Editors' Most Wanted Vehicles for 2000

Luxury Coupe

Winner: Mercedes-Benz CLK

Luxury-car buyers demand brand cachet, real wood trim, sumptuous leather, stylish good looks and plenty of doodads to fiddle with during the drive. This Benz meets and exceeds expectations on all fronts. First, you've got the three-pointed star hood ornament, reminding you each and every time you get behind the wheel that you're driving a Mercedes. Burled walnut trim decorates interior surfaces, and high-quality leather is stretched tautly over firm and supportive seats. The exterior of the CLK screams class, with tasteful chrome accents, a traditional grille, trademark round headlamps and ribbed taillights. Loaded with luxury, the CLK comes standard with everything you could want except heated seats, a power sunroof, xenon gas discharge headlamps, CD changer, integrated telephone and rain-sensing windshield wipers. Two models are available: a speedy and sophisticated CLK320 with a smooth-revving 3.2-liter V6, or the beefy V8-powered CLK430 that was seemingly modeled after American muscle cars of yore. With 270 horsepower, 17-inch wheels and stability control, the CLK430 is the rougher-riding and better performing model of the two.