A fashionable coupé from Mercedes-Benz with a diesel engine! Only a few years ago it would have been unthinkable, but now it's very much a fact of life.
The new CLK coupé range was launched on the Irish market last week and one of its big sellers is going to be the 270CDi version, with a five-cylinder 2,685cc engine with 170bhp.
At €62,250 ex-works or €65,475 ex-works with automatic transmission, the 270CDi has been hailed as the range's most exciting arrival.
With turbocharging and common-rail technology, Mercedes claim 42.2mpg fuel economy, getting to 60mph in around nine seconds - and a top speed of over 140mph.
The CLK comes from the same platform that spawned the Sports Coupé and the C-Class saloon and estate, and it will underpin the next SLK - due to make its Irish debut in the spring of 2004. It's a platform that is generous in length and the extra dimensions have been put to good use, freeing large amounts of rear leg and shoulder room. The rear seat space is distinctly unusual for a coupé.
The CLK line-up starts in price at €53,540 ex-works for the 200 Kompressor. For the first time, there are two V8 versions, the 500 and the 55AMG, with ex-works prices of €86,900 and €117,150.
Irish customers have a choice of six engines and three transmission variants. First models available here are the CLK 240 and 320, with the others following later in the year.
Several hi-tech features from the S-Class are options including Distronic radar-assisted cruise control, Linguatronic voice activation for the radio and telephone, and bi-xenon headlamps.
Bill Duffy, sales manager here for Mercedes-Benz admits that once again it's the familiar story of demand far exceeding supply. "We have an allocation of 260 cars for the rest of the year and we are completely sold out. Irish Mercedes-Benz customers are having a love affair with coupés."