We've described the Sports Coupe as 'ungainly', but that's probably the last adjective you'd use for the CLK. The press pack calls it 'elegance and dynamic progression' and, you know, I think I can see what they're getting at. The curvaceous profile has been further enhanced by the lack of B-pillars, allowing the front and rear side windows to retract fully, creating a very tidy effect. With the windows shut the CLK is aerodynamic too, boasting a Cd figure of 0.28, way lower than the previous version.

The new CLK is also 40 per cent stiffer than the old one, despite the removal of those B-pillars, and typically there is no sign of scuttle-shake at all. Thank the specially strengthened sills for that. The flip side is that this extra metal shows up on the scales, the new car weighing about 100kg more than the outgoing model - though it is a bit bigger and carries new standard features including extra airbags.

Rightly proud of the CLK's style, Mercedes obviously decided that one small bonnet badge just wasn't enough so they slapped another huge, bulbous three-pointed star onto the grille. Shame that this incongruous roundel is reminiscent of the Comic Relief red noses of the early 1990s and draws your eye away from the rest of the body.

There's nothing comic about the interior though - it's all very cool (especially if the windows are down). The stylists have clearly been working hard in here, particularly with the dash. It's smart, clear and formed from high quality plastics, two-tone leather and, in our Avantgarde-spec test car, smart aluminium strips in place of the usual wood trim. It's roomy, comfortable and ultimately a very nice place to be.

The keyless ignition first seen in the S-class means that the 5-litre V8 is awoken merely by pressing the button atop the gearlever. This storming engine delivers a stout 306bhp at 5600rpm and also boasts a fat, flat torque curve with 339lb ft served up all the way from 2700 to 4250rpm. It's discreet power though; from inside, the rich, muscular soundtrack has been muted almost to S-class levels and, despite those frameless windows, wind noise is just a whisper, even at 150mph. On the autobahn this serenity meant that we were usually travelling considerably faster than we thought. However, we found that if you lower the rear windows you get a full stereo blast of wonderful V8 war cry. And since this engine is built from start to finish by just one person, it seemed rude not to enjoy their labours.

The only transmission choice for the 500 is the five-speed 'Touchshift' automatic, which features a strange alternative to the usual manual override option. When in Drive, you move the selector to the left and hold it there, then the electronics calculate whether you need to drop down more than one gear. Unfortunately it's a little clumsy, slow and awkward to use, and the centre console baulks your arm as you move it horizontally. Best, then, to leave the 'box in D and use the kickdown.

Once off the autobahns and onto the mountainous, twisty roads around Gelslingen, the gearbox's awkwardness was further highlighted: the car's ECU realises you're pushing on and very noticeably improves throttle response, making the slow selection even more apparent. These same sinuous roads also highlighted the reactions of the speed-sensitive steering, which isn't as sharp as we'd like. The weighting is okay and feel is reasonable, but the overriding impression is that it doesn't really want to get stuck into a good series of bends.

Our car had the optional sports suspension, lowering the ride by 15mm with tauter spring and damper settings but the ride on standard 17-inch wheels is still well controlled and most bumps barely register inside the cabin. M-B aimed to improve ride comfort by swapping the usual double-wishbone front suspension for a new three-link set-up and evidently it's worked.

For full-on cornering, though, it's a bit too soft. The weight of that big engine is very obvious and understeer quickly builds, though the engineers have attempted to hide it by ensuring that the ESP stability control cuts in early. Ultimately it feels as if the car wants you to slow down.
The potential seems to be there, however, and there are enough pointers to suggest that the 367bhp AMG55 version will be a real tour de force when it arrives in September. With bigger wheels, stiffer suspension and anti-roll bars, and steering wheel-mounted gearshift paddles, it may well add the missing evoness to the package.

But if desire forms the basis of coupe sales, then you don't need to drive the CLK to know that it'll sell. Combining sleek understatement with an alluring quality aura, the feel-good factor is strong. When Mercedes says that the average age of the intended CLK buyer is 50, suddenly it all falls into place. The CLK500 is a decent enough car, and I know my dad would love it.