Best Shots yet of New Mercedes CLK Replacement/E Class Coupe Caught

all of the new mercs look crap, but this... this actually looks good! maybe merc have finally got their act together after bangle scared them ****less?

An E-Styled C-Class Coupe... uhm... quite a mess, but still, very good looking!

Good despite that wanna-be "piping" and cheapy diffusor.

This car is based on a E-Class platform I'm sure, not a C. I'm sure it's gonna look great though. It's gonna have LED "daytime driving lamps" like the Audis. You can see them through the "mesh cover" at the bottom of the front bumper. Gonna be interesting. I heard a rumour though that there won't be an AMG model in this class due to lack of sales. Has anyone else heard this??

All I want to know is when Mercedes-Benz will release the order number for this model. I need to order it before my 50th birthday in Feb next year. I wonder if it will be premired at the Paris car show in October. Can't wait to see this model without its rubber clothing :-) If anyone has any inside info on release date please post it on this forum.

To jackjack: All of the reading I've done consistently says the platform will come from the current C-Class even though this model will be badged as an E-Class Coupe. Before the CLK line name existed years ago, Mercedes used to shorten the chassis from the (then) E-Class sedan to make it small enough to be a coupe. Using the C-Class platform will save Benz money by eliminating the need for yet another platform or platform alteration. That is my understanding.

as far as i can see, the car will be really sweeeeeet

It will be really sweet, absolutely. But, at this stage, does anyone else recognize the striking resemblance to the ACURA RL!?!?!?!?

This car must be named "ELK". Following the W124 legend.

E class coupe ftw. I hope they offer it in a luxury version like the c class so I can get that classic grill.

Wasn't the e-class coupe the CLK?

hmmm im confused... is this a new car in the range or is it replacing something like the cl??

This car looks nice, So Far way Better than the SLC

its clear they are going back to the angular lines of the legendary 124 with both the exterior and interior (as per wcf spy shots)and possibly a more musc look just like the first gen CLK...the 124 and original CLK has not been surpassed by anything E yet, looks like this is set to change..will the coupe be named EC?

I'd take it if it has a six speed, something that will never happen for Mercedes.

? if it is based on the C, mercedes will not attempt to sell it as an E coupe. this will be a marketing disaster and the laughing stock from other brands. conventionally, coupe variants are priced higher than sedans anyways. the design of the coupes can be different, and closer to an E in this case, but i doubt MB will name it a E coupe.

a friend of mine who is a benz dealer has recently been to germany and seen both E and the coupe in finished product, whether its named coupe or clk, the word is it will be a much larger car than the current clk and much closer to the e in size and proportion

The previous CLK-class models are all based on the C-class platform and borrow styling elements from the E-class. Aren't they just going to do the same thing again?

AG4, you are correct. I don't know why it is taking so many people so much to figure this out. It isn't rocket science. You are correct. The CLK coupes have been based on C-Class platforms but have styling elements and marketing more in line with the E-Class. To M!, Benz is only using the platform from the C-Class, but otherwise the styling, pricing, equipment, badging and marketing will be of the E-Class. It really isn't that complex. It's just the platform under neath the sheet metal folks. As Mercedes insiders have already said, they are trying to resurrect the status that the E-Class once had so they will be trying to reinforce the model name as much as possible, thus the dropping of the CLK name.

This will only be a name change from CLK to E-Class coupe. This will follow the SAME recipe that Mercedes has been using with the current CLK name and C-Class chassis. The CLK's are not marketing in the same league as the C-Class and they sell well, despite using the same chassis. Very simple concept. This model has been far from a laughing stock or sales disappointment. In fact, this car is very profitable for Mercedes because the platform comes from and was developed for the cheaper C-Class but is being priced at E-Class levels.