Surprising room for four adults, lovely lines, strong performance/economy compromise, well priced
Not so stylish inside, anachronistic foot-operated parking brake, awkward rear ingress/egress
There was a time in recent memory when the term ‘Mercedes coupe’ meant big bucks. The first ever C-Class Coupe range is priced from just under $60K for the C180. Spend $70K plus on-road costs and you can choose between the C250 petrol and C250 CDI variants, both of which are turbocharged. Carreviews.com.au sampled the petrol version and found it so efficient we had to wonder about the need for diesel. Interestingly, the 1.8-litre petrol engine produces an identical peak power figure to the CDI’s 2.1-litre diesel – 150 kW. Of course, it cannot match the diesel’s 500 Nm of torque but most buyers will find 310 Nm sufficient with the magnificent 7G-TRONIC 7-speed automatic transmission giving the engine its best chance, while providing seamless changes with a perfect spread of ratios. Regardless of which engine is fitted, the C250 is a strong performer with great fuel economy, excellent dynamics and a comprehensive range of standard kit for the price.
Design
The sleek styling of the C-Class coupe yields a very low drag coefficient of 0.26. The designers have done an excellent job of reinterpreting the new themes to a two-door car without sacrificing interior space. For many prospective buyers the single most important element of design will be that three-pointed star emblem. The dashboard is not as appealing in layout or functionality but works well enough. Safety has been a major focus at Stuttgart since the 1950s and beneath the curvaceous flanks of this new coupe there is great strength and integrity: call it the invisible design beauty of safety.
Accommodation
Developed from the C-Class sedan, the coupe is very well packaged considering its compact external dimensions. There is reasonably generous room in the rear for two adults. Headroom is much more generous than the sleek exterior lines imply. Individual rear seats give a sense of exclusivity as well as proving surprisingly comfortable. The coupe is actually 9 mm longer than the sedan, as well as 41 mm lower and the doors are 300 mm longer. Rear ingress/egress will not favour all occupants. Eighteen-inch alloy wheels are standard, while the entry level C180 (115 kW, 250 Nm) rides on 17s. Throw in the more powerful variant’s full leather upholstery (beige in the test car and helping to lighten the interior feel, which is otherwise quite sombre), superior sound system and telematics (COMAND APS with 7-inch screen, LINGUATRONIC voice control, etc) and the $11K premium is more than covered. We think a reversing camera should be standard at this price and with rear vision only average for a coupe. Then there is the ludicrous foot-operated parking brake which we can only think of as a sop to the US market. Surely there were arguments at the product planning stage. Can anyone tell us why the C-Class coupes don’t use a similar electronic handbrake to the SLK’s?
Performance & Economy
With its lusty turbocharged 1.8-litre four, seven-speed automatic and relatively low kerb weight, the C250 devours highways. This is the same engine as the one used in the entry level C180 but the turbocharger enables it to develop a healthy 150 kW (instead of just 115). The car itself weighs 1550 kilograms and until the last decade or so any car with I kW for every 10 kg was considered to have an excellent power to weight ratio. Peak torque of 310 Nm is strong and arrives at just 2300 rpm which is just about perfect and considerably lower in the rev range than would be typical of a naturally aspirated 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine. The engine is especially smooth for a four-cylinder unit and it harmonises with one of the world’s best automatic transmissions. On the open road you’ll use just 6.0 to 6.5 litres per 100 kilometres.
Ride & Handling
The steering is far from sporty in feel. It is very light and with little sense of intimate connection with the road – until you hit the sport button. Then the steering acquires more weight and the car suddenly feels dynamic: it is difficult to believe that the push of a button can make this difference. The ride is supple but the C250 always feels agile and beautifully balanced.
Conclusion
Safe and alluring, the C250 is a great advertisement for the excellence of Mercedes engineering.
Mercedes
