the all-new 2003 CLK, and goodbye to all that.
Mercedes' new coupe is stunning sitting still, and a delight on the road. It goes immediately to the head of the class for looks, performance and passenger space.
In many ways, the CLK is in a class by itself. Its sleek lines were carefully sculpted to make a statement different from sedan-derived coupes like the BMW 330 Ci. Intended to evoke luxury coupes of the past, the CLK is all about style, and from Mercedes' point of view, its direct competitors aren't even on the road yet. Mercedes thinks the CLK puts it a lap up on competition from the upcoming BMW 6 Series, Audi A4 coupe and Infiniti G35 coupe.