It sounds odd, but this design must be compared with the Lotus Elise. We live in a time consumed with the "purification of memory". Both these cars take us "Back to the Future" in different ways.

First, CL's tapering C-pillar pays homage to its 1961-1971 W111/112 coupe ancestry and faithfully exemplifies the 1990s "German" arch motif. The rearward flowing bulges aft of the inner headlamps, in conjuction with the SL grille, are a far subtler and refined revival of the 1954-57 300SL's power bulges than those found on SLK and ML. Quadruple round headlamps are nothing new for Mercedes-Benz. The current E-Class revived the 1976-1985, largely diesel, W123's two-pair lamps. Before anyone judges staggered round lamps as a Jaguar/Daimler motif, look at the 1937 Mercedes-Benz W125 racing car's round and oval radiators that must have inspired Jaguar's XK120. Daimler in England began as licensed German designs in 1897.

Timelessness best characterizes "Cool Britannia's" pluralistic Lotus Elise. Is it early 80's flash? 1970s anachronism with its air intake and flying buttresses? Futuristic 60's with stylized swept head restraint fairings? I say it's all of the above which makes it very late 20th Century.