The compact body dimensions and the muscular lines emphasize the sporty appearance of the new CLC. The Mercedes designers have completely redesigned the front and rear so that the Sports Coupe embodies the contemporary Mercedes design idiom with its distinctive coupe radiator grille featuring a large Mercedes star in the centre, and the new projection-beam headlamps. The S-Class, the luxury CL-Class Coupe and the C-Class provided the artistic models. The redesigned large tailgate conceals a variable boot with up to 1100 liters of luggage capacity. The new tail lights, the long row of LEDs which make up the third brake light unit and the rear bumper subdivide the rear and emphasize its width. The standard specification for the sports package includes a new direct-steer system, which further enhances the agile driving experience of the CLC while adding an important boost to safety. This new feature is based on the speed-sensitive power steering and also offers a variable rack ratio which changes as a function of the steering angle so that the driver only has to turn the wheel slightly when cornering; the Sports Coupe therefore responds far more spontaneously to steering commands and offers even sportier handling.

As a result, the direct-steer system also improves handling safety in critical situations – for instance when taking sudden evasive action – as the field tests conducted by the Mercedes engineers demonstrate. The six-speed manual transmission comes as standard with all engine variants. Mercedes-Benz can also supply a five-speed automatic transmission for the four?cylinder units, and the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission for the V6 models. In combination with the sports package, the driver can use gearshift paddles on the steering wheel to select the gears of the automatic transmission manually and make optimum use of the engines’ high power reserves when the driving situation calls for it. Mercedes-Benz offers four four-cylinder and two six-cylinder engines with power outputs ranging from 90 kW/122 hp to 200 kW/272 hp for the new CLC. The 135 kW/184 hp power plant in the CLC 200 KOMPRESSOR now develops an extra 15 kW/20 hp while consuming just 7.8 to 8.2 liters per 100 kilometers in the NEDC cycle – the equivalent of up to 0.7 liters less than before. In consumption terms, with its advanced turbo diesel engines, the CLC falls into the five-liter category: the CLC 200 CDI returns a consumption of 5.8 to 6.1 liters per 100 kilometers in the NEDC cycle, up to 10.8 percent less than the outgoing model. The CDI models boast operating ranges of over 1000 kilometers with a full tank (62 liters). High-quality equipment and appointments, and enhanced technology, the new Mercedes-Benz CLC offers even more conquest potential than its predecessor, Thanks to all designers.

The public will get the chance to take a close look at the Sports Coupe for the first time at the European Mercedes sales and service outlets and authorized dealerships in June 2008.