If prizes were ever awarded for missing the point, evo magazine could well be in the running. Dismissing the Mercedes-Benz CLK500 coupe with a mere three-star rating and opining that its dynamics were no match for a BMW M3 was akin to noting that a wedge of Wensleydale made a bit of a mess when applied to a blackboard. Certain cars deserve a critical redress. Horses for courses and all that.

With its weighty 5.5-litre V8 engine and automatic gearbox, the CLK500 makes no bones about the fact that it's no challenger to the pugnacious M3. What they do have in common is a coupe bodyshell, a list price in the region of £45,000, big power, Teutonic build quality and that's it. Mercedes themselves note that the CLK500 is all about sleek looks, a powerful engine, a spacious interior, lots of equipment and prestige. Note the intentional lack of emphasis on enthusiast themes like chassis dynamics, handling and competition bias.

This variant has been improved in recent times, the original 5.0-litre V8 having been teased out to 5.5-litres in size, leading to a huge increase in power - as if that were needed. The car also comes equipped with the ultra-flexible 7G-TRONIC seven speed automatic transmission as standard. Its wider spread of ratios delivers the optimum gearing for virtually every situation and fully exploits the engine characteristics to deliver brisk acceleration and strong mid-Range sprints.

The CLK is a eye-catching design, this subjective opinion seemingly backed up by a cd figure of just 0.28. A massively rigid cage of steel alloys has made it possible to dispense with the B-pillars to create a sleek line that draws the eye from the nose of the car to the tail in one sweep. At least that's how it appears in the brochures. Showing off this styling feature by driving with all the windows roiled down will reduce your coif to an insouciantly-tossed hayrick in two seconds flat and seems a criminal waste of an excellent air conditioning system.

"This is a car that just gives and goes seemingly independent of gearing."

It will, however, enable you to hear that V8 do its thing. Now with 388bhp to call upon, the CLK500 is less a blousy coupe and more a force of nature when you prod the throttle. With the drama that only comes from a big normally-aspirated engine, all 530Nm of torque fling the CLK up the road at any point between 2,700 and 4,250rpm. Even at a whisper above idle the car is developing around 75% of its peak torque. This is a car that just gives and goes seemingly independent of gearing. 60mph is 5.2 seconds away on the way to an electronically limited maximum speed of 155mph.

Despite downplaying the dynamics card, the CLK is remarkably competent in this respect in a number of key areas. Upon full-bore acceleration and braking there's less of the pitching that afflicted older CLK models. The steering is also a good deal more feelsome and throttle response is very sharp, the ECU sensing when you up the pace and tautening the electronic interface between your right foot and the throttle bodies.

As long as flinging the car sideways at mountain passes doesn't figure high on your requirements list, it's hard to pick fault with the CLK500. Even the combined fuel consumption figure of 24.8mpg is decidedly agreeable. Although the handling does opt for a soft bias and the ESP cuts in very early should you decide to take liberties, the payoff is a beautifully composed ride.

Interior design won't be too much of a novelty if you're used to the C-Class saloons, but it's all tidy and logical, if lacking the sheer implacable feel of old Mercs. You certainly can't grumble about the lengths Mercedes have gone to make the CLK as safe as possible. As well as anti lock brakes with Brake Assist, there's that ESP stability control package, adaptive front, side and window airbags, automatic seat belt feeders and a three-stage crash protection system built into the chassis. The front passenger airbag not only takes into account the severity of the collision, it also measures the passenger's body weight. Buy a Reboard child seat from the Mercedes accessory Range and it will interface with the passenger seat electronics, automatically disengaging the airbag. Clever stuff.

Like the flagship S-Class, the CLK500 is packed to the gunwales with thoughtful design. Aluminium channels on A-pillars divert airflow away from the mirrors, and combine with weatherstrips on the roof to ensure that the mirrors and the rear window remain dirt free even at high speeds. The electrically adjustable front seat can be moved fore and aft by nearly a foot making the CLK the coupe of choice for those long or indeed short in the leg. The front seats are hugely cosseting whilst the rears can be folded down to give major capacity for bulky items like sports gear. A practical coupe? That's about the size of it.

Mercedes have poured enough of the gee-whiz technology from the S-Class into the CLK500 to make it feel like a distilled, prettified version of the undisputed Best Car In The World. It would seem that they're proud of their achievement. So proud in fact that the car wears not one but two Mercedes stars on its sculpted nose. The Stuttgarters have every right to be a little flushed at the achievements of their prettiest scion. For those looking for the ultimate medium sized continent-crushing coupe, remember this when pondering whether to buy a BMW M3. It's no Mercedes CLK500.