Six-figure looks for a five-figure price. Just.

Friday, 17 May 2019

Here are five fascinating facts about the Mercedes-Benz C-class that you probably didn't know. Or maybe you did.

**MERCEDES-BENZ C 300 coupe

Base price:** $98,000

Powertrain and performance: 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder, 190kW/370Nm, 9-speed automatic, RWD, Combined economy 7.0 litres per 100km.

An S-class coupe costs almost three times the price of the C 300 and doesn't look as good.

Vital statistics: 4686mm long, 1405mm high, 2840mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 380 litres, 19-inch alloy wheels with 225/40 tyres front, 255/35 rear.

We like: Sensational looks. Fantastic build quality. Looks WAY more expensive than it is.

We don't like: Is still a lot of money for a car, particularly one with a four-cylinder engine…

It may be easy to merely write the C 300 off as yet another C-class variant. But less cynically, it is a stunningly sexy coupe that looks way more expensive than it actually is. But it is still quite expensive.

So what's new?

300 means 2.0-litres in the C 300's case, but the four-cylinder engine has six-cylinder power.

Like the rest of the C-class range, the slinky coupe has had an update with a load of new tech. And, yeah, so it actually is easy to write the C 300 off as yet another C-class variant, because they do all start to blur together after a while. But the two-door version of the C-class has a big advantage in that regard, because it is absolutely stunning looking.

**READ MORE:

Beautifully made interior is packed with tech.

* Sunday Drive: Mercedes-Benz C 200 and AMG C 43

* Diesel does nicely for super-luxury Mercedes-Benz

* The most hi-tech car in the world is also a bit old-fashioned**

If you like your coupes sleek and elegantly aggressive, then the C 300 is the car for you. As long as you have close to $100k.

While it does cost a fairly hefty $98,000, pop it alongside an S-class coupe at close to three times the price and it is still better looking. Although the S-class will warm your elbows.

But more importantly, compare it with the equivalent E-class coupe and you will have to stump up an extra $27,000 for something with the same engine, but with slightly less power and torque. And it isn't as sexy as the C 300 either.

So that makes it something of a bargain in the Mercedes coupe arena. A really good looking one at that.

How does it all come together?

You might imagine that the '300' part of the C 300's designation refers to something like a 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine, but only if you have recently woken from a decade-long coma, because these days it refers to… something. Not sure what. A vibe perhaps?

However, the C 300 packs Mercedes' strong 2.0-litre turbo four wound up to produce 190kW of power and 390Nm of torque. It feels like a good six, but with possibly even more torque down low. It pulls strongly from low revs and is beautifully free-revving up high.

Hell, it even manages to sound pretty good for a four. But not quite as good as the company's sublime inline six though.

On the road the C 300 feels light, lithe and agile, with accurate steering (that does lack feel a bit) and precise turn in. It's not going to fool you into thinking it is a sports car, but it will happily join in the fun on a winding road.

More importantly for a luxury coupe, the C 300 boasts a wonderfully compliant and supple ride that you would expect from something in this segment. Particularly something wearing a three-pointed star on its nose.

Of course, build quality and materials inside and out are second to none, and you also get Mercedes' full Driving Assistance package PLUS (shouty capitals and all) which adds the company's remarkable route based speed adaptation to the adaptive cruise control, that uses road sign recognition and GPS mapping to adjust the car's speed for corners and even intersections.

Any other cars I should consider?

BMW has yet to reveal a new 4 series, so there is only the old one that doesn't really have a model that compares directly to the C 300 anyway.

Audi only has the 185kW four-door coupe A5 as a competitor, at the same price as the C 300, while Lexus offers the slightly awkward RC 300 F Sport as a direct competitor (180kW 2.0-litre turbo) for slightly more money ($102,900).