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THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, October 27, 1999 AUTOMOTIVE 2000 Mercedes-Benz CL500 Mercedes-Benz has car lovers drooling over CL500 coupe Following on the heels of the new S-Class introduction, M-B is launching a drop-dead-gorgeous CL500 coupe. This limited-production heartthrob gets our nod as pos sessing the most sensuous roofline ever grafted to a produc tion car. The new shape not only looks fantastic, but also manages to deliver a very slippery 0.28 coefficient of drag. To keep the weight down and performance up, Mercedes pulled out all the stops and incorporated aluminum, magne sium and special high-strength steels into the CL500's design. Mechanically, the CL copies much of the equipment found on the S-Class, including its 5.0-litre SOHC aluminum V8 engine that confidently disgorges its 302 horsepower through a five-speed Touch Shift automatic transmission. Last year's CL600 V I2 powerplant is not yet available, but is rumored to be heading our way in about a year. As you would expect from this rare bird, there is an overthe-top abundance of refinements that Mercedes has entrust ed to prospective purchasers. They include Xenon high-intensity discharge headlamps, stability control combined with active body control that vir tually eliminates brake/acceleration dive and body lean in the turns, and a child-seat recognition system that switches off the airbag when it senses the seat is in use. Base price: $123,000 Base engine (hp): 5.0-litre DOHC V8 (302) Optional engine: None Layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive Transmission: Five-speed automatic Fuel consumption (1/100 km, cty/hwy): n/a Safety: Front/side airbags, head-protection curtains, ABS, traction control, stability control, GPS tracking Weight (kg): 1,870 Basic warranty: 4/80,000 Roadside assistance: Yes Web site: mercedes-benz.ca If you have a news tip or story idea, call the Oakville Beaver at 845-3824. Our pre-ow ned vehicles are thoroughly checked for fluid leaks. Ford Quality Certified pre-owned vehicles won't leave a puddle in your driveway. Before certification, every one of our vehicles undergoes a thorough standardized 100 point inspection. Ford also stands behind these vehicles with an additional 1 year/ 20,000 km limited warranty, on top of the remainder of the factory warranty. And with 24 hour roadside assistance* and a network of participating Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers supporting this program, you can drive away with confidence. Ford Quality Certified dealers also offer a 3 day/500 km money back guarantee. So, you can finally get a great pre-owned vehicle with no worries. QUALITY CERTIFIED For now. Forever w w w .ford .ca/qc