Mercedes CLK Coupe 2002 - Present

The engine options are all that you need to look at to confirm that claim, ranging from a 1.8 litre supercharged start point to the 6.2 litre AMG unit all of the engines offers a good level of performance although they're unlikely to make it into any guides on how to lower your carbon footprint.

The CLK offers a surprisingly comfortable ride for four adults to travel. The leg room and headroom in the back are a pleasant surprise when you consider what a compact looking car it is. There is little or no road noise to distract from the roar of the engine, which in itself isn't intrusive. The front seatbelts are proffered by an extending arm that automatically offers them from behind your shoulder. The finish in the cabin is of top quality materials and feels luxurious while the instrument panel and controls all feel logical and naturally placed. Boot space is more than adequate and will offer room for a week long trip to Europe in style.

The engine of the CLK is the jewel in it's crown. All but the smaller diesel engine put in sub ten seconds 0-60 times and that version weighs in at 10.1 seconds. Top of the pile is the 6.3 which races to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds on it's way to 185 MPH (it's not limited to 155 MPH as most of the others are), but across the range there are a lot of impressive performers. There are 0-60 times in the six, seven and eight second brackets in petrol and diesel options. If you're looking to qualify for the £8 congestion charge you're likely to need to look at the diesel options as they're a lot more prudent than the petrol versions with a best of 43 mpg as opposed to a worst petrol option of 24 mpg. Although if you can afford to buy a CLK its unlikely to be it will be it's prudence that what first attracted you.

The CLK was made for the open road and it gobbles up those motorway miles like a hungry monarch, quickly but with impeccable table manners. The rear wheel drive offers a great experience and the steering delivers sensational feedback, producing an engaging drive. Some of the bigger engine models can take a little getting used to as they're ferocious but the balance of the car is so even that when they do step out it's done with good manners and easy to rectify. Almost like a warning from the car to behave because you're playing with the big boys now.

The Mercedes CLK series offers a lot of variation in it's specs and the price reflects this with nearly £40k between bottom and top end, but there's quite a lot between the models. They offer a car that demands to be driven and will reward the owner with sensational performance but it doesn't come cheap. With high costs for even the basic models some people will think that the badge carries too much cost to justify.

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