The next CLK-Class is now testing in icy Sweden. Worldcarfans.com can confirm this, and so can you, by glancing to the image above. We’ve certainly seen it before testing in Stuttgart, but now is the chance of icy Sweden.
What news on this CLK? Since you already know pretty much everything – range of engines, drivetrain, possible 4Matic AWD, gadgets and so on, perhaps you’d like to know what sort of hat it will sport? It seems bucking the trend is the new Merc way, with a soft-top roof coming in later in time for summer 2009. This at a time when main rival BMW is doing things the hard way, so to speak, with coupe cabriolets that were best known in Mercedes-Benz productions such as SL and SLK.
On top of this we have computer renderings which show the possible look of the completed car. Here you can make out how the current S-Class has influenced everything else below it, even though S herself bears smoother lines all around, as opposed to sharp, pointy shapes of C, SL, CL and now CLK.
CLK has always had the greatest sporting potential of all four-plus seater Mercs. So Merc will offer the Advanced Agility pack on this too, which greatly improves cornering ability and helps in making the cars very unMerc. DTM? Black Series? Foregone conclusion.
New Mercedes CLK-Class: Latest Illustrations
2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK Gets Swedish Slip
2009 CLK Caught Testing in Sweden
By Thami Masemola
February 8, 2008 6:08 PM
Filed Under: Artist Renderings, German, Mercedes-Benz, Spy Photos
Comments
worldcarfan87
February 8, 2008 6:27 PM
hope it's a bit better than this. as usually for an artists rendering, it doesnt really look that cohesive. and of all the renderings of the next e & clk class, im tired to people just taking headlamp units from the new c/s-class and slicing them in two!
AmazingJerry
February 8, 2008 7:31 PM
Look at the last photo of the front closely. Looks like the headlamps are split to me...
kjmdesign
February 8, 2008 8:21 PM
Lot's of 3 series dna in the profile. I hope the production version has an identity of its own.
Penner
February 8, 2008 8:28 PM
you guys must be kidding... the SL you call ugly and this is nice though?! The CL and the new SL are the only Mercedes to buy...
Kaamraan
February 8, 2008 8:43 PM
THANK YOU! Like the first one to notice that this looks like a Mercedes-Benz GS430 or something!
super_car_muscle_man
February 8, 2008 9:57 PM
lol with a new 3 series coupe rear? although it does look good from the back. not too keen on the front though...
ck314
February 8, 2008 10:44 PM
This is just a rendering, but sliced squared headlights would look much better than the old oval scheme, and I'm sure MB's designers would avoid any obvious ressemblance with Lexus' GS series. Unlike Jaguar...
wjaprep
February 8, 2008 11:03 PM
i hope they put the grille on it like the w208 clk had and offer the griller the current clk has as an option like on the new C class.
xtyclark
February 8, 2008 11:03 PM
Mercedes grill, Honda lights, 3 series side profile, and Pontiac G6 "C" pillar. This car is revolting. Did Mercedes hire Chris Bangle?
Bangle didn't move BMW into the future with his designs and this kind of car looks something a home ec teacher would think was cool. Maybe Bangle or one of his believers has set out to ruin Mercedes. Follow Audi not BMW when it comes to design guys. BMW is just now starting starting to tone down some of their flames surfacing. Anyone who chooses this car over the Audi S5 or 335i is clearly not concerned about design. They just want a three point star up front.
kevoluetion
February 9, 2008 12:34 AM
What is wrong with this picture? Lexus headlights as some of you guys already pointed out. Merc designs are going downhill but hey its a Merc, people will still buy it no matter how bad it looks. The SL is a shocker too.
AUDI ALL THE WAY!!!! Audi should now be the leading luxury brand. Open your eyes people! They are better in styling and quality.
Audi_fan
February 9, 2008 2:48 AM
why the hell do the ruin their cars? ok this is photoshop but i expect the new CLK to be as ugly as this one! Bring the round lights back again!!!!!
carcrazy1234
February 9, 2008 4:18 AM
hmm... looks like a gs430 lexus in the front and a es350 lexus in the back lol just a little stretched out and minor changes...very original thankfully these are illustrations
The_woo_factor
February 9, 2008 7:22 AM
Again, I have to agree with what kevoluetion said. This car is a lexus copy. Shame on you MB!
designerr
February 9, 2008 7:42 AM
its just a photoshop rendering but i think its much better than new facelift for c-coupe and SL.I HOPE
Ferrariguy
February 9, 2008 10:01 AM
Aside from some, german car designs are going to hell. First BMW, now MB will join them. Only Audi, and in some aspects Porsche (besides that hideous upcoming sedan) is doing a finer job.
kedoya
February 9, 2008 11:33 AM
The Front is a lexus, the back reminds the BMW 3 Coupe back.. It looks great Tho',... did the artists forgot about the turn indicator in the side view mirror.. ;-)
xLumino
February 9, 2008 2:58 PM
I don't understand, why you often quote it a Bangle-design. He has a completely different style and his design leaded to the future. Maybe it was just to radical with the E65...
other then: I think Mercedes design make the CLK much different to these photoshops. the headlights might be drew as one shape and not splitted. That will only be the face of the new e-class. The trend will be edged singlecovers for the lights. Of course, the photoshop shows a Lexus GS-styled front...Mercedes will not copy any aspects, I'm sure. (In respect to own style and Lexus)
Oh, and I like the backdesign. only the c-pillar will not fit the elegance of it
gadroma
February 9, 2008 9:34 PM
I cant wait to order one does anyone know when Mercedes-Benz will start to accept orders? :-)
Marsman
February 9, 2008 10:23 PM
WHat a bad photoshop it doesnt have the mirror turn light indicators and has a dual exhaust when the spy car doesnt
unknown
February 10, 2008 2:29 AM
wcf photoshops never look anything close to the real thing so don't count on it.
iain
February 10, 2008 7:27 PM
Whoever did those is better at using Photoshop than he is at interpreting the spyshots - the headlamps will have curved edges, not parallelograms.
wisp
February 11, 2008 7:18 AM
Merc were serious on their intepretation of innovation being "pirate borrowing" other car makers designs. In this car i see a
1.lexus 300 split head light design. 2.I can bet my life that this car also the 7 series i drive innovation, 3 series side profile. 3. It has stolen the Hyundai Sonatarear both in bumper and rear lights. 4. merc is finished, and there is no way this car will be able to compete with the 335i and S5.
End of a 3 point star era.Is merc now owned by a Chinese company?
wisp
February 11, 2008 7:25 AM
Who ever thinks that Audi are doing a good job at designing is stuck in medieval times. The Audi car design is definately becoming boring, i mean what graet feat is in squaring of curves? Infact the Audi grill is a cheap rip of the Volvo snort. I mean what joy is there in using the same front and engines and now recently the interior too in all the Audi range. You buy one youve bought all of the except the R8 and probably the Q7 that already has started to look outdated compared to it's rivals.
ck314
February 11, 2008 11:54 PM
Being stuck in the past would mean keeping the same old dull scheme with too much curves and no alternative angles to balance the whole design. Have you even seen an S5 with 19 wheels in person? However it's true the Q7 is quite a mess, it already looked outdated and ill-proportioned when launched.
Ferrariguy
February 14, 2008 6:37 AM
Besides, looks are subjective!! New RS6 design owns anything BMW and upcoming MB has to offer in that segment. The current E63 design is classic, but that will change.
fireblade
February 14, 2008 8:47 AM
Fugly. Yeesh, looks like it got hit by the ugly stick a thousand times.
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