W208 - What in the hell?
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2001 CLK 320
W208 - What in the hell?
New W208 owner here, first-time Mercedes owner here, and I've just got to say... what in the hell?
I know a decent bit and yet there's a lot for me to learn about Mercedes and these cars, and already: what the hell?
So yes, I am a new W208 owner and there are potentially many years ahead of me for which to speculate and criticize this car, Mercedes, and so on. But already, what the hell?
From a quirk/nerd/enthusiast perspective, look at this thing. In a sense they are modest, even plain; and yet with a set of wheels+tires, and/or a lightly lowered suspension -- they look like all sorts of another beast. There's perhaps almost the ability for one to turn the car from a sedan-counterpart coupe to a sports-cruiser over the matter of seating position and suspension settings. And, it's simply.... Not a W202 Coupe.
Some one recently said to me that I've purchased a "big" Mercedes, but it's not a big car, it's on a C-class frame; perhaps that comes back to the design -- look at this thing. With BMW being the reigning champ of low-sitting cars and Mercedes a bit out of the enthusiast car-guy market, one might overlook the reality that this base sedan-alternative sits and seats lower than your average Toyota or Nissan. And it's got that big, low swooping hood which perhaps amplifies it's actual size and sportiness. And it's not a sports car, because that's the SL500. The --two seat-- SL500... which weighs damn near 4,000 pounds. Some models of the W208 weigh in just over 3,000, my CLK 320 being about 3300lb; but even though it's on the C-class frame, the car is significantly bigger than the SL500. With RWD, the M112 + M113, an automatic transmission, and similar interior aspects, it's interesting that Mercedes made this car. Their choice to use the original C-class frame, less so. Of course it would be more expensive to put it on the E-class frame, and the newer C-class frame might have been too far down the road for them to want to launch it with the CLK, but again I have a lot to learn. OK, so it's on the old C-class frame -- economically, I can appreciate that.
I understand brands like Porsche etc. are a bit more niche than the model lineup/competition between Japanese manufacturers -- or internationally, say Ford vs Toyota vs Chevy -- but like some of other Mercedes cars(in particular their 2-door offerings) -- which often are huge with unuseable space -- the CLK stands out as this bizarro car to me. I think the most sensible way for me to look at it is that it was a cheaper convertible platform -- period -- and that it as a coupe is at least somewhat of an afterthought or branch of market. The SLK was ridiculous and the SL was at a price point. If you wanted a Mercedes convertible that wasn't tiny(and perhaps something more modest-driving than an SL), at the time... this was it. Which makes me look at the coupe in a way more reflective of -- the Volkswagen Corrado, or Z3 Coupe, god damn me to say -- Solara. And it nearly reminds me of driving a 300ZX.
The car has a bit of sports or roadster driver experience driving, which deviates from a formal coupe counterpart on sedan platforms(probably the focal point of my curiosity). And again, competing against BMW, w/ luxury + performance, this might be normal for Mercedes and part of their niche, but the W208 CLK to me might be a car was actually less modest than the intial buyers were. To some degree, they clearly were trying to appease people who couldn't afford or who didn't want to afford an SL, but in combination with saturating the market that might demand a modest, luxury-convertible.
To elaborate on my last couple statements, consider this. You could get even a Camry coupe, or Corolla coupe -- even Nissan Maxima coupe in the early 90's... and they were just a 2-door version of the 4-door. BMW 3 series E30... 2 door or 4 door. BMW 3 series E36 -- 2 door, or 4 door. E46... 2 door, or 4 door. Same overall design. They weren't inherently slung back. The rear cabin wasn't compromised. Yet, this is the case with the CLK. The CLK is NOT without SL elements.
And there's more here -- how about the lineup that Mercedes was offering? Yes, this discussion would point out the bizarreness of several other models, and yes, expensive, auto, and RWD is undeniably somewhat niche, but Mercedes production of coupes during the production of the SL line, or, linear with other coupe production -- is to me quite the topic of it's own.
So, in closing -- for just this one point in time... Mercedes had an E-class looking coupe that wasn't an E-class at all, like, whatsoever. And, not like any C-class either. Expectedly, the CLK's 2nd generation became an iteration of a 2nd generation C-class and thus was dull in reflection of the sedan's design. The first CLK however, with headlamps and tailamps similar to the E-class wagon, is in and out an iteration of it's own. And they stuck in the classy and iconic W210 headlamps which are superior to the headlights of any year R129. And funny enough, they sold more W208's in the few years they made them than they did the R129, despite the R129 being sold from 1989-2001/2002.
The separated dual-headlight design is iconic to me. AFAIK, the separated dual-headlight design the Sacco W209/W210 had, and that of the W215(CL), are rather exclusive to these models. And again, could go into models -- definitely such as the CL and discuss various marketing/design/pricing decisions, but I just wanted to make this post reflecting my own fascination with this car, in relation to it's market presence.
A bit about me: I am 35; I was a paperboy from 11-14. I used to see one of these parked in some one's driveway back then. I would look at it, probably like a confused dog and just couldn't really seperate the distinction between Mercedes models like I could with other cars. This is the 2nd car from my childhood -- which I've purchased in my 30's, and to daily drive -- based on the adorations I had for the cars of my neighborhood, in my youth -- cars which my parents never would have afforded. I looked at a W210 about 3 years ago; gold, 5X-6X,XXX miles, it was beginning to surface rust, and I couldn't come to agreement with the seller but it just stuck with me. Looked at some others. W208 with 40k came up.... rebuilt -- and she's far from perfect, but I went for it. I'll take a 10-foot w208 over no W208. And, to it's credit, I'd probably have to drive a pristine W210 to be able to say I'd take it over the W208. A little curious about the quality of ride/cruising and whatnot vs E-class, but I think with how light this car is and some of the characteristics it has, it is bizarre, unique and cool. Cheers everyone. Hope this W208 forum pipes up and gets a little more busy!!! Now that I finally own a Merc I know I'll be buzzn' around. Happy to hear any opinions on the car! Best y'all
I know a decent bit and yet there's a lot for me to learn about Mercedes and these cars, and already: what the hell?
So yes, I am a new W208 owner and there are potentially many years ahead of me for which to speculate and criticize this car, Mercedes, and so on. But already, what the hell?
From a quirk/nerd/enthusiast perspective, look at this thing. In a sense they are modest, even plain; and yet with a set of wheels+tires, and/or a lightly lowered suspension -- they look like all sorts of another beast. There's perhaps almost the ability for one to turn the car from a sedan-counterpart coupe to a sports-cruiser over the matter of seating position and suspension settings. And, it's simply.... Not a W202 Coupe.
Some one recently said to me that I've purchased a "big" Mercedes, but it's not a big car, it's on a C-class frame; perhaps that comes back to the design -- look at this thing. With BMW being the reigning champ of low-sitting cars and Mercedes a bit out of the enthusiast car-guy market, one might overlook the reality that this base sedan-alternative sits and seats lower than your average Toyota or Nissan. And it's got that big, low swooping hood which perhaps amplifies it's actual size and sportiness. And it's not a sports car, because that's the SL500. The --two seat-- SL500... which weighs damn near 4,000 pounds. Some models of the W208 weigh in just over 3,000, my CLK 320 being about 3300lb; but even though it's on the C-class frame, the car is significantly bigger than the SL500. With RWD, the M112 + M113, an automatic transmission, and similar interior aspects, it's interesting that Mercedes made this car. Their choice to use the original C-class frame, less so. Of course it would be more expensive to put it on the E-class frame, and the newer C-class frame might have been too far down the road for them to want to launch it with the CLK, but again I have a lot to learn. OK, so it's on the old C-class frame -- economically, I can appreciate that.
I understand brands like Porsche etc. are a bit more niche than the model lineup/competition between Japanese manufacturers -- or internationally, say Ford vs Toyota vs Chevy -- but like some of other Mercedes cars(in particular their 2-door offerings) -- which often are huge with unuseable space -- the CLK stands out as this bizarro car to me. I think the most sensible way for me to look at it is that it was a cheaper convertible platform -- period -- and that it as a coupe is at least somewhat of an afterthought or branch of market. The SLK was ridiculous and the SL was at a price point. If you wanted a Mercedes convertible that wasn't tiny(and perhaps something more modest-driving than an SL), at the time... this was it. Which makes me look at the coupe in a way more reflective of -- the Volkswagen Corrado, or Z3 Coupe, god damn me to say -- Solara. And it nearly reminds me of driving a 300ZX.
The car has a bit of sports or roadster driver experience driving, which deviates from a formal coupe counterpart on sedan platforms(probably the focal point of my curiosity). And again, competing against BMW, w/ luxury + performance, this might be normal for Mercedes and part of their niche, but the W208 CLK to me might be a car was actually less modest than the intial buyers were. To some degree, they clearly were trying to appease people who couldn't afford or who didn't want to afford an SL, but in combination with saturating the market that might demand a modest, luxury-convertible.
To elaborate on my last couple statements, consider this. You could get even a Camry coupe, or Corolla coupe -- even Nissan Maxima coupe in the early 90's... and they were just a 2-door version of the 4-door. BMW 3 series E30... 2 door or 4 door. BMW 3 series E36 -- 2 door, or 4 door. E46... 2 door, or 4 door. Same overall design. They weren't inherently slung back. The rear cabin wasn't compromised. Yet, this is the case with the CLK. The CLK is NOT without SL elements.
And there's more here -- how about the lineup that Mercedes was offering? Yes, this discussion would point out the bizarreness of several other models, and yes, expensive, auto, and RWD is undeniably somewhat niche, but Mercedes production of coupes during the production of the SL line, or, linear with other coupe production -- is to me quite the topic of it's own.
So, in closing -- for just this one point in time... Mercedes had an E-class looking coupe that wasn't an E-class at all, like, whatsoever. And, not like any C-class either. Expectedly, the CLK's 2nd generation became an iteration of a 2nd generation C-class and thus was dull in reflection of the sedan's design. The first CLK however, with headlamps and tailamps similar to the E-class wagon, is in and out an iteration of it's own. And they stuck in the classy and iconic W210 headlamps which are superior to the headlights of any year R129. And funny enough, they sold more W208's in the few years they made them than they did the R129, despite the R129 being sold from 1989-2001/2002.
The separated dual-headlight design is iconic to me. AFAIK, the separated dual-headlight design the Sacco W209/W210 had, and that of the W215(CL), are rather exclusive to these models. And again, could go into models -- definitely such as the CL and discuss various marketing/design/pricing decisions, but I just wanted to make this post reflecting my own fascination with this car, in relation to it's market presence.
A bit about me: I am 35; I was a paperboy from 11-14. I used to see one of these parked in some one's driveway back then. I would look at it, probably like a confused dog and just couldn't really seperate the distinction between Mercedes models like I could with other cars. This is the 2nd car from my childhood -- which I've purchased in my 30's, and to daily drive -- based on the adorations I had for the cars of my neighborhood, in my youth -- cars which my parents never would have afforded. I looked at a W210 about 3 years ago; gold, 5X-6X,XXX miles, it was beginning to surface rust, and I couldn't come to agreement with the seller but it just stuck with me. Looked at some others. W208 with 40k came up.... rebuilt -- and she's far from perfect, but I went for it. I'll take a 10-foot w208 over no W208. And, to it's credit, I'd probably have to drive a pristine W210 to be able to say I'd take it over the W208. A little curious about the quality of ride/cruising and whatnot vs E-class, but I think with how light this car is and some of the characteristics it has, it is bizarre, unique and cool. Cheers everyone. Hope this W208 forum pipes up and gets a little more busy!!! Now that I finally own a Merc I know I'll be buzzn' around. Happy to hear any opinions on the car! Best y'all
Last edited by DeLasse; Nov 1, 2023 at 07:48 PM.
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 6,069
Likes: 18
From: Gilbert, AZ
G63, C190 AMG GTC, W209 CLK63 BS, W208 CLK430
Congratulations and welcome!!
Tristan here, with Vivid Racing! I daily a 2000 CLK430 Cabriolet, drift built! you can check out the current build list here -- Show Us Your CLK Thread!
The CLK is an extremely under-rated platform. It is quirky, it can be a headache, but the community is die-hard and willing to do what they can to keep fellow CLKs on the road! The aftermarket for these cars is slim compared to a lot of other platforms, but Benz also put the M113 in everything so a lot of items are cross compatible!
Reach out if you are ever looking for parts to keep the CLK on the road, I'd be happy to help!
Best,
Tristan Shallow
Performance Specialist
Vivid Racing
tristans@vividracing.com
Tristan here, with Vivid Racing! I daily a 2000 CLK430 Cabriolet, drift built! you can check out the current build list here -- Show Us Your CLK Thread!
The CLK is an extremely under-rated platform. It is quirky, it can be a headache, but the community is die-hard and willing to do what they can to keep fellow CLKs on the road! The aftermarket for these cars is slim compared to a lot of other platforms, but Benz also put the M113 in everything so a lot of items are cross compatible!
Reach out if you are ever looking for parts to keep the CLK on the road, I'd be happy to help!
Best,
Tristan Shallow
Performance Specialist
Vivid Racing
tristans@vividracing.com
