IT'S common knowledge by now that Mercedes-Benz uses the word "coupe"' rather loosely. Witness the upmarket CLS "four-door coupe" ? a very sporty sedan but hardly something you would normally refer to as a two-door model. Then there is the CLC Sports Coupe, which is for all intents and purposes merely a three-door hatchback. It used to be called the C-Class Sports Coupe but it has since been renamed and extensively facelifted.
One thing hasn't changed though; the CLC-Class still uses a platform from the second-generation C-Class, that is, it is based on the previous car ? not the current one. But Mercedes engineers says over 1,100 components have been newly developed or enhanced. For the rest of us, these differences are mostly experienced visually. The CLC has undergone major cosmetic changes. It now sports the same handsome nose of the current third-generation C-Class and a reshaped tail that (thankfully) looks less boat-like.
Inside, the cabin has also been refreshed, with the dashboard, centre console and seats all resembling that of a C-Class sedan. And as with the C-Class, the CLC has a very stylish interior with mostly high-quality materials. Only a couple of bits feel a little plasticky but overall, it is more than acceptable.
Standard equipment includes cruise control with a variable speed limiter and Direct Control suspension, which is slightly stiffer and sportier but has not been lowered otherwise.
Underneath the hood, the CLC 180 Kompressor carries over the familiar 1.8-litre spupercharged engine with the same maximum output of 143 hp. It isn't much but thanks to the car's compact dimensions and agile behaviour, the power plant seems adequate enough.
As an entry-level model in the Mercedes-Benz coupe family, the CLC does without many factory-fitted accessories that are usually associated with a luxury model. Instead, these are available as options, such as Parktronic, an anti-theft alarm system, bi-Xenon headlamps and a Harmon Kardon surround sound system.
But as the most accessible "sports"' model with the three-pointed star, it is still an attractive alternative. It may not be as new and novel as the BMW 1 Series Coupe but it has certainly been well rejuvenated enough to take on its traditional rival. You could say the CLC is in a class of its own
