The CLK350 Coupe ($44,100) and Cabriolet ($56,100) are powered by a 3.5-liter V6, which develops 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.

Standard features include leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control with pollen and dust filter, 10-way adjustable power seats with three memory settings, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and Sirius satellite radio. Black-stained ash wood trim is standard, and more traditional burl walnut is available as a no-charge option. The Cabriolet features a fully automatic, heavily insulated convertible top.

The CLK550 Coupe ($56,800) and Cabriolet ($64,800) get the 5.5-liter engine that generates 382 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque.

Options are grouped in packages: Premium 1 and 2. Exact content and price vary with the model. On the CLK350 Coupe, Premium 1 ($3,100) includes auto-dimming mirrors, a programmable built-in garage door opener, a premium harman/kardon stereo with six-CD changer and a glass sunroof. Premium 2 ($4,140) adds turning bi-xenon headlights with washers and a heated windshield washer system.

Stand-alone options include a navigation system combined with on-screen control for the stereo and air conditioning ($2,320), wood and leather steering wheel ($560), active ventilated front seats ($730), electronic trunk closer ($540), and Keyless Go push-button starting ($1,130).

Safety features that come on all CLKs include multi-stage front-impact airbags. Coupes get front passenger side-impact airbags that protect the torso, and curtain-style head protection airbags for both front and rear passengers. The convertibles combine both torso and head protection in the same side-impact airbags. The also feature pop-up rollbars that automatically deploy if the electronics sense a pending rollover. TeleAid accident notification is standard. Side-impact airbags for the rear passengers are optional ($400). Anti-lock brakes (ABS) with emergency Brake Assist and Electronic Stability Control are standard.