Nothing helps exemplify the era of bygone benzes like the various body kit packages contemporaneously available during their heyday. For the 80s, excluding AMG, nothing says an 80s MB like Koenig or Lotec kits. For the 90s & 2000s, it was Brabus and Lorinser that ruled the street. Today's example is one of the latter custom MBs that screams late 1990s/2000s better than "Xzibit"ever could.
Offered for sale here on craigslist in Plano, TX this 2000 CLK 320 Cabriolet would be a clean driver-quality example without the special Lorinser bits. Showing only 79,000 miles and a clean damage/accident free autocheck, this Brilliant Silver over Stone leather interior cab looks great in "Triple-Gray" with the matching gray soft top. The condition on the interior looks phenomenal but some photos show what might be either a painted driver's door or just some unfortunate shadows.
The real attraction of this car is, obviously, the era-exemplifying Lorinser body kit, wheels and exhaust. This car features Lorinser front and rear bumpers, side skirts, exhuast, fiberglass convertible top cowl (the gem of the set) and a spoiler (which we don't love, but completes the look nicely). Additionally, this car has the amazing 2-piece Lorinser wheels that we wish were mounted, but appear to have seen better days. With no indication by the seller, we assume these are the 20" wheels offered by Lorinser at the time.
Rounding out the package, this example also features a custom audio system which, by any other measure, would be sacrilege on a collectible MB. Here, however, because this is really a 90s/2000s "custom" collectible, having ridiculously oversized speakers (and drivers mounted in the trunk) is appropriate for the car customization culture of the time. As this is not an otherwise collectible MB, even purists will understand the value in keeping the kit in place.
All in all, this car makes an attractive package as the body kit is not too loud or obnoxious; especially for a car of this era. It wouldn't be a stretch to think that nostalgia will raise the value on clean, era-correct customs like this one. And it surely won't be easy to find another one as clean as this anytime soon. Whether or not you want to beat the market on this cab at $11,500 is another question altogether.
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