Actually you're wrong. The CLK in fact is a 3 series coupé competitor. The C-Sportcoupé was made to compete with the 3 Series Compact. BMW later decided to ditch it in favor of the 1 series.

It sold extremely well in Europe and Asia amongst young professionals and wealthy teenagers.

Also, the old W203 chassis was just fine - after the facelift. I think we can expect some modifications that will make the C204 Sportcoupé a much better ride than ever before. The facelifted C203 Sportcoupés were pretty decent overhere.

I didnt have a problem with the c-coupe...I thought it was a good looking car for a young professional who maybe wanted a c-class but preferred the 2 door. But I heard there were many problems with the sportcoupe so maybe thats why it wasnt a big seller but if MB fixes all major problems are made the sportcoupe like the new c-class, then i think it will sell many of these coupes. Coupes are in high demand, BMW, Audi and even now vw with the eos are all creating "affordable" coupes. I think MB should give the c-sportcoupe another chance only with a sharp looking new bodystyle and less problems
I dunno, just my 2 cents.

Hopefully the sportcoupe will be arriving in north america. Does anyone know if MB will bring the coupe to north america?

YOU may consider the CLK to be a 3 series competitor, but Mercedes has been pricing the CLK to be a much higher end car than the C-class and 3 series.

Back in 2005 (when the C-coupe was still available in Canada), here were the prices (Cdn $) of some cars of interest:

C230 Sport Coupe: $36450
C320 Sport Coupe: $40600

C230 Sedan: $37950
C240 Sedan: $42250
C320 Sedan: $53970

CLK320 Coupe: $63490
CLK500 Coupe: $77750

E320 Sedan: $72050
E500 Sedan: $83500

At least in North America, the CLK was priced WAY above the 3 series coupe/sedans (which had prices very similar to the C-coupe and C-class sedans).

Maybe in other markets like Europe, the CLK could be bought for cheaper because some lower end engines were offerred. We never had cars like a CLK240 or CLK200 over here.

As such, I still maintain that Mercedes is not using the CLK to compete with the much cheaper 3 series, at least in North America. The CLK has always been marketed as a higher end luxury coupe.

But having said all this, I have always thought the W209 CLK was overpriced for what you got, especially when you know it was actually based on the W203 C-class.

One of the local car-rent companies that provides cars to one of the local dealers picked up a few C-coupes (if you can't sell them...) and I drove at least three of them as service loaners. The car has so many bad features that it's hard to know which was worst. Probably that supercharged four-cylinder rock crusher up front was it's worst feature. Very unseemly for an MB, even the bottom-feeder Coupe. And then there were the four-shades-of-black interiors. I will not mention the looks of the thing.

I don't think any of them are a good fit for Mercedes, A, B, or a C Hatchback. They all need to be stricken if they aren't going to be done right.

M

Well it is in configuration, but price wise it really isn't here in the U.S.

CLK350 - $46,975
CLK350 Cabrio - $54,975

335i Coupe - $40,600
330i Convertible - $44,900 (old bodystyle)

They're close, but not head on....The CLK is really in between the C/3-Series Class and the E/5-Series class in most configurations.

The CLK63 Cabrio is a whopping $89,975, way overpriced IMO.

M