2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class-Part 2
Braving the winds and blowing debris, we carefully circled the line-up of C-Class sedans and were struck by the fact that the cars had two distinctly different faces. For traditionalists, there's the Elegance, which sports the traditional, frame-and-crossbar Mercedes grille along with the classic tri-star hood ornament. The alternative has been dubbed the Advantaged, and it's heavily influenced by Mercedes' flagship sports car, the SLR, with three knife-sharp crossbars for a grille, a massive tri-star framed in the center.
Hoping not to confuse matter, for the U.S. , the Elegance will be offered as the C300 Luxury, while the Advantaged becomes both the C300 and C350 Sport. There will also be a 4Matic version of the C300.
Beyond the distinctions between Elegance and Advantaged , the new car is more curvaceous than the outgoing C-Class, with a sweeping roof line that owes a bit to the CLS, the "coupe-like sedan" that is easily the most beautiful model in the entire Mercedes lineup. The hood is long and muscular, an image enhanced by flaring wheel wells. The deck lid is tall, a must for good aerodynamics, but without that ungainly bulge that weakens the overall feel of BMW's counterpart 3-Series. Mercedes engineers came up with a neat little trick: ventilating rear taillights that replace what would have
been awkward rear spoiler lips.
Significantly, "We have stopped the trend towards excess weight," explains Dr. Michael Kramer, the man in charge of product development. "The new C-Class is bigger, but not heavier, than its predecessor." That's especially remarkable considering the new car is a full 76 millimeters, about three inches, wider than the '07 model. Yet Mercedes claims fuel economy has been maintained or improved on every one of the various power train packages.
Though Mercedes has tried to keep things simple for American buyers, it adds a little complication with an optional AMG suspension package. From behind the wheel, you'll spot the telltale push-button on the center stack that lets you switch from a sporty but firm ride to something a little bit softer.
Along with the distinctive grilles, Mercedes has two different cabin configurations, one for Elegance/Luxury, the other for Advantaged/Sport, though they're largely limited to subtleties in color and material. The American Sport model, for example, uses bright aluminum accent pieces, for example, along with perforated aluminum pedals, and gets a three-spoke wheel. The classic package is softer, with less bright work, with a four-spoke steering wheel.
In the monotone package, the expanse of plastic on the instrument panel can be a little overwhelming. The two-tone combination is a marked improvement. But either way, both interiors are notable improvements over the outgoing C-Class, with an extremely attractive three-gauge cluster that looks both elegant and expensive. A nice touch is the new, pop-up LCD screen that is used to operate a variety of vehicle functions, including the optional navigation system. For last year's S-Class remake, Mercedes developed a new COMAND operating system. It is simpler and, to our mind, much easier to learn and use, than the BMW iDrive. The updated system is now used in the C-Class.
No stick allowed
We spent nearly two days driving the new C-Class, though that was only enough time to split between a C350 Sport with the AMG suspension and a C350 Sport with a standard suspension - which, it should be noted, has been updated for 2008. Up front, there are coil spring struts with two-piece control arms. In back, the new C-Class gets a five-link suspension. There are gas shocks and stabilizer bars fore and aft.
Tap the start button, and the sedan fires up with a confident roar. We shift the seven-speed automatic into gear and immediately feel the 258 lb-ft of torque. The 3.5-liter V-6 is a solid piece of engineering, reliable and quick, making a solid, if not segment benchmark 268 horsepower. (For those interested in fuel economy, Mercedes has yet to lock down EPA-certified numbers. But we're told to expect mileage at least as good as the outgoing, 2007 model, which comes in at 20 mpg city, 29 highway.)
We must admit being disappointed by Mercedes' decision not to offer a stick on the C350. If you're wedded to a manual, opt for the C300, with its 3.0-liter V-6 making a still-sporty 228 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. We can only hope the Germans will eventually add a version of this six-speed stick to the C350 option list.
The 3.5-liter V-6 launches like a cat. It is quick and confident, boasting 0-60 times of 6.3 seconds, with an electronically-limited top speed of 130 mph.
Our C350 whips through a series of traffic circles and one of the first impressions is just how flat the cabin sits. The AMG suspension in our first test car is simply quite remarkable. It does mean a trade-off in terms of ride comfort on harsh roads, but on the smooth tarmac outside Valencia , we can barely tell the difference.
Later on our drive, when we switch to a standard suspension car, we immediately notice more body roll. The car isn't quite as predictable going into corners and you can clearly hear the tires work harder as we race through some hill-country turns. Our conclusion: with the AMG suspension package, the new C-Class does a good judge chasing its arch-rival, the 3-Series. It's not quite there, but darned close, and the added level of refinement of the Mercedes is likely to win over fence-straddling buyers.
Towards the end of this year, Mercedes promises to go a step further, launching a new Advanced Agility System, which will feature three-mode electronically-adjustable damping valves, reinforced torsion bars, more direct steering, an adaptive gearbox, and lower ride height. MORE-
Hoping not to confuse matter, for the U.S. , the Elegance will be offered as the C300 Luxury, while the Advantaged becomes both the C300 and C350 Sport. There will also be a 4Matic version of the C300.
Beyond the distinctions between Elegance and Advantaged , the new car is more curvaceous than the outgoing C-Class, with a sweeping roof line that owes a bit to the CLS, the "coupe-like sedan" that is easily the most beautiful model in the entire Mercedes lineup. The hood is long and muscular, an image enhanced by flaring wheel wells. The deck lid is tall, a must for good aerodynamics, but without that ungainly bulge that weakens the overall feel of BMW's counterpart 3-Series. Mercedes engineers came up with a neat little trick: ventilating rear taillights that replace what would have
been awkward rear spoiler lips.Significantly, "We have stopped the trend towards excess weight," explains Dr. Michael Kramer, the man in charge of product development. "The new C-Class is bigger, but not heavier, than its predecessor." That's especially remarkable considering the new car is a full 76 millimeters, about three inches, wider than the '07 model. Yet Mercedes claims fuel economy has been maintained or improved on every one of the various power train packages.
Though Mercedes has tried to keep things simple for American buyers, it adds a little complication with an optional AMG suspension package. From behind the wheel, you'll spot the telltale push-button on the center stack that lets you switch from a sporty but firm ride to something a little bit softer.
Along with the distinctive grilles, Mercedes has two different cabin configurations, one for Elegance/Luxury, the other for Advantaged/Sport, though they're largely limited to subtleties in color and material. The American Sport model, for example, uses bright aluminum accent pieces, for example, along with perforated aluminum pedals, and gets a three-spoke wheel. The classic package is softer, with less bright work, with a four-spoke steering wheel.
In the monotone package, the expanse of plastic on the instrument panel can be a little overwhelming. The two-tone combination is a marked improvement. But either way, both interiors are notable improvements over the outgoing C-Class, with an extremely attractive three-gauge cluster that looks both elegant and expensive. A nice touch is the new, pop-up LCD screen that is used to operate a variety of vehicle functions, including the optional navigation system. For last year's S-Class remake, Mercedes developed a new COMAND operating system. It is simpler and, to our mind, much easier to learn and use, than the BMW iDrive. The updated system is now used in the C-Class.
No stick allowed
We spent nearly two days driving the new C-Class, though that was only enough time to split between a C350 Sport with the AMG suspension and a C350 Sport with a standard suspension - which, it should be noted, has been updated for 2008. Up front, there are coil spring struts with two-piece control arms. In back, the new C-Class gets a five-link suspension. There are gas shocks and stabilizer bars fore and aft.
Tap the start button, and the sedan fires up with a confident roar. We shift the seven-speed automatic into gear and immediately feel the 258 lb-ft of torque. The 3.5-liter V-6 is a solid piece of engineering, reliable and quick, making a solid, if not segment benchmark 268 horsepower. (For those interested in fuel economy, Mercedes has yet to lock down EPA-certified numbers. But we're told to expect mileage at least as good as the outgoing, 2007 model, which comes in at 20 mpg city, 29 highway.)
We must admit being disappointed by Mercedes' decision not to offer a stick on the C350. If you're wedded to a manual, opt for the C300, with its 3.0-liter V-6 making a still-sporty 228 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. We can only hope the Germans will eventually add a version of this six-speed stick to the C350 option list.
The 3.5-liter V-6 launches like a cat. It is quick and confident, boasting 0-60 times of 6.3 seconds, with an electronically-limited top speed of 130 mph.
Our C350 whips through a series of traffic circles and one of the first impressions is just how flat the cabin sits. The AMG suspension in our first test car is simply quite remarkable. It does mean a trade-off in terms of ride comfort on harsh roads, but on the smooth tarmac outside Valencia , we can barely tell the difference.
Later on our drive, when we switch to a standard suspension car, we immediately notice more body roll. The car isn't quite as predictable going into corners and you can clearly hear the tires work harder as we race through some hill-country turns. Our conclusion: with the AMG suspension package, the new C-Class does a good judge chasing its arch-rival, the 3-Series. It's not quite there, but darned close, and the added level of refinement of the Mercedes is likely to win over fence-straddling buyers.
Towards the end of this year, Mercedes promises to go a step further, launching a new Advanced Agility System, which will feature three-mode electronically-adjustable damping valves, reinforced torsion bars, more direct steering, an adaptive gearbox, and lower ride height. MORE-
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