The Mercedes-Benz W208 coupes and convertibles were produced from 1997 to 2002. They were sold under the CLK-Class model names. The W208 models were the CLK 200 4-cylinder, CLK230 4-cylinder, CLK 320 V6, CLK 430 V8 and CLK 55 AMG. All models were available in both coupe and cabriolet form. The CLK introduced a new market niche for Mercedes-Benz. Although the W208 used components from the E-Class and had a specification level higher than the E-Class, it was in fact based on the C-Class platform. The CLK features a number of innovative accessories and systems, such as tow-away protection and an emergency transmission mode. The W208 was succeeded by the W209, also called the CLK. The CLK AMG is powered by a hand-assembled 5.5-liter V8 engine. The hardware list reads like that of a race car: super-stiff forged billet steel crankshaft, forged, weight-matched connecting rods and pistons, lightweight AMG-specific camshafts churns inside the pressure-cast aluminum block of this chain-driven single overhead-cam V8 with two intake and one exhaust valves per cylinder, as well as 16 coils and 16 spark plugs (two spark plugs per cy). Its bore and stroke are nearly the same, which makes it an ideally balanced engine. The complex dual-resonance intake manifold with carefully tuned runners helps create an explosive compression ratio of 10.5:1 which is is mostly what delivers the healthy 342 horsepower (255 kW) and 376 lb·ft (510 N·m) of torque. The five-speed automatic transmission is...