Features

That's the front. In the back there's acres more leather, canvas and a couple of screens for rear passengers to watch inflight movies complete with - for the first time in a 'Benz -their own set of COMAND controls for all vital functions. There's also a champagne-flute dispenser between the seats, but that's not the main innovation here. No, the big news at the back is the two extra doors.

For the first time since the four-door Lincoln Continental convertible died back in 1967 - it could have been sooner if the beautiful concept car for its replacement, a sort of four-wheeled Harley Davidson, had gone into production - rear passengers don't have to squeeze behind the front seats. They get their own doors. Not even the Rolls Drop-dead Gorgeous Coupe has those.

But what the Ocean Drive shares with the big, open-topped Roller is a soft roof. As much to keep the proportions of the car right as to save weight and luggage space, the OD shuns the folding metal tops in favour of a sail-sized 34 sq ft fabric number. And it's none the worse for it.

Owners of these types of land-yachts aren't that bothered if someone breaks in or tries to nick it - two of the main reasons for going the tin-top route. They'll just ring the garage and have another car sent round. Then send their 'people' out to kneecap the poor bastard who tried to rip them off.

And there isn't going to be a shortage of people harbouring a desire to do just that, if our brief drive in the Ocean Drive, down Ocean Drive, is any indication. We had a police escort to stop the traffic, but we hardly needed it. The car did it for them. Everyone who saw it froze in their tracks whether they were driving, walking or cycling by.

If ever you've wondered what it's like to be famous, one drive in this car will tell you all you need to know. Within seconds of arriving on the street, you could see a ripple going through the crowd on the pavement that something significant was happening on the road. That significant something was the Ocean Drive.

"What the hell is that car, mister?" says one guy above the shrieking exhaust note of his over-stressed moped as he tries to keep up and take a picture with his cellphone, all at the same time. I think about trying to explain that it is a concept but there just isn't time. So I just say, "expensive", and speed away.

Lurking around the next corner we catch sight of Rod again, disappearing up the street. He probably wants to ask us the same question, but isn't hanging around to try. Maybe he's shy or just busy - or maybe he's seen enough already and is rushing off to his dealer to talk about trading in his once sexy, but now very ordinary-looking CLK AMG convertible...