"Why on earth are you testing a 6 year old Merc?"

Enquired a proprietor of the Rola Motor Mall, which has long been my most constant source for quality pre-owned test vehicles. The concise answer? Because I'm in the market for one.

The CLK range was launched by Mercedes in the late 90‘s to offer its more picky customers something between its C– and E–Class, minus two doors and possibly the roof. The coupe role was later assumed by the C–Class Sports Coupe, which meant that the second–gen CLK was elevated more towards the current E–Class. Although based on the foregoing C–Class, the CLK range borrows a lot of kit from the E–Class, including various V6 and V8 engines.

My silver test car was an earlier (pre–facelift) CLK500, meaning it packs a 302hp 5–liter V8 engine, 5 automatic gears, and at R289 950 is incredible bang for your bucks. Hence my keen interest in it. A slight worry was the expiry of its standard 6–year 120 000km motor–plan, which had just fallen victim to the first of its criteria. What made up for this was the under–average mileage of 80–odd thousand, full service history, excellent condition, and back–up from the accompanying Mercedes–Benz dealership, Rola Motors.

The initial impression of the current CLK is that it‘s a bit more delicate than its forefather, and my tester with its light grey interior underlined this. Should you yearn for something more butch, purchase one with the letters AMG in its description. And make sure it‘s black.

The sleek lines and delicate proportions of the exterior complimented the bright interior with its light wood inserts and chrome highlights. Glitter in the creases of the driver‘s door leather and a modified driver‘s vanity mirror further concreted my suspicion that the previous owner was of the fairer sex. And small stature, as the first (of three) memory settings of the electric seat revealed. The SEC–style seatbelt–butlers surely helped her ladyship as well, and perhaps she also put the seat heaters on for any unsuspecting passengers.

Cockpit layout is reasonably simple, but a few buttons (especially on the big CD/radio/Nav/TV unit) took some getting used to. Both TV and navigation refused my advances though, as both were missing vital components that Rola Motors withhold until you‘ve handed over a cheque. Spoilsports. The BOSE sound system had superb clarity and oomph with lots of settings to mess around with, but sometimes overdid the bass a little. Oh snap. Am I getting old?

Anyway, the delicate E–Class dials and curving central dashboard lend more elegance to the interior, which far exceeded my expectations in terms of room and comfort. The two rear seats are absolutely usable, which I tested with my parental units on a return trip to Stellenbosch. Mother Dearest even confirmed another pleasant surprise about the CLK500, when she mentioned that she ‘‘can hear the big engine growling back here‘‘.

The split chrome oval pipe protruding from the car‘s bulbous bottom creates wonderfully resonant vee–eight noises, especially at low revs when the motor digs into its torque reserves. The automatic gearbox swaps its 5 gears cleanly with only slight hesitation, and loves keeping the big engine in its lower rev band. Slightly more throttle presses you backwards like only a V8‘s torque can, while pedal to the metal will eventually produce a roaring forward surge that will get just about any passenger gasping for air. Especially mothers and unsuspecting uncles.

Although the CLK500 is quite a sturdy old gal, overpowering the rear rubber is child‘s play for its five–litre motor. Thankfully Merc‘s fanatical traction control immediately retards the engine‘s power until it feels the situation has been disarmed. Even a de–activated system will eventually foil any attempted hooliganism, much like the gentle interference of the ESP system in wet or slippery conditions.

As it‘s armed with all these electronic nets and pillows, a CLK500 rewards its driver with quite a relaxing and confident driving experience. The weight and size of the big waBenzi does creep into your daily commute in the form of body roll and slightly lethargic reactions, but that doesn‘t mean the car is cumbersome and boring. Quite the opposite actually, the pedals and steering are lightly–weighted and if you keep within its limits the big coupe will happily run circles around most members of traffic.

A slight hick–up would be the consumption read–out which is buried in the comprehensive information displayed inside the speedometer. Daily trips around the Helderberg yielded 17,5 L/100km but I hasten to admit that this involved a lot of low–revving acceleration to get that V8 burbling. Long–distance excursions were more rewarding and I might‘ve seen 12 at some stage. But to put it slightly more crudely, if you have to ask you probably can‘t afford it.

Right, there you have it. The CLK500 is comfortable, spacious, elegant, powerful, and filled with entertainment and safety features. It dislikes speed bumps, swift changes in direction, and has a teeny–weeny drinking problem. But when the mercury rises close to 30 degrees on a clear and wind–still day, you might decide to drop all 4 windows (yes, it‘s a pillar–less coupe) and cruise along your favourite stretch of beach road with Sarah McLachlan serenading the day. The subtle suspension glides along to the V8‘s deep rumble, and suddenly R289 950 sounds like an absolute bargain. What are you waiting for?

Remeber, it's a 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK500 Elegance reviewed here

For

• Elegant and luxurious
• Bags of power
• Safety and comfort features

Against

• Age / motor-plan expired
• Urban cycle consumption