Looking squat, mean and aggressive (the car, not the model), this is the new Mercedes CLC. And although the CLC is based on the current C-class-derived Sports Coupe, Merc hopes that the 1100 new or revised components will make the car a serious challenger to the BMW 1-series coupe.
It certainly looks slicker than the current car, and with C-class inspired styling it looks smarter than today’s stumpy model. Equipped with a Sport pack bodykit, lowered suspension, 18-inch wheels and darkened headlights, the new CLC has something of the CL65 AMG about it.
The CLC will be unveiled at Berlin Fashion week which starts on 27 January 2007, so we’ll be able to get model Eva Padberg out of the way and see the rest of the car.
CLC: the timetable
The CLC will go on sale in the UK from June 2008, offering the cheapest entry into the Merc coupe family. Prices are expected to start at just over £20,000.
Technical highlights include ‘new direct steering for even more nimble handling of bends’, Merc’s multimedia Comand system, and fuel consumption that’s up to 11 percent better than on the current model. Whether it’s enough for the ageing platform to better the BMW remains to be seen. CAR will have the definitive verdict this spring when we get to drive the car.