Everyone knows Mercedes-Benz occupies one of the high rungs on the prestige ladder. It takes a long list of words to describe the characteristics that make the broad range of cars and SUVs from Stuttgart so desirable: they're luxurious and expensive, to be sure. But they're also known for handsome, modern design; superlative engineering; bank-vault solidity; precise build quality; an abundance of safety and security features; sportiness and European flair. Most of these traits come together in the all-new 2007 Mercedes CL coupe.

The CL is the seventh generation of a line of range-topping coupes dating back to the 1952 300S that have appeared sporadically through the years. Like those cars, the CL is a smaller, sportier version of Mercedes' big sedan line, in this case, today's S-Class. This time it follows the previous CL without interruption and its mission remains the same: high-performance and maximum luxury in high-style package. This is a car in which style purposely trumps practicality.

Pounding the point home is its hardtop design; there is no central B-pillar holding up the roof aft of the doors to break up the sleek lines of the body. With the windows down, the look is sexy and the view out is panoramic, recalling cars of the Fifties and Sixties when hardtops were in vogue.