“O LORD, won’t you buy me a Mercedes-Benz” is one of the more famous song lines about cars, and you just know that the M-B in question is a cabriolet.

The terms ‘Mercedes-Benz’ and ‘cabriolet’ have long enjoyed an intimate relationship, and the latest E-class looks set for an honorable place in this distinguished history.

It offers superior value for money to many of its predecessors, particularly the outgoing CLK Cabriolet.

In the era of the brilliant W124 E-class (1986-1996), the convertible variants were spun off the flagship mid-size Mercedes models. Now, despite the misleading E-class appellation, both coupe and convertible have C-class underpinnings, as did the outgoing CLK.

Everything that is to be celebrated about this famous marque is embodied in these delectable new droptops, which combine the latest technology with the joys of open air driving.

Unlike many German prestige cars, even the entry-level Cabriolet is comprehensively specified and is well priced at $107,335. It is powered by a direct-injection, turbocharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine with 150kW and 310Nm.