Car Review of the 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK Cabriolet Mid-Size Luxury convertible

Base MSRP Range: Not Available

Base Invoice Range: Not Available

MSRP As Tested: Not Available

Versions: CLK 320, CLK 500, CLK 55 AMG

Vehicle Category: Mid-Size Luxury Convertible

Engine Location: Front Engine

Drive Wheels: Rear-Wheel Drive

Engine As Tested: Standard CLK 5005.0-liter, Single Overhead Cam, 24-valves, V-8 cylinder, 302-horsepower at 5,600rpm and 339 lb-ft torque between 2,700 and 4,250 rpm.

Standard Engine CLK 320: 3.2-liter, Single Overhead Cam, 18-valves, V-6 cylinder, 215-horsepower at 5,700rpm and 229 lb-ft torque between 3,000 and 4,600 rpm.

Standard Engine CLK 55 AMG: 5.5-liter, Single Overhead Cam, 24-valves, V-8 cylinder, 362-horsepower at 5,700rpm and 376 lb-ft torque between 3,000 and 4,600 rpm.

Transmission As Tested: Standard 5-Speed, Adaptive Automatic with Touch Shift.

Fuel Economy (city/hwy): CLK 230 20/26, CLK 500 17/22, CLK 55 AMG Not Available

Standard Safety Features: Driver and front passenger airbags, power-assisted disc brakes rollover protection system, Traction Control Electronic Stability Program, Tele Aid System.

Competition: Volvo C70, Audi A4 Cabriolet, BMW 330CI, Saab 9-3

Vehicle History

The first generation Mercedes-Benz CLK was the most successful convertible in the compans history. 41,250 of them were sold in the United States, with more than 115,000 selling worldwide.

The CLK has been a favorite in the mid-luxury segment from 1999 through the end of its model run in 2003. Its entry into the Mercedes lineup provided an open-air car to a larger audience because of its lower cost. The previous CLK Cabriolet was a great cruiser which performed well as a spirited commuter car, but not as a sports car. We thought the BMW 330I was a more exciting ride. That however has changed with the 2004 CLK Cabriolet.

Changes Over the Previous Model

The 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK Cabriolet is based on the second generation CLK Coupe introduced last year. It is more appealing to the eye than its predecessor.

The CLK is longer and wider on the outside making more interior space. This is especially important to those who ride in the rear seat. The wider, longer stance has also helped to improve the ride and handling. This change is a dramatic one, necessary if Mercedes was to attract more people who would prefer the sportier ride of a BMW or Lexus product.

The V8 engine in the new Cabriolet is more powerful and the brakes are larger. (One of our favorite sayings around New Car Buying Guide isa car can never have too much horsepower or too much brakes)

A radar-based, adaptive cruise control called Distronic is a great new option. It enables the vehicle to automatically maintain a safe driving distance from cars in front by adjusting the speed of travel. If a car cuts in front of you on the freeway, the instant it is detected the Distronic slows the vehicle down until it reaches a safe driving distance. Then it maintains it.

One might think this would provide an extra distraction or keep the driver from having enough control over the vehicle. Those do not appear to be the case as Distronic is easy to get used to. It also provides a reminder about how fast the car is traveling, and if allowed moderates it.

Vehicle Exterior

The 2004 CLK Cabriolet is a totally new design. The design reflects its predecessor, but its relationship to the coupes and roadster in the current lineup is more pronounced. It shares the same design philosophy as its sister the CLK coupe, and some from the SL roadster. The grill is low and wide with a large star in the center. The front lower fascia differs slightly, but only in Mercede serious performance version from their AMG division.

The dual front headlights have been replaced by two sets of combined lights, like those on all of the new Mercedes-Benz cars.

The whole look is much sleeker and more elegant. The hood and fender lines flow rearward off the contour of the headlights. The lines continue to the rear. The sweeping line of the retractable roof and very thin C pillar duplicates the look of the CLK Coupe better than its predecessor, or competitors.

The rear-side windows are large andpillarles giving the Cabriolet with the top closed (up) about the best outward visibility -- especially rearward -- of any luxury convertible we have driven in the past few years.

When the top is down the Toneau cover has a pair of domes that serve to integrate the rear seat headrests into the rear deck.

The styling of the 2004 CLK Cabriolet really elevates the bar for manufacturers wishing to capitalize on the mid-size luxury convertible market. BMW has its work cut out for it as it is shortly to introduce the new 6 Series. It will compete with the CLK Coupe and Cabriolet when it is launched shortly.

Vehicle Interior

The styling and finish of the interior of the new CLK Cabriolet have improved as well. We havet driven the old version for years but the lines seem so much smoother and more flowing. Your eyes are drawn to the dashboard out onto the road. There are no more jarring, contrasting lines or textures to distract you. All surfaces that can be reached are soft to the touch. The materials used are among the highest quality in a car in this segment.

The interior is larger than the previous car with more head, elbow, and knee room especially in the back seat. In all previous convertibles, from every manufacturers in the segment, rear seats have been compromised because of the space required to store the roof. Mercedes has found ways to significantly improving that space.

The dashboard has a low cowl like the cockpit of a Formula 1 car. It contains three chrome circular gauges. A large speedometer is in the middle with a Tachometer on the right ,and an analog clock on the left. On the dashboard, at the top of the center stack, there are three small ripples housing the heating and air conditioning ducts. It looks cool because the speaker grill also ripples. Below those are a load of controls for a multitude of features. The steering wheel is the perfect size for average people, with controls for the cruise control system on the right, and the trip computer on the left.

Sit down in the CLK and the seat belt is presented to you; no reaching over your shoulder to fish for it. All seating is covered in high quality leather. The front seats are wonderfully comfortable. We drove all day, covering close to three hundred miles of the California Central Coast. We traveled inland over one of the highest points in the coastal mountain range and we had no aches or pains at the end of the long ride.

There is an optional Comfort Package with four adjustable air cushions to infinitely vary the lumbar and lateral and thigh support. The Comfort Package is combined with Active Ventilated Front seats. They have fans in them cooling your back on hot summer days. This feature means never having to arrive somewhere with the back of your shirt or blouse soaked in sweat.

The back seats are roomier than before. There is nearly 2 inches more rear-seat legroom. While that doest sound like much, for a large teen or an adult on a long drive it can make the difference between having a great time, or coming down with Economy Class Syndrome.

Two sets of Golf Clubs fit in the trunk with the roof down! And getting them in and out is easy. Push a button in the trunk, and the glass, roof and cargo guard can be moved so you can reach your things.

Another great feature is the optional Keyless Go system. Antennas in the car pick up a signal sent from the key fob. If you have your keys in your pocket or purse, all you have to do is touch the door or trunk handle to unlock the car. Once the driver puts depresses the brake pedal, the car starts with the push of a button on the top of the gear shift. Also you can never lock your keys in the trunk again, if you close the trunk lid, and the system senses the keys are in it, the lid pops open.

Engine Performance

There are three engine options for in the 2004 CLK Cabriolet. The CLK 320 has a 3.2-liter, V6 engine producing 215-horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 229 lb.-ft. of torque between 3,000 and 4,600 rpm. The CLK 500 has 5.0-liter, V8 with 302-horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 339 lb.-ft. of torque. The ultra performance CLK 55 AMG has a 5.5-liter, V8 with 362-horsepower and 376 lb.-ft. of torque. All engines are single overhead cams, with three valves per cylinder.

We only drove the 500, but we think, our colleagues agree, if you are going to spend the money own this car you might as well get the big engine. This ist a Toyota Solara, afterall. Is a bigger car that needs the power so it can perform as it is meant to. The 0 to 60 times were very good in the mid-five second range. This is great acceleration to get going when the stoplight turns green, or for merging onto the freeway. Passing was effortless at any speed.

Both the CLK320 and 500 are equipped with Mercede five-speed, adaptive, automatic transmission with Touch Shift. When in the automatic mode the transmission adjusts based on road angle by delaying upshifts. This happens while climbing hills. It also speeds up downshifting on descents to keep the power on and the driving experience fun and exciting. The transmission shifts smoothly in the auto mode. The Touch Shift allows the driver to manually shift gears by pushing the lever left or right. We tried it and while it works fine, we were just as happy to let the transmission do its own job.

Ride And Handling

As we said earlier, the old CLK was a superb commuter car. But it would not satisfy an enthusiast. The handling is greatly improved and the steering is tighter. There is more road feel without being jarring. Any enthusiast who passed on the previous CLK because of handling should try the new one. Yoll be surprised at the difference.

Inside the CLK Cabriolet it is as quiet as it can be in a convertible most are very noisy. With the top up there was surprisingly little air or road noise, with the exception of the occasional rattle of rubber components in the roof system.

Mercedes has been at the forefront of retractable roof design for quite awhile now, and this one is no exception. Is terrific. It has three layers: a weather resistant outer layer, available in black, blue or ash. Then there is more than an inch of foam insulation, followed by the headliner. The headliner is really good quality -- we cat imagine it ever sagging.

Again the tos frame, especially at the C pillar, is very thin. The glass rear window is large. It looks great and provides surprisingly good rearward visibility. As with other Mercedes retractable roofs, it opens and closes quickly, in under 20 seconds. And the seal is really tight. We love watching these roofs open and close. Samba!

With the roof open and the windows up there is little wind turbulence to speak of. But if you dot want a hair out of place, and there will be just two people in the car, Mercedes provides a mesh wind baffle that keeps the air in the cockpit still.

Our only negative comment of any note, is about flapping seat belts. However this only occurs with the windows down and at speeds above 50 miles an hour.

Safety

Mercedes-Benz is a world leader in safety. That said, open top cars present specific problems for all automakers.

First without roof framing, it is difficult for cabriolets to maintain enough body rigidity for predictable handling and crashworthiness. Forty percent of the new Cabriolet body shell is made of high strength steel alloys, double that of the previous model. The floor, dashboard, rear bulkhead and center console are all reinforced making the new Convertible as strong as the Coupe.

Second are the challenges of occupant protection in a rollover. The areas around the A pillar and the windshield are made of high strength steel tubing. In the rear, a sensor detecting an imminent rollover deploys a pair of heavy steel bars from behind the seats. The bars are fully deployed over the heads of the rear-seat occupants in 0.3 seconds. Between the reinforcement system in the front and the one in the rear these rollover bars create a roll cage around the entire passenger compartment. Very cool.

There is the usual assortment of airbags: two stage in front for the driver and passenger and Mercede new head/thorax airbag. The new airbag is located in the front-seat backrest. It deploys in less than 20 milliseconds protecting the head from hitting the side window. It also provides some protecting from vehicle intrusion in a collision. The bag shields the driver from the head to the seat.

Of course the CLK comes with an assortment of driver aids such as Mercede Traction Control System and Electronic Stability Program (ESP.) The new CLK Cabriolet comes with the Mercede Tele Aid System -- similar to Gs On Star. When a senor detects an airbag deployment, or one of the seat belt retractors is activated, the system calls an emergency response center. Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates help the response specialist relay the exact location to emergency services along with information about the occupant condition and vehicle information.

In Conclusion

The previous CLK Cabriolet was a very nice car thers no denying that, but it wast a great car. The 2004 CLK Cabriolet is a great car. It has great: styling inside and out, performance especially with the V8 engine, ride on the highway, handling on mountain roads and exceptional technology.

Pricing has not been announced yet, that will come in the Fall. We expect the MSRP to be in the mid-$50s for the CLK 320 Cabriolet. The 500 will fall in the mid-$60. For the undeniably hottest product in the segment only the BMW 6 might compete -- the CLK 55 AMG will cost in the low- to mid-$70s. Not cheap. But full of great content, quality and collectibility.

Mercedes-Benz bested convertible competitors like the BMW 3, the out going Volvo C 70, and the Audi A4 with the 2004 CLK Cabriolet. The only competition may come from the BMW 6 Series with a V8 engine. But the launch of that car is a ways off. If you want a superb convertible for a mid-winter drive to Florida, visit a Mercedes-Benz dealer now and get in line.

Editors' Ratings

Pros: Greatly improved looks, more responsive handling

Cons: Nothing.

Annoyances: Nothing

Ratings (1-10)

• Style: 9
• Performance: 9
• Price: 8
• Handling: 9
• Ride: 9
• Comfort: 9
• Quality: 9
• Overall: 8.85

More Data

Where Built: Germany.

Major Options: Keyless Go system, Comfort Package, Tele Aid System.

Seating: 4

Number of Rows: 2

Crash Test Ratings:

• NHTSA Frontal Impact/Driver Crash Test Rating: Not Yet Tested
• NHTSA Frontal Impact/Passenger Crash Test Rating: Not Yet Tested
• NHTSA Side Impact/Front Seat Crash Test Rating: Not Yet Tested
• NHTSA Side Impact/Rear Seat Crash Test Rating: Not Yet Tested
• NHTSA Rollover Resistance Rating: Not Yet Tested
• IIHS Frontal Offset Crash Test: Not Yet Tested

Length in Inches: 182.6

Warranties: 4 years/50,000 miles bumper-to-bumper, 4years//50,000 miles corrosion, parts and service adjustments for 1 year/12,500 miles, Unlimited miles free Roadside Assistance, free scheduled maintenance for 4 years/50,000 miles.

Weight in Pounds: 3,770.

Maximum Payload in Pounds: Not Available.

Maximum Gross Vehicle Weigh in Pounds: Not Available.

Towing Capacity in Pounds: Not Applicable.

Gas Tank Capacity in Gallons: 16.4.

Destination Charge: $720