CLK-Class (W208) 1998-2002: CLK 200, CLK 230K, CLK 320, CLK 430 [Coupes & Cabriolets]

CLK - based on CL class or E class?

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Old Nov 7, 2006 | 04:08 PM
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01 CLK
CLK - based on CL class or E class?

As the title reads, is the CLK based on E class or CL class? Appropriate explanation would be helpful.

i was under the impression that CLK is CL Kompressor??? No?
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Old Nov 7, 2006 | 04:56 PM
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None of the CLK's come with the supercharger (Kompressor in German). CLK stands for Coupe Leicht Kurtz and the literal translation is Coupe/Light/Short. Don't know if that stands up or not b/c at ~3800lbs, its hardly 'light', but it is a shorter wheel base (than the CL) and is definitely a coupe.
Another way to look at it:
C - C Class; The same way you have A, B, C, E, G, R and S classes.
L - Luxuswagen; Luxury car; The refined version of the standard class; That's why you have CL, GL and SL classes.
K - Kurz; The shortened version of all the above; That's why you have CLK and SLK classes. I think of it as a shortened version of the CL.
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Old Nov 7, 2006 | 05:31 PM
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Originally Posted by bbearden
None of the CLK's come with the supercharger (Kompressor in German). CLK stands for Coupe Leicht Kurtz and the literal translation is Coupe/Light/Short. Don't know if that stands up or not b/c at ~3800lbs, its hardly 'light', but it is a shorter wheel base (than the CL) and is definitely a coupe.
Another way to look at it:
C - C Class; The same way you have A, B, C, E, G, R and S classes.
L - Luxuswagen; Luxury car; The refined version of the standard class; That's why you have CL, GL and SL classes.
K - Kurz; The shortened version of all the above; That's why you have CLK and SLK classes. I think of it as a shortened version of the CL.
Hey, I never knew that. I did read that AMG (whatever they translate to) stands for the two guys that 'invented' or perfected performance parts/engines for Mercedes and the town that they are from. Can you shed some light on the translation of AMG?
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Old Nov 7, 2006 | 05:42 PM
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Originally Posted by bbearden
None of the CLK's come with the supercharger (Kompressor in German). CLK stands for Coupe Leicht Kurtz and the literal translation is Coupe/Light/Short. Don't know if that stands up or not b/c at ~3800lbs, its hardly 'light', but it is a shorter wheel base (than the CL) and is definitely a coupe.
Another way to look at it:
C - C Class; The same way you have A, B, C, E, G, R and S classes.
L - Luxuswagen; Luxury car; The refined version of the standard class; That's why you have CL, GL and SL classes.
K - Kurz; The shortened version of all the above; That's why you have CLK and SLK classes. I think of it as a shortened version of the CL.
Are you some kind of genius? I never knew that either.
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Old Nov 7, 2006 | 05:51 PM
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Originally Posted by bbearden
None of the CLK's come with the supercharger (Kompressor in German).
I hate to be picky as you provided a nice explanation but I think you're just forgetting about supercharged euro CLK230's and the like.
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Old Nov 7, 2006 | 08:37 PM
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My bad on that one, yeah the non-US models do have kompressors. As for the AMG question, you are right. AMG stands for Hans Werner Aufrecht (A) and Erhard Melcher (M) who founded the company at the Old Mill in Burgstall near Grossaspach (G), the birthplace of Hans Werner Aufrecht.
It is the performance tuning division of Mercedes-Benz.
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Old Nov 7, 2006 | 09:37 PM
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CLK 430 Coupe
well I thought the E was redesigned in like '94 or '96 and the CLK came our (very similar looking) in '98 and the CL came out in like '99 or '00. so it was my understanding that the CLK was based on the E class. Are my assumptions incorrect?
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Old Nov 7, 2006 | 10:25 PM
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Who's to say you are wrong, it does share many similarities. I like to think of it as a hybrid between the E class and the CL class (although the new style CL came out later).
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Old Nov 7, 2006 | 11:36 PM
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Sounds like some of you need this book:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mercedes-CLK-SLK...QQcmdZViewItem


Product Description
Prompted by the success of the MX-5 the SLK was based on a chopped C-class platform designed to include the Vario retractable steel roof and shown as a concept car in 1994. Full production began two years later but the UK only got the flagship model with a 193bhp, 2.3-litre supercharged engine with automatic gearbox. It was not until 2000 that the six-cylinder engine was used mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.


With this came body styling changes. The CLK was also based on the C-class platform but came with four seats and looking very similar to the E-class. It quickly went from the 2.3 to the 3.2 engine. Then came a cabriolet version. Mercedes kept up the pressure by introducing the CLK430 coupé with a 4.3-litre V8.


EDIT: This one seems like it would work too: http://cgi.ebay.com/MERCEDES-BENZ-CL...QQcmdZViewItem


Last edited by The Jury; Nov 7, 2006 at 11:39 PM.
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Old Nov 8, 2006 | 10:46 AM
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CLK 430 Coupe
very interesting thanks man


bbearden
Who's to say you are wrong, it does share many similarities. I like to think of it as a hybrid between the E class and the CL class (although the new style CL came out later).
Yesterday 08:37 PM



there was an older CL? I didn't know that
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Old Nov 8, 2006 | 11:46 AM
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I always thought the CLK was based on the C class, and not the E class or CL class. It has the same wheelbase as the old C class, so I think its the same chassis.... I think they just styled it similar to the E class (thank god!) but I wouldn't consider it an E class coupe....
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Old Nov 8, 2006 | 11:48 AM
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yeah the older CL looked alot more like a S class. See pic below:
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