Nothing else with two doors and a removable roof can match the comfort levels this car offers. The Comand TV monitor dominates the centre console; the heated, air-conditioned, massaging, electric sports seats prove that the chair fetishists in Germany are still being well funded. But the materials and build quality aren’t in the same league as the old car’s – trim feels flimsier and the switchgear isn’t as sturdy as you’d expect.
Luckily, the Merc’s schizophrenic character makes up for it. In coupé mode, it’s as cosy as you’d want. Wind noise isn’t an issue at motorway speeds, but beyond three figures it’s obvious that the roof isn’t fixed. Top-down it’s equally impressive. The mechanism itself is real performance art, and there are practical reasons for the rear screen being turned upside down – it means more boot space. There’s even a button that moves the roof up a foot when stowed in the boot.
We couldn’t average anything more than 18.7mpg and that figure plummeted to a horrendous 11.2mpg at the test track, but at least the 90-litre fuel tank gives a decent touring range.