Mercedes-Benz CLK 270 CDi Avantgarde

Until now buyers wanting a prestige diesel coupe have been neglected so the Mercedes tested here is something of a pioneer.
Not only is this the first time a CLK has worn a CDi badge but it’s currently the only oil-burning coupe available in the UK on the high side of £25,000, at least until BMW’s 330Cd arrives.

Mercedes-Benz CLK 270 CDi Avantgarde Design

Mercedes-Benz CLK 270 CDi Avantgarde (1)

This CLK continues the high image of the old model which sold 230,000 units during its five-year lifespan.
The restrained, pillarles styling is retained in a body that’s 40 per cent stiffer but lighter with extensive use of aluminium. Highlights are extra rear legroom, a class-leading 0.28 coefficient of drag and more precise rack and pinion steering.
The 270CDi use the five-cylinder, 2685cc turbocharged unit for the C and E-class ranges. It makes 168bhp at 4200rpm and 295lb ft of torque at 1800rpm. Our test car came with the six-speed manual box – not a natural choice for a Mercedes, in our experience, but it shaves £1450 off the price of the five-speed auto and cuts emissions even further.

Mercedes-Benz CLK 270 CDi Avantgarde On The Road

Mercedes-Benz CLK 270 CDi Avantgarde (2)

Mercedes-Benz CLK 270 CDi Avantgarde (3)

Turn the key and you won’t mistake the five-cylinder thrum for anything other than a diesel, Merc’s six-cylinder and VW’s 2.5-litre V6 are quieter at idle.
But under acceleration the engine is less noisy than it is in the E270CDi and when extended to the redline the 270 is more subdued than the petrol 320 at full chat. High gearing also means that the only noise you’ll hear at 70mph is the wind around the pillarless side windows.

Mercedes-Benz CLK 270 CDi Avantgarde (4)

The CLK270 beats all the four-cylinder cars in the CLK range and is only 0.7sec slower to 60mph than the more expensive, petrol 320 at 8.6sec. The box has a tighter, more precise feel than other Merc manuals but we’d still plump for the auto as the resale value for manuals could sit as much as £3000 below the autos after three years.
Our Avantgarde came with sports suspension as standard, which firms up the ride but enhances stability and composure compared with the softer set-up of the Elegance trim. There’s some loss of agility that comes with the extra 40kg the diesel puts over the nose, but grip is strong, the rear end only letting go with deliberate provocation. The steering still feels dull and heavy, only coming alive after 40mph.

Mercedes-Benz CLK 270 CDi Avantgarde Living

Mercedes-Benz CLK 270 CDi Avantgarde (5)

Standard kit is acceptable but hardly generous; front, side and window airbags for front passengers, a radio and single CD player, multi-function wheel with trip computer, rain-sensitive wipers and cruise control.
Even the most careful petrol 320 driver will never get close to the 270’s economy. Our average of 32.3mpg trounces the 320’s 19.2mpg over the same route, and if driven carefully the diesel should allow a 570-mile range.

Mercedes-Benz CLK 270 CDi Avantgarde Verdict

Mercedes-Benz CLK 270 CDi Avantgarde (6)

Just examine the figures. Run it as a company car and the CLK270CDi will be £1116 cheaper in tax than the 320. It also costs £3885 less than the petrol car when similarly specced and could save you around £850 in fuel if you travel 12,000 miles in a year. That it makes these savings while not compromising performance or dynamics makes it the choice of the range; whether it will see off BMW’s forthcoming 330Cd is another matter.