2017 Mercedes-Benz C300 Coupe For Matic
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| Mercedes-Benz C300 Coupe |
S-class vibes in a smaller package
The two-door Mercedes-Benz C-class now wears a form-fitting dress that emphasizes its curves in all the right places, which means it now closely resembles the bigger and far pricier S-class coupe. When it introduced this new model for 2017, Mercedes emphasized that its lowered roof and seating position make it more of a driver’s car than its predecessor, which was pretty much just a two-door version of the sedan in terms of looks and driving character. While we’ve found the “driver’s car” label to ring true for the AMG-badged C63 and C43 models, what of the lowest on the totem pole—the Mercedes-Benz C300? It has the style to warrant our listing it among the most beautiful cars on the market today, and it starts at $43,575, well below the AMG versions that can cost more than twice as much. The example tested here was equipped with 4MATIC all-wheel drive, making it more suitable for year-round use than the rear-drive model we previously tested.
All About It
Stuttgart’s W205 C-class platform is nothing if not versatile. Mercedes offers it in 16 versions for American customers—and even more in global markets that have the option of the station-wagon models that aren’t sold here. That means each one occupies a very specific niche but also that people can largely choose the exact C they want. That said, the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system is offered on the C300 and C43 sedan and coupe but not on the higher-powered C63. Benz’s all-wheel-drive setup automatically distributes torque to the axle with the most grip and is capable of directing nearly all the thrust to either axle. Prime competitors for the all-wheel-drive C300 are the BMW 430i xDrive, the Cadillac ATS coupe AWD, the Audi A5 Sport, and the Infiniti Q60 2.0t AWD (the Lexus RC200t doesn’t offer AWD).
Other things 4MATIC does are add cash to the window sticker—to the tune of $2000—and mass to the curb weight. On our scales, the C300 tested here weighed 3789 pounds, up 157 from the rear-drive model. This Benz also weighs at least 100 pounds more than the aforementioned competitors from BMW and Cadillac.
Boosted Benz
Don’t mistake the C300’s high style for an indication that it’s a tire-burning pulse pounder in the mold of the similar-looking C-class AMGs; rather, its sleek lines denote a more genteel personality. Under the hood is an intercooled turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four that makes 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. That’s routed through a seven-speed automatic transmission. Throttle response seems sluggish, particularly given that the transmission can be reluctant to kick down a gear, but the drivetrain performs well enough for people seeking more luxury than thrill.
The added traction, courtesy of 4MATIC, slightly improved on the rear-drive C300’s dash to 60 mph, doing the deed in 6.0 seconds compared with 6.2, even though the standard C300 model wore 19-inch wheels and Pirelli P Zero summer tires while this one had Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season rubber on 18-inch wheels. Also with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four and all-wheel drive, the BMW 428i (renamed the 430i and imbued with more power since our most recent test) was a half-second quicker to 60 mph but the Audi A5 was one-tenth behind.
The C300 4MATIC also ran through our quarter-mile test 0.2-second quicker than the base coupe, in 14.5 seconds at 96 mph. Despite the tire disadvantage, the 4MATIC pulled the same 0.91 g on the skidpad as did the rear-wheel-drive C300, but it took 163 feet to stop from 70 mph compared with the rear-drive model’s 157.
Like other new C-class coupes, this one feels nimbler and more agile than previous generations. The steering is nicely weighted, and turn-in is precise. The solid chassis and suspension absorb road irregularities well, although this car had the Sport package as well as 4MATIC, so the ride quality tilted toward the firm end of the spectrum.
With a small-displacement turbocharged engine comes the expectation that it gets acceptable fuel economy. We observed 22 mpg during our time with the car, matching what we recorded in the four-door version but short of the EPA combined rating of 25 mpg. During our 200-mile highway test at 75 mph, it scored 29 mpg, which is spot on the EPA highway figure.
This or That
The as-tested price on our heavily optioned Benz highlights the choices available to the C-class shopper. It had the $1975 Night package, which includes the Sport package and features 18-inch AMG five-spoke black wheels, black exterior accents, a sport-tuned suspension, perforated front brake discs, a flat-bottom steering wheel, brushed-metal pedals, a black headliner, and AMG body fillips. The Porcelain leather added $1620, the Parking Assist package is $1290, the head-up display costs $990, and front-passenger-seat memory tacks on $430. Brilliant Blue Metallic paint added $720 and Linden wood trim another $325.
The priciest add-on was the $7860 Premium 3 bundle, which brings 24 items with a single click on the order sheet. These include the 13-speaker Burmester audio system, ambient lighting, voice control, navigation, an 8.4-inch infotainment screen, cabin fragrance and filtration systems, proximity entry and keyless start, satellite radio, and an electric trunk closer. (Selecting Premium 3 also requires that you choose either the $580 heated front seats that our car had or the $1030 heated and ventilated front seats.) Going beyond those luxuries, the Premium 3 kit also includes Mercedes-Benz’s latest high-tech safety and assistance technologies: blind-spot detection, pedestrian recognition with automated braking, lane-keeping assist, swiveling LED headlamps with automatic high-beams, cross-traffic detection, and radar sensing to detect imminent rear collisions. It’s a pricey package, to be sure, but it brings a big dose of tech from the flagship S-class into a compact coupe. All told, our example rang in at $60,905.
While the stunning exterior of the coupe may be its best aesthetic feature, the interior is gorgeous as well. The leather is soft without feeling delicate (just don’t wear raw denim with light-colored upholstery, as the leather will pick up any color bleeding—ask us how we know). Also, the flowing grain of the glossy wood trim added a classical element, the controls all feel premium, and the perforated Burmester speaker grilles look killer as usual.
C Is for Choices
While choosing the base engine keeps the starting price low, adding so many options presents some alternatives to consider. Those willing to sacrifice fuel economy for a more athletic and powerful car that still has all-wheel drive should step across the showroom to the Mercedes-AMG C43 with its turbocharged V-6 and the new nine-speed automatic transmission. At a starting price of $56,425, the C43 delivers 121 more horsepower and 111 more lb-ft of torque, and it should pare more than a second from the zero-to-60-mph time.
The C43 also has more standard features, such as a backup camera, a premium sound system, satellite radio, heated front seats, 18-inch AMG wheels, AMG styling inside and out, AMG sport suspension, 14.2-inch compound brake discs up front, and a fancier grille. (You’ll note that this list includes much of the C300’s Sport package.) And if you want the safety tech, the C43 offers the Premium 3 stuff for $5550. So a 362-hp C43 with the suite of safety features could be had for $61,975, a scant $1070 more than the car tested here.
In this comparison, the C300 presents a smaller carbon footprint and has all the indulgences, but we’d give the nod to the C43, which has a little less fluff but is a more engaging driver’s car. Whichever you choose, the C-class coupe makes a lasting impression to those inside and out. Source by Caranddriver.com
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