Two Pontiac GTOs for One Mercedes-Benz CLK55 AMG - Steering, Suspension & Handling - Sport Coupe Comparison

The braking crown also goes to the CLK55 AMG, as it has larger rotors, electronic brake-force distribution, and (we believe) stickier tires. The Mercedes stops from 60 in an exceptional 113 feet, the Pontiac in a longer-than-expected 126. That said, both offer good feel and modulation, although the GTO pedal feels more natural and easier to control. Pontiac (and its mates at Australia's Holden, who build the GTO) has done a good job in the steering department. Initial turn-in is sharp; there's plenty of feedback from the road and zero bump steer. But the Benz is still a hair better, being even more precise.

AMG-ified Mercedes are tuned to handle, so you'd expect a bit of a ride penalty. While the CLK55 is never harsh, it is direct, and the nastiest of surfaces and road shocks telegraph their way through. But that's okay; if you want a smoother ride, stick with the standard CLK500. The Pontiac offers a sweeter ride/handling balance for everyday use, although, as we've seen at the track, at the expense of that last smidgen of handling prowess. We love the way it eats up mid-corner bumps without complaint. Each car is quiet, considering that they're not pure luxo rides, with the wind-noise and road-rumble match ending in a tie. The Mercedes's high-speed stability is faultless; the GTO's, merely outstanding.

There is one additional anomaly in the price/value issues at play here. For just $10 grand more, you can buy an E55 AMG. Besides larger, four-door packaging, the cost delta nabs a supercharged version of the AMG V-8, good for 469 horsepower. That's 107 more than the CLK55. Any speed-shop owner will tell you that the last increment of horsepower costs the most, not the least. Yet comparing these cars, the reverse is true. We understand why Mercedes doesn't put the killer motor in the midsize package; it saves those goods for upper-end models like the E55, S55, and CL55 AMGs. But it seems to us that the CLK55's cost advantage ought to be greater, considering the difference in powertrain specs.

What have we learned? Like that svelte Hugo Boss, the Mercedes-Benz CLK55 AMG is a great-looking, beautifully engineered, top-quality piece that performs at a high level. And, like that other well-made, if mass-produced, suit, the Pontiac GTO provides perhaps 85 to 90 percent of the goodness--for less than 50 percent of the cost.

It isn't that this odd-duck matchup says anything disparaging about the CLK55. It just shows the praiseworthiness of the GTO. Proof positive that, depending on your taste and budget, less can sometimes be more.

Well, more or less.