CLK Cabriolet review

What's your view?

Saw one on the road the other day. Although the rear looks a bit better than mine (outgoing CLK Cabrio) and I am sure there are a number of improvements, e.g. fully auto roof, I sure do mourn the passing of the upright star. Of course this started with the new CLK hard-top

Maybe someone will persuade Merc to reintroduce it as an option????

DAS

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dam kids keep trying to break them off.

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I am obviously aware of the problem but I have lost very few to vandalism (shhh...). My dad in another country lost several so he had a flush badge fitted to cover the hole (on his W124).

DAS

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The other big issue is that in a car accident a statistically valid number of people (particularly kids) get hurt (tearing wounds...very nasty and difficult to stitch) by any upstanding item on a cars bonnet.

Yes, but unlikely with the star that is on a very flexible spring (rigid mascots are banned in Europe, I think).

DAS

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I just joined this news group today after 6 years of owning a BMW 328 and recently wondering about my next car. As much as you may "mourn the passing of the upright star" and possibly the more classic styling at the grille and headlights of the departing CLK, the new model still retains the refined and elegant styling cues that are classic Mercedes. In contrast, I am deeply disappointed by the trendy design direction that BMW has taken, as can be seen inside and out in their current 7 series, and shots of their up-coming 6 series cabs.

When I judge a car, I look at it from the view of how it stands on its own, and also how it compared to everything else. Comparing the CLK to other cabs, my eyes continue to return to Mercedes.

-Steve Makohin | Reply to snipped-for-privacy@interlog.com | (hotmail acct is spam catcher)

You may be right about the classic design cues but it's the upright star that makes the view out of a Merc windshield unique, especially so among the big European brands; no other brand has such a mascot.

Personally I think the CLK Cab the most attractive-looking out of all the

4-seater models, possibly bar the Bentley, but that's impossibly expensive. and I am talking with the roof CLOSED. This is important in my eyes as convertibles look a lot more similar with the roof down, and in our climes (Britain) the roof is up most of the time.

As regards the design trend of BMWs, this is, of course, exercising a lot of souls, as evidenced by the debates on the BMW ng (alt.autos.bmw), which several people from here follow, too.

DAS

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Agreed. It's my preference too (as a BMW owner who is eyeing the MB CLK). But this matter would not be a "make or break" deciding factor for me.

Agreed. For the first time in several years, a car is being made that excites me. I want one :-)

I don't know what BMW was thinking, but it certainly has made a mistake, in my view, by adopting trendy styling and "gadgetizing" their flagship 7 series whose target audience is mature, more affluent drivers which are less likely to like trendy styling and gadgets. Don't get me started on the iDrive silliness.

-Steve Makohin | Reply to snipped-for-privacy@interlog.com | (hotmail acct is spam catcher)

If you haven't aready done so I recommend a test drive in a CLK Cabrio. You'll find it a fine, relatively spacious car with no shake at any speed. A well-known British motoring journalist reckoned it was the only cabrio with no shake among BMW, Saab, Audi (pre latest model) and other big-brand models.

The latest cab (aside from missing the upright star) has an improved roof, according to the bumph: better material and, of course, a fully automatic mechanism. In mine there is still a manual unlocking/locking action.

DAS

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MBs sportiest models don't have an upright star (don't know about AMG though). I.e., the SL and CL coupes have badges instead. I always thought that the SL badge was 'classier than an upright star myself. The sedans on the other hand all have upright stars which are less aerodynamic. It's only fitting that the CLK (which is a 'sporty model') have a badge instead.

h

NOOOOOO! The last time I test-drove a car that I really liked, I bought it. I'm not ready to commit to the CLK cab yet, and I know that I won't be able to resist it once I get into one.

FYI, my 1997 BMW 328 cab (loaded except for BMW cell phone), does not shake at any speed, and I've maxed it out a number of times. I think you may be refering to body flexing, which is common for convertibles. And yes, my 328 cab experiences body flexing, even though it is much diminished when compared to most other cabs. The material I have read on the CLK cab is that it has the stiffest body of any cab tested.

My 1997 BMW 328 cab has a fully automatic, but painfully slow (30 seconds) roof. I have read that the CLK cab's roof opens or closes in

20 seconds, which is about 6 seconds short of a wait at a red light :-)

Yeah, I want one. I think I'll wait until I can get the active steering, though. That is, unless finances are enhanced and I just can't resist going for a test drive.

-Steve Makohin | Reply to snipped-for-privacy@interlog.com | (hotmail acct is spam catcher)

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