New car news

08 January 2007 - 15:00

Detroit show: Mercedes Ocean Drive Concept

We wouldn't want to accuse Mercedes of being cynical enough to name its convertible concept just to please the US market, but you have to concede that Ocean Drive does sound curiously non-Teutonic.

Strategic name-checking aside, the Ocean Drive is a four-seater convertible based on the long-wheelbase S600 saloon.

We reckon the S600's V12 is lurking under the bonnet, which would see the Ocean Drive (wasn't that a Lighthouse Family album?) to 60mph on the sharp side of five seconds.

Essentially it's what a next-generation S-Class ragtop would look like in the hands on an American. The chunky grill and old-school US alloys seemed to please the home crowd, and we have to concede that - for a luxury convertible at least - it's not too ugly.

Mercedes is staying quiet on the performance details, but suffice to say that the Ocean Drive gets all the MB techno-gubbins. Just a shame about that name.