In this video Car&Driver editor Sam Smith compares a 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE to a beand-new 2012 Mercedes CL63 AMG. At first this comparison doesn’t make much sense. Beside being a coupe and having a three-point star on their grille, these cars doesn’t have that much in common. But you see, this 280SE is no ordinary 280SE. It has been tuned – well, to be honest it’s been rebuilt – by a tuner called Mechatronik, and everything in it is new. They have also fitted it with a brand-new Mercedes V8 engine. No wonder then it costs $400,000.

The 280 is by far and away the coolest of the two. The fit and finish and the design of the thing is just fantastic. And with that engine under bonnet its chuffing magic to drive as well. The CL63 is also a remarkable car. A fire-breathing hotrod trapped in a luxurious and comfortable body sounds like quite a recipe.

Enjoy the brilliant video: