Mercedes-Benz C209
Encyclopedia
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
C209/A209 cars have been produced since 2002. They are sold under the CLK-Class
Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
The Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class is a mid-size rear-wheel drive coupé/convertible . While it was based on the W202 and W203 platforms of the C-Class, its styling cues, engine, and price range are closer to that of the E-Class, with Mercedes-Benz slotting the CLK as a coupé version of the W210 and W211...
model names. The C209/A209 is based on the W203 C-Class
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a compact executive car produced by the Mercedes-Benz division of Daimler AG. First introduced in 1993 as a replacement for the 190 range , the C-Class was the smallest model in the marque's lineup until the 1997 arrival of the A-Class...
. It replaced the C208
Mercedes-Benz C208
The Mercedes-Benz C208/A208 cars were produced from 1998 through 2003. They were sold under the CLK-Class model names. The C208 was a new model based on the W202 C-Class...
CLK-Class after 2004 which were the first car to carry the CLK moniker.
The C209/A209 is available in two body styles, a coupe (C209) and a cabriolet (A209), and is manufactured with diesel and petrol engines ranging from four-cylinder (CLK200) to eight-cylinder (CLK500 and CLK63AMG). The cabriolet (Designated with an A, as in CLK500A) features a fully automatic retractable soft top covered by a metal tonneau that can be raised and lowered from outside the vehicle using the key fob.
A CLK AMG DTM was produced as a MY2006 in both a coupe and later cabriolet model. Styling cues were taken from the C-Class race car used for the German Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters racing series. The car includes a wider body, rear wing spoiler, carbon fiber accents, and upgraded suspension.
Market position and competitors
The CLK is designed to fill the mid-luxury market position for coupes and convertibles. It is Mercedes-Benz’s only 4-seat cabriolet. Its direct competitors in the cabriolet market are the Volvo C70Volvo C70
The Volvo C70 is a luxury automobile manufactured by Volvo Cars in two generations: the first from model years 1997-2002 as coupé and from 1999 to 2006 as a softtop convertible...
and the Lexus SC430, although it is available with larger engines than any of its direct competitors. The CLK is positioned midway between the BMW 3 series coupe/cabriolet and the BMW 6 series coupe/cabriolet.
Characteristics
The Electronic Stability Control
Electronic Stability Control
Electronic stability control is a computerized technology that may potentially improve the safety of a vehicle's stability by detecting and minimizing skids. When ESC detects loss of steering control, it automatically applies the brakes to help "steer" the vehicle where the driver intends to go...
(ESP) and Anti-lock braking system
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
(ABS) are both aids to handling, making such feats as a 90’ degree turn on a typical two lane intersection from 50 mi/h possible using simple hard braking and turning with no significant fishtailing. The ESP system cannot be turned off - it makes intentional high-power fishtailing impossible without using a factory test protocol that end-users generally cannot enable.
Each model seats four and in the US this includes an all-leather interior with burl walnut trim. For Europe the models are available as "Elegance" and "Avantgarde" essentially, basically 'Luxury' or 'Attitude' specification where the Elegance uses Burr Walnut trim and polished alloy wheels and the Avantgarde uses alloy trim and chunkier wheels. Also there is the Sport upgrade package for the Avantgarde, with 18" Alloys and an interior upgrade. Finally there is also the "Sport" (UK only) - an 'AMG' version from factory for the 280 V6 petrol, 220 4 cyl diesel and the 320 V6 diesel (though not an AMG engine) trimmed (including 18" AMG alloys and wider rear track, suspension set-up, sport/tiptronic/manual gear options, body styling, paddle shifts, sports exhausts, etc.) and made available from 2005/06. The price and specification for European models is otherwise the same. The 4 cyl. cars wear 16" wheels, while the CLK320, CLK350 and CLK500 come with 17 inch (432 mm) alloy wheels, the CLK55 AMG sports 18" (457 mm). The cabriolets have a remote-operated automatic soft-top and sensor-controlled roll bars. Since its introduction, all US cars come standard with a Tele Aid emergency assistance system, automatic dual-zone air conditioning, 10-way power front seats and rain-sensing windshield wipers. Seven-channel digital surround sound comes standard. A Keyless Go system, navigation system, Parktronic system, and bi-xenon HID headlamps are all available as options. All models come with four side airbags. European cars differ considerably and are usually specced depending on the buyer's needs.
The cars have a manual sport/comfort mode switch that sets the automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
to start in 2nd gear and shift earlier in comfort mode. With the new 7-speed transmission, the car is about 20% more fuel-efficient compared to the 5-speed, with no loss of performance. In the CLK500, at 80 mi/h, the 5-speed transmission runs at about 3000 rpm, while the 7-speed runs at about 2200 rpm. In the AMG model, the transmission can be set to remain longer in lower gears for higher performance.
The 5-speed CLK500 gets an average of 15mpg in city driving conditions, whereas the 7-speed CLK550 get an average of about 18mpg under the same conditions. Both add about 3mpg for highway driving.
The C209/A209 CLK-Class is 2.4 inches (61 mm) longer, 0.7 inches (18 mm) wider and 1.1 inch (28 mm) higher than its predecessor.
- The CLK200 Kompressor featured a 1.8 L, 16-valve single overhead cam (SOHC)and a five-speed
automatic transmission. The base price is US$36,000 for the coupé and US$44,500 for the cabriolet.
The CLK200 Kompressor was introduced in 2003-2007.
- The CLK320 featured a 3.2 L, 18-valve single overhead cam (SOHC) V6 engine and a five-speed automatic transmission. The base price is US$46,000 for the coupé and US$53,600 for the cabriolet. The CLK320 was replaced by the CLK350 for 2006.
- The CLK350 features a 3.5 L, 24-valve dual overhead cam (DOHC) V6 engine and a seven-speed automatic transmission. The base price is US$45,750 for the coupé and US$53,700 for the cabriolet.
- The CLK500 features a 5.0 L, 24-valve SOHC V8 engine and a seven-speed automatic transmission. The base price is US$54,600 for the coupé and US$62,200 for the cabriolet. The CLK500 was replaced by the CLK550 for 2007.
- The CLK550 features a 5.5L 32-valve V-8 engine and a seven-speed automatic transmission. The base price is US$55,675 for the coupé.
- The CLK55 AMG features a 5.4 L, 24-valve SOHC V8 engine and a 5-speed automatic transmission. The base price is US$69,900 for the coupé and US$82,000 for the cabriolet. The CLK55 AMG coupé was dropped in North America after the 2005 model year, though the cabriolet is still offered. The CLK55 was replaced by the CLK63 for 2007.
- The CLK63 AMG features a 6.2L V8 with a seven-speed automatic transmission. Available in both Coupé and Cabriolet, the CLK63 has 481 hp (354 kW) and 465 lb·ft (630 newton m) of torque. Compared to its predecessor the CLK63 has 31% more power and 23% more torque. The CLK63 was used as the Safety CarSafety carIn motorsport, a safety car or pace car is a car which limits the speed of competing cars on a racetrack in the case of a caution period such as an obstruction on the track. During a caution period the safety car enters the track ahead of the leader...
in the 2006 and 2007 Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
World Championships. It accelerates from 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds.
In Europe there was also the CLK 200 K (1.8 R4), CLK 220 CDI (2.1 R4 diesel), CLK 240 (2.6 V6), CLK 270 CDI (2.7 R5 diesel), CLK 280 (3.0 V6), CLK 320 CDI (3.0 V6 diesel); (all standard with 6-speed manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
7 speed optional, then 7 speed standard automatic transmission from 2005/06)
2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK55 AMG cabriolet
2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK55 AMG cabriolet
Black Series
Engines
| Model | Year | Engine Type (code) | Power, torque@rpm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol engines | |||
| 200 K | 2002–2006 | 1796 cc I4 supercharged (M271 E18 ML) | 163 PS, 240 newton metres (177 ft·lbf) |
| 200 K | 2007– | 1796 cc I4 supercharged (M271 E18 ML) | 184 PS, 250 newton metres (184.4 ft·lbf) |
| 200 CGI | 2003–2005 | 1796 cc I4 supercharged (M271 DE18 ML) | 170 PS, 240 newton metres (177 ft·lbf) |
| 240 | 2002–2005 | 2597 cc V6 (M112 E 26) | 170 PS, 240 newton metres (177 ft·lbf) |
| 280 | 2005- | 2996 cc V6 (M272 E 30) | 231 PS, 300 newton metres (221.3 ft·lbf) |
| 320 | 2002–2005 | 3199 cc V6 (M112 E 32) | 218 PS, 315 newton metres (232.3 ft·lbf) |
| 350 | 2005- | 3498 cc V6 (M272 E 35) | 272 PS, 350 newton metres (258.1 ft·lbf) |
| 500 | 2002–2006 | 4966 cc V8 (M113 E 50) | 306 PS, 460 newton metres (339.3 ft·lbf) |
| 550 | 2006- | 5461 cc V8 (M273 E 55) | 388 PS, 530 newton metres (390.9 ft·lbf) |
| 55 AMG | 2002–2006 | 5439 cc V8 (M113 E 55) | 367 PS, 510 newton metres (376.2 ft·lbf) |
| 63 AMG | 2006- | 6208 cc V8 (M156 E 63) | 481 PS, 630 newton metres (464.7 ft·lbf) |
| 63 AMG Black Series | 2007–2009 | 6208 cc V8 (M156 E 63) | 507 PS, 630 newton metres (464.7 ft·lbf) |
| DTM AMG | 2005–2006 | 5439 cc V8 (M113 E 55) | 582 PS, 800 newton metres (590 ft·lbf) |
| Diesel engines | |||
| 220 CDI | 2005–2009 | 2148 cc I4 (OM646 DE 22 LA) | 150 PS, 340 newton metres (250.8 ft·lbf) |
| 270 CDI | 2002–2005 | 2685 cc I5 (OM612 DE 27 LA) | 170 PS, 400 newton metres (295 ft·lbf) |
| 320 CDI | 2005- | 2987 cc V6 (OM642 DE 30 LA) | 224 PS, 415 newton metres (306.1 ft·lbf)/510 newton metres (376.2 ft·lbf) |
Comfort and convenience
Mercedes-Benz concentrates its ergonomic design engineering efforts on subtle luxuries, such as seat-belt presenters, automatically lowering headrests when the seat is moved back so that it’s in the correct position for tall drivers, and lowering the passenger side mirror to show the curb when the car is in reverse.More obvious conveniences include automatically dimming mirrors, in-dash navigation instructions, steering wheel control of audio system, iPod, and integrated telephone system, and cornering fog lamps that illuminate the road when you turn in the same direction as the turn indicators signal.
Model changes
The 2005 update included the MOST (Media Oriented Serial Transport) media system used in the rest of the Mercedes Benz line, bringing along a significantly upgrade DVD based navigation system and iPod integration as optional features. The 2006 included an improved 3.5-liter 6-cylinder engine and added the steering wheel shift paddles from the AMG model to the CLK500.
The CLK was replaced by the Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe and cabriolet in 2009.
Motorsports
- The CLK 63 AMG was used as the Safety CarSafety carIn motorsport, a safety car or pace car is a car which limits the speed of competing cars on a racetrack in the case of a caution period such as an obstruction on the track. During a caution period the safety car enters the track ahead of the leader...
in the 2006 and 2007 Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
World Championships, replacing the previously used SLK 55 AMG.