The C208/A208 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class was introduced in 1997, and was based on the W202 Mercedes-Benz C-Class launched three years earlier. The C208 coupé was the first generation of the Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class and was subsequently replaced by the C209 CLK-Class in 2002, although the convertible remained in production till March 2003 when replaced by the A209 CLK. In total 233,367 units of the first generation CLK were manufactured in its coupé form, when production ceased in May 2002 and additional 115,161 cabriolets assembled at Karmann plant in Osnabrück.

The Mercedes-Benz M112 engine is a gasoline-fueled, 4-stroke, spark-ignition, internal-combustion automobile piston V6 engine family used in the 2000s. Introduced in 1996, it was the first V6 engine ever built by Mercedes. A short time later the related M113 V8 was introduced.