Category: Exotic Sports 
Price Range: £33,411 to £68,923
Huge power, understated style, extensive range of gadgetry and refinements
Price, maybe too discreet, not an out-and-out sports car
Fast, subtle and expensive
Take one of the most refined, well-built and sophisticated coupes on the market, fit it with a 347 bhp V8 engine and a series of high-performance upgrades, add in a few very discreet sports styling touches (but nothing too vulgar) and you have the Mercedes-Benz CLK 55 AMG. The '55' denotes the 5.5-litre engine - the largest offered in the standard CLK line-up being a mere 279 bhp, 4.3-litre V8 - while the 'AMG' signals the master touch of Aufrecht Melcher Grossaspach, builder of bespoke high-performance vehicles, aftermarket upgrades and motorsport engines, now part-owned by Mercedes-Benz. You'll have to part with a lot of money for the privilege - and that's before you start dipping into the extensive options package - but the AMG badge is one of the most respected in luxury and performance motoring. Don't mistake the CLK 55 AMG for any 'ordinary' CLK, even if it's not immediately apparent that it's a breed apart.
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wrote on 17 07 2006