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If what Mercedes says is true, a quick check of the e-mail would serve as proof.

Let’s see. There are 348 invites to buy Viagra cheap; 231 messages saying a mortgage has been approved; and, as always, a couple missives from Nigeria promising to send a fortune this way if we first send one that way.

But no threats from Mercedes owners to hold their breath until their skin turns as blue as their blood unless the automaker produces a four-door sedan that looks like a coupe.

Yet, Mercedes has done just that. For 2006, it has come up with the CLS500, a four-door “coupe” derived from the E-Class sedan platform to satisfy driving enthusiasts enamored with two-door models.

“We wanted the styling of a coupe, the four-door function of a sedan,” Mercedes spokesman Rob Moran said. “Enthusiasts place a big emphasis on style and luxury, and the coupe styling of the CLS500 makes a statement.

“Our only rival is the BMW 6-Series, a traditional two-door,” he added.

Even with only one rival, the CLS will be a niche vehicle with sales projected at 12,000 units annually.

While BMW sells about 8,000 6-Series coupes annually, sales of the CLS through June already top the 8,400 mark. And reports are that the cars aren’t staying in showrooms long enough to gather dust.

If memory serves, the compact C-Class started the look-like-a-coupe trend a few years ago when it abandoned the stand-up sedan roof line in favor of the coupe sloper.

When testing the car, a surprising number of admirers took two to three glances and smiled in approval. Of course, none were invited to get in or out of the back seat.

Mercedes says the look stirs emotions. It neglected to warn that the roofline stirs the brains as the melon bangs off the rear glass and bumps against the roof when in the back seat and when trying to escape.

When you open the door, the roofline offers a minuscule entryway, not the spacious arch provided by a stand-up roof.

In fairness, cabin room upfront is pretty good, thanks to door panels curved sharply outward to provide massive arm room. But whether front or back, a center console and transmission tunnel separate occupants so you feel compartmentalized.

Next up for the coupe look is the top-of-the-line S-Class sedan that comes out in the first quarter of next year as a 2007 model.

On the positive side, the 5-liter, 302-horsepower V-8 does a good job of moving the more than 4,000-pound car, with a zero- to 60-m.p.h. time of less than 6 seconds.

But such quick propulsion results in a 16 m.p.g. city/22 m.p.g. highway rating and a $1,300 gas-guzzler tax.

The V-8 is teamed with a new 7-speed automatic, which Mercedes said made for a wider spread of ratios between first and top gear and smaller increases in engine speed as the car accelerates to maximize performance and mileage. But it didn’t maximize enough to avoid that guzzler tax.

Those who want more action can opt for the high-performance CLS55 AMG version with its 5.5-liter, 469-h.p. V-8. But be prepared to dig deep into pocket or purse because it starts about $20,000 more than the CLS500 at $87,375.

And with a 14 m.p.g. city/20 m.p.g. highway rating, add a $1,700 guzzler tax.

While short on mileage, the CLS500 is strong on ride and handling. It’s very mobile for its weight, and you don’t feel all the poundage in the wheel. It’s not cumbersome, and the turning radius is surprisingly tight.

The CLS comes with a computer controlled air suspension system to continuously upgrade ride quality based on road surface and vehicle speed.

It also has electronic stability control, traction control and four-wheel anti-lock brakes. Can’t fault the quality of the ride or the precision of the handling.

The CLS500 starts at $64,900 and, as you’d expect, comes with power windows, mirrors, locks, sunroof and AM/FM/CD systems. You also get dual-stage front air bags with sensors that detect whether a passenger is in the seat and the size of that passenger to determine at what speed the bag should deploy. And there are front and rear side-impact bags as well as side-curtain bags with rollover sensors.

When it comes to attention to detail, there’s four-zone climate control so each occupant can set his or her preferred temperature; power adjustable steering column; and heated wipers and washer jets.

To help spot the car in a dark lot, not only do head and tail lamps light up when you press the key fob, so do parking lamps, license plate lamp and front fog lamps.

You can get a slew of other goodies for a price, though, unfortunately, a helmet for rear-seat occupants isn’t offered.

A power-operated rear window sunshade and ventilated front seats that heat in the winter, cool in the summer, are part of a $3,650 premium package.

Adaptive cruise control that keeps a safe distance between you and the car ahead using brakes or engine management runs $3,130.

Self-leveling bi-xenon headlights that turn in the direction of a curve and keep the proper aim even when the car accelerates quickly or brakes hard are $1,220. Bi-xenon provide a brighter, whiter light without the blue tint common with regular xenon lamps.

And there’s a power deck lid. Press the key fob or button on the driver’s door to open (or a button on the deck lid or driver’s door to close) after paying $510. With the coupe slope, the trunk isn’t very deep once open.

Rather than camouflage a sedan to look like a coupe, Mercedes should have devoted its energy to scoring better in the influential J.D. Power and Associates studies.

In the recent Power dependability study, for example, Mercedes placed 27th, up from 28th a year ago, but still behind Pontiac, Volvo, Jaguar, Dodge, Nissan, and, for heaven’s sake, the deceased Oldsmobile.

“Power surveyed owners of 2002 models, and there’s a lag time between problems reported and changes made,” Moran said.

“We were marked down for excessive brake dust, cupholders [small and flimsy, as the survey says] and uneven tire wear, but we’ve made changes to our cars in those areas since 2002.

“We now give owners concerned about excessive brake dust a wheel cleaning kit and starting with the ’05 models we offer a complimentary tire rotation at 6,500 miles for those concerned with tire wear.

“Cupholders are difficult for the Germans [Mercedes engineers] to understand since you don’t find too many 44-ounce cups except during Octoberfest,” Morgan said. “But we’ve made revisions and now you can get one 32-ounce and one 44-ounce cupholder in the M-Class [SUV], and with the R-Class [crossover] this fall one 44-ounce and two 32 ounce-cupholders.”

Knowing that, Mercedes owners can now rest better–though not in the back seat of a CLS500.

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2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS500

Wheelbase: 112.4 inches

Length: 194 inches

Engine: 5-liter, 302-h.p., 24-valve V-8

Transmission: 7-speed automatic

Fuel economy: 16 m.p.g. city/22 m.p.g. highway

Base price: $64,900

Price as tested: $72,450. Includes $510 for electronic trunk closer; $890 for wood/leather shift knob and steering wheel; $1,200 for bi-xenon lamps with active lighting and headlamps washers; $3,650 for Premium package with ventilated and heated seats, DVD navigation system, CD changer, power rear window shade and Harman Kardon audio system. Add $1,300 for gas-guzzler tax and $720 for freight.

Pluses: Eye-catching design. A new novelty for Mercedes aficionados.

Minuses: Head-bumping design so helmet should be an option. Gas-guzzler tax.

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Read Jim Mateja Sunday in Transportation and Wednesday and Friday in Business. Hear him on WBBM Newsradio 780 at 6:22 p.m. Wednesdays and 11:22 a.m. Sundays.

jmateja@tribune.com