STUNNING, swooping lines, cutting edge technology and the key ingredient - desirability - perhaps best sum up Merc's stylish coupe.

The low slung wedge-shape stance and the angular lines with the huge two doors are hard to ignore while stylish light clusters and big alloy wheels give the car an almost predatory presence - Mercedes modestly describe it as the perfect shape

It looks like a racer, with the long bonnet finished adorned with the double louvre grille and signature three pointed star, but beneath the skin the coupe offers an attractive combination of the wow factor and economy together with running costs that you could expect from a much cheaper and smaller vehicle.

The five engines available have the German firm's BlueEFFICIENY technology with the ubiquitous stop/start which delivers higher mpg an lower carbon dioxide emissions.

Mercedes says its customer group is aged 35 to 45 for whom professional success, love of life and a strong sense of responsibility are all important. That seems a narrow band as people of all ages were impressed with the car.

The interior of the four-seater reflects the sporty exterior lines, with eye-catching three-spoke steering wheel, soft touch finish to the dash and a classy array of dials and instrumentation.

The four leather seats in the test car were comfortable and supportive, while the rear two fold to increase boot space. Obviously this kind of car is not designed with huge practicality in mind, but boot space is fairly generous with 450 litres.

The telematics system features phone book transfer, display of SMS messages, wireless music reproduction via Bluetooth and a USB interface now accommodated in the centre armrest, while the multimedia system COMAND Online now provides internet access to include weather information and a special destination search via Google,

There is a choice of three petrol engines and two diesels, while automatics feature a slick  seven-speed transmission.

The tested model showed excellent economy with a claimed average diesel consumption of just 57.6 mpg and CO emissions of 128g/km, making it particularly attractive to the business executive.

The ride is firm and sporty but never feels to harsh, while the car has excellent agility, and precise handling.

As part of the AMG Sports Package which is standard in the UK, the C-Class Coupe features sports suspension and speed-sensitive sports steering as standard as well.

For safety,  seven airbags are standard as are belt tensioners and belt-force limiters for all seats. The side protection system - comprising head airbag and thorax airbag - optimises the level of protection afforded to individual parts of the body.

And to protect pedestrians, the coupe has an active bonnet made of aluminium.

As you would expect from a car costing this much, the list of standard kit is comprehensive but neat optional touches on the tested model included a drowsiness detection system that warns of lane departure and DISTRONIC PLUS  radar, camera and sensor technology, which covers frequent accident causes such as driving too closely, fatigue and darkness and allows the car to brake automatically when to close to a vehicle in front.