The original CLK coupe's ability to carry four people and their luggage helped the car succeed in a market segment that has since seen other luxury coupes disappear. The new CLK is even roomier and more practical than its predecessor, adding rear headroom, elbow / hip room and knee room. The split fold-down rear seat now folds completely flat for even greater carrying capacity.
Mercedes Engineering Makes Hardtop Safety Possible
It took Mercedes-Benz engineering to design a coupe body that could ensure the highest level of side impact protection without using full-height B-pillars. Though no pillars are visible, the car benefits from a sturdy structure up to the window-sill line behind the doors. Torsional stiffness is 40 percent greater than before, thanks in part to the body structure's high-strength tubular supports in the A-pillars and lower B-pillars.
The new CLK adds the latest Mercedes-Benz safety technology, including two dual-stage deployment front airbags, four side airbags and two full-length side-curtain airbags. The full array of Mercedes dynamic handling technology is also present, including anti-lock brakes (ABS), straight-line traction control, ESP stability control, Brake Assist and the BabySmart seat recognition system.
High-End Luxury In A Mid-Luxury Coupe
Smooth contours and soft surfaces define the CLK interior. The flowing lines of the dashboard are complemented by the soft-touch surface made from a polyurethane skin, providing a luxurious feel and high-quality appearance. The instrument panel uses new vertical LCD bar graphs for the fuel gauge and the coolant temperature, providing more accurate readings for these functions.