clk

The next CLK Cabriolet -- or E-Class Coupe Cabriolet depending on Mercedes' choice of nomenclature -- is out and about, wearing lots of camouflage. While this rendering looks like it could still be pretty accurate, the front fog lights have given way to LED's, which are lit in this latest round of images. The extended trunk deck lid we've seen before, but now we get a close-up and the strong crease line that bisects the rear of the car. It also looks to get a bit fussy back there because the trunk is distinct from the body panel that hides the roof.

Mercedes-Benz may decide to call a coupe a coupe starting next year. If you want a CLK after 2009, you might have to settle for an E-Class Coupe or E-Class Convertible. Want a 2-door S-Class around the same time? Then you're after the S-Class Coupe. We don't know the reason for the potential name changes, especially since the cars have such great equity -- and taking eight minutes to say E-Class Coupe Black Series doesn't have nearly the to-the-point hotness of CLK Black Series, even though it's the same number of "syllables". The CL change might make more sense as the car wasn't a huge sales success, but drop those letters in conversation and you still get a forceful point across. We can only hope that the bard was right, and that a rose by any other name...

The 2009 Mercedes CLK has been spotted out on the roads, getting ready for its debut at October's Paris Motor Show. The lines, cladding, and peeking swage lines would appear to indicate that it will indeed look quite a bit like recent renderings. If the flowing glasshouse is to be believed, the car will sport only the merest flick of a trunk.