Lest we forget, the incomparable Fangio scored some of his finest wins, and won the championship in 1954 and 1955 in a Mercedes grand p car, and was unbeatable in a Gull Wing 300 SLR in sports car racing.

Today's sports or sporting Mercedes carry this legacy into real-time motoring, and their racing engines are at eternal odds with Ferrari in the world championship this year.

The new CLC I had on test has been produced with young drivers requiring a car that can be driven with verve and passion, which also gives a typical Mercedes 'involving' drive in mind. Abroad, this is a segment that will cater for an incredible number of enthusiastic drivers, among which will be a few who opt for the CLC 350, 250km/h and a 0-100 km/h time of only 6.3 seconds.

Visually, the car is a classic, arrow-shaped sports coupe. Two large doors ensure that the rear seat passengers will travel in cosseted comfort after gaining easy entry into the car.

Frontally, the large Mercedes star sits well down in the front grille, helping to give the car a superbly aggressive look that will appeal to the sporting instincts of both sexes, and the car comes with an optional sports package that would ever further advance the desirability factor, that 'must-have' tendency noted in those with a few bob to spend.

For many years, Mercedes has built cars that allow almost every variable in driver shape and size to be comfortably accommodated, and this model is no exception. The driver's seat adjusts to perfection and can be matched to the adaptable steering with ease. The outside mirrors must be aligned with great care, as there is something of a 'blind spot' immediately to the rear, created by the arrow shape of the car with the back end being considerably higher than the front. Forwards and sideways, visibility is outstanding and even smaller drivers can look out of the drivers' window with ease. Safety has been fully explored with the latest seat belts and a 'galaxy' of air-bags.

As a driving experience, the CLC has to rank with the very best sports coupes offered today, and even with the somewhat modest 2148cc diesel in the test car, 100km/h is reached in 9.4 seconds using the automatic option.

I have come to appreciate diesel engines, and in the local context, automatic transmission more and more. Frankly, the modern concept of having a fully automatic change, supplemented by paddles set behind the steering wheel to enable very quick manual, but obviously clutch pedal free changes, as well as a manual gear change used by gently pushing the gear change lever to the right or left is all great fun to use and it really keeps the driver in touch with the way the car behaves.

Contemporary Mercedes models can be hustled through the bends at a frighteningly high pace as the various electronic aids to safe driving come into play, stopping the car from swinging off course until the physical laws of physics relevant to friction are finally overcome.

This means that the excitement inherent in using a car with the driven wheels at the rear can be most seriously exploited far beyond the normal bounds experienced by 'contemporary' drivers trying to cope with a wayward rear end.

The electronic stability programme helps keeps the car on the desired line through a bend at speeds that would only have been matched by a drifting sports car using considerable 'opposite lock' only a couple of decades ago. Following my normal practice, hands off the steering wheel while braking hard enough for the anti-lock system to come into play, was a piece of cake at 80km/h. (Don't try this unless the road surface is flat and your tyre pressures are the same side-to-side.)

The CLC is most attractive, with a great 'touring' car size of boot in order that extended motoring holidays can be enjoyed by four adults, and this, like all bar the smallest 'A' Class, is a car that simply screams for an open road where the GPS can be used to explore new areas without getting lost, and the sound system can also be exploited to full potential.

At a glance
• Engine: CLC 220 CDI, Diesel.
• Rated output: 110kw (150bhp) at 4,200rp-m.
• Acceleration 0-100km/h: 9.4 seconds.
• Approximate top speed: 219km/h (compare that with our maximum speed limit of 80km/h.)
• Turning circle: 10.76 metres.
• Combined fuel consumption: 6.6-6.8 litres/100kms.
• Worst scenario: 8.8-8.9 litres/100kms.
• Length: 4,448mm; width: 1,728mm (with mirrors extended 2,078mm); height: 1,405mm.
• Price: from €59,000.

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