That's my personal stance! putting sensibilities aside. Afterall - I had a C240 before my present car - hardly a ball of fire but magic when revved. I like 6 cylinder engines. Don't mind small ones.

Ahh - I got you now

I tried to avoid this thread but reading some of the comments makes me smh.

Why buy a c250 over a c350? Well why buy a S600 instead of a S65? Why buy a e350 instead of a e550 coupe? If I was buying an E class I would not buy an engine that is sitting in a c350, SLK350, GLK350...If I were to step up to an E class I would get a e550. V8-twin turbo..no brainer. The v8 is more refined then the v6. See what I am getting at? It's personal preference.

It's the same question that is being asked. It's all about personal preference. I didn't see any extra refinement in the c350 to warrant me shelling out extra cash for it. Engine refinement? Dual exhaust? It's the same damn car, besides engine and tailpipes. As some one posted, if you are doing a lot of city driving (me), I rarely go over 70mph in my car. I spend most of my time "IN" my car daily commuting, and correct me if I am wrong, if you sat in my "c250" and I sat in a "c350" I am going to really see a big difference right? LOL

Let's not forget with my "$179" JB+ tune (not $500 or $1000), I have the same amount of torque as a c350. Torque matters for me as I need the passing power and lane changing power to move around in DC traffic. The c250 taps into it's torque powerband a lot faster than a c350 considering the c250 get all its torque around 2000-4500 rpms (every magazine that has tested the c250 and c350 have verified this). I think that right there make a LOT of sense. Best bang-for-buck-gas saving-money-decision ever. smh

As you say it's a matter of preference. To me the increase in refinement of a 6 is critical to my enjoyment of a Benz. To you it is not. There is also the question of longevity. Benz 6 cyl engines have a history of doing huge mileage.

It's like the new 328i Beemer. It's lost it's character without a 6 in it.

Yeah, I hate 4-Bangers. I rode in a C250 and even going through a parking lot, you can hear that distinct "4-Banger sound". To me, an M-B needs at least the refinement/sound of a 6.... but hey, some people feel that an M-B needs at least the refinement/sound of a V8.... then some a V12, lol. However, as far as usable real-world performance, I'm sure the 4-Banger Benz has enough of it realistically.

I appreciate the realibility and robustness of my M112 / 722.6, both are proven and well driven technologies. My car has 150K miles and it is running extremely well.

Not sure about these MB new DI engines, they are brand new engine designs that we will know the reliability of them only in a few more months.

I'm of the "I won't own a V6" crowd. They just sound lumpy to me at low speeds, and at higher RPM larger V6 engines sound harsh. I prefer the purr of a 4 cylinder at low speeds and a throatier burble through the midrange.

The old 2.6 liter had a great sound when it was wound out - it's one of the few V6 engines I actually like.

A part of my lifetime love for MB died when they stopped using Inline-6 petrol engines.

I think one of the things I am going to miss most about my smart when it gets traded in a couple of weeks is how it sounds - shades of a 2.5 liter Boxster.

Yeah! - I know what you like MDMG - I loved my old 280E Twincam W123. Magic engine. Benz says another inline 6 is in it's future.

Yeah - I'm hoping the new engine continues the tradition. I must say it's beautifully executed compared with the Chrysler Pentastar 3.6 that shares the same DNA but not DI.

I used to be part of the same crowd that "would never drive a 4-cylinder". But after now having my c250, I can honestly say, I was being ignorant before. The sound isn't NEARLY as bad as a civic or non-luxury 4-cylinder. You can tell its more refined. It sounds a bit deeper and "groggy" and not as annoying. The turbo also sounds really cool when you shift, blowing off.

So to be honest, having this first 4-cylinder I feel like has opened my eyes to alternative engine variants. My next time around I will probably look heavily into an diesel offerings...

Are you speaking of the new Chrysler V6 and the new M-B D/I V6? I thought they seemed suspiciously similar, and their statistical figures are also about identical.

Yes - The new Benz M278 3.5 DI V6 & the new Chrysler Pentastar 3.6 V6 were a joint development & share the same DNA.

Interesting, thanks. How about the previous 3.5L? Was that a joint development with Chrysler?

No. The M272 that we have is all Benz.

Sweet.