Mercedes-Benz lifts lid on new CLK Cabrio

By Neil McDonald

MERCEDES-BENZ may have come up with the perfect compromise for Indonesian buyers looking for open-top motoring -- the new CLK Cabrio.

Although PT Star Motors, the local assembler and importer, has brought in about 35 SLKs -- the sporty drop-top two seater -- there are doubts over further imports due to government concern that the car is unsuitable for the Indonesian market.

Now with the CLK hardtop expected to arrive here next year without encountering such problems -- despite the two door configuration, the CLK is a four-seater -- the way may also be open for future imports of the CLK Cabrio.

It combines the wind-in-the-hair motoring offered in the SLK but with four-seat capacity.

It also continues the carmaker's push to present a more youthful image.

The CLK Cabrio, built on the same wheelbase as the hardtop, gets its first official airing at the Geneva motor show in March 1998. It goes on sale in Europe from July.

There is likely to be a choice of 2.0-liter four-cylinder, 2.3-liter Kompressor or 3.2-liter V6 engines in either Sport or Elegance trim levels.

The 2.0-liter engine develops a maximum power of 100kW, the Kompressor 142kW and the V6 160kW.

All three engines drive the rear wheels through Mercedes' adaptive five-speed automatic transmission.

The car will come packed with a host of safety and high-tech features, among them brake assist which helps stop the car in a shorter distance in an emergency, front and side air bags, antilock brakes and traction control.

The front passenger seat also has an air bag sensor to prevent deployment if it is unoccupied, and "intelligent" rear headrests that pop up in the event of a rollover.

The top is fully electric and disappears in a matter of seconds.

With the lid up, the trunk has a usable 377 liters of luggage space. With the top down, it is reduced to 238 liters.

The rear deck cover for the roof mechanism features two "power domes" behind the rear headrests, mimicking the styling of the classic D-Type Jaguars and some early Porsches.

Like the rest of the CLK range, the Cabrio has the new smart ignition key, an active maintenance reminder and longer oil change intervals, stretched to about 20,000km.

The Cabrio's V6 3.2-liter engine is plucked from the E-Class, while the 2.0-liter and 2.3-liter Kompressor comes direct from the C-Class and SLK.