Difference between Classic, Elegance & Avantgarde in Australia
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From: Perth, Australia
Audi A4 Quattro 2013
Difference between Classic, Elegance & Avantgarde in Australia
I've been looking for an Aussie brochure of the W203 (facelift models after 2005) but cant find one online. The dealers dont have them either.
I want to find out the real differences between the models. From what I can tell, the classic has less chrome etc. but I'm not sure what the Elegance & Avantgarde have that is different from each-other.
Do the Classics in Australia come with 'real' leather? Do any of them actually come with real leather?
Also, I read the C200 & C180 kompressors both have the same engine... so what the difference there?
Sorry... I'm a bit new to Mercs
PS
one question I just thought of; do the stereo's have an AUX in jack? I play my in-car music from my iphone in my current car.
I want to find out the real differences between the models. From what I can tell, the classic has less chrome etc. but I'm not sure what the Elegance & Avantgarde have that is different from each-other.
Do the Classics in Australia come with 'real' leather? Do any of them actually come with real leather?
Also, I read the C200 & C180 kompressors both have the same engine... so what the difference there?
Sorry... I'm a bit new to Mercs
PS
one question I just thought of; do the stereo's have an AUX in jack? I play my in-car music from my iphone in my current car.
Last edited by anonymousmoose; Oct 27, 2010 at 10:07 PM.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Ok - Classic has less chrome, less trim, no leather, less wood, none on doors, smaller wheels & tyres & lower general spec.
Elegance & Avantgarde are basically the same spec. Both with leather. Avantgarde has Aluminium where Elegance has wood. Avantgarde has sportier body skirts & Elegance more conservative. They have different pattern wheels fitted. Elegance has green tinted windows & Avantgarde has blue tinted windows - very slight but there. Elegance has chrome on door handles. Avantgarde has painted body colour only - Classic has black. Elegance Grill is sprayed silver behind chrome - Avantgarde Grill is sprayed Black behind chrome. Elegance & Avantgarde were priced identically for same spec. I might have missed some very minor things but that's about it.
C180 & C200 have the same 1800 engine but the C200 is chipped for greater power output. The American version of this engine (M271) known as a C230 up to & including 2005 has a larger blower for greater power. Same fitted to the Aus/SA C230 Coupe.
From 2006 onward the C230 in US and Aus/SA is fitted with the 2.5 litre M272 V6 - my preferred buy.
Differences beyond this depend on what got ticked on the options list. US cars come with packages. Our cars as you spec them. US never got many of our options e.g Parktronic.
Elegance & Avantgarde are basically the same spec. Both with leather. Avantgarde has Aluminium where Elegance has wood. Avantgarde has sportier body skirts & Elegance more conservative. They have different pattern wheels fitted. Elegance has green tinted windows & Avantgarde has blue tinted windows - very slight but there. Elegance has chrome on door handles. Avantgarde has painted body colour only - Classic has black. Elegance Grill is sprayed silver behind chrome - Avantgarde Grill is sprayed Black behind chrome. Elegance & Avantgarde were priced identically for same spec. I might have missed some very minor things but that's about it.
C180 & C200 have the same 1800 engine but the C200 is chipped for greater power output. The American version of this engine (M271) known as a C230 up to & including 2005 has a larger blower for greater power. Same fitted to the Aus/SA C230 Coupe.
From 2006 onward the C230 in US and Aus/SA is fitted with the 2.5 litre M272 V6 - my preferred buy.
Differences beyond this depend on what got ticked on the options list. US cars come with packages. Our cars as you spec them. US never got many of our options e.g Parktronic.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Oct 28, 2010 at 09:55 AM.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Newer models have Aux In in the glove box.
If you desparately want me to scan the pages of the sales brochures books I will do partially on differences & options. They were never 100% accurate & are 100 pages long so I'm not doing the whole brochure for what are minor differences between Elegance & Avantgarde. I don't think I have the brochure for the M272 powered C230 anyway.
If you desparately want me to scan the pages of the sales brochures books I will do partially on differences & options. They were never 100% accurate & are 100 pages long so I'm not doing the whole brochure for what are minor differences between Elegance & Avantgarde. I don't think I have the brochure for the M272 powered C230 anyway.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Oct 28, 2010 at 09:27 AM.
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2009 C300 4Matic Sport
Ok - Classic has less chrome, less trim, no leather, less wood, none on doors, smaller wheels & tyres & lower general spec.
Differences beyond this depend on what got ticked on the options list. US cars come with packages. Our cars as you spec them. US never got many of our options e.g Parktronic.
Differences beyond this depend on what got ticked on the options list. US cars come with packages. Our cars as you spec them. US never got many of our options e.g Parktronic.
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From: Orlando FL
2009 C300 4Matic Sport
I've some posted before.. in this thread:
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...3-c-class.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...3-c-class.html
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its funny you have the chrome-less side trim, which many people on this forum would die to have as they otherwise cover the trim with vinyl to hide it, and you're trying to get the trim with the chrome 
i dont blame you, i personally like the chrome. breaks the car up.
I also love the c63 reps.
and with the b-x, you have one of the most desrieable options available. nice car! get your hands on some lowering springs and it'll be complete IMO.
i dont blame you, i personally like the chrome. breaks the car up.
I also love the c63 reps.
and with the b-x, you have one of the most desrieable options available. nice car! get your hands on some lowering springs and it'll be complete IMO.
Last edited by cpbeasley; Oct 31, 2010 at 04:07 PM.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
The MBTex/Leather combo was American Spec. SA/AUS spec built in SA was full leather seats & door panels. You have no wood on the doors if you have a Classic - only the console. The BiX were an option.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Oct 31, 2010 at 08:56 PM.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
ggms' car has the post facelift nose skirt. Mine has the prefacelift. I fitted clear blinker repeaters in the mirors after this pic was taken. Note Parktronic sensors in the bumpers & heated headlamp washers which are part of the BiX option as are clear glass fogs. I quite like the new skirt apart from the angle of the fogs. Always looked wrong to me.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Nov 1, 2010 at 06:24 AM.
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From: Australia
White w203 C200K Elegance
The sport models are the only models in Australia that have cloth. I think this is only true for the 2000 to 2004 cars. Everything else has leather seats unless special ordered.
the difference between the classic and elegance in Australia is as follows, for the 2000 to 2004 w203's and most of this carries on for the 2005-2007 update too.
Classic
- no chrome trim all around outside of car.
- classic exterior door handles (not chrome)
- cheap looking plastic grille with little chrome.
- no wood insets in interior doors.
- basic climate control unit (no LCD)
Elegance
- chrome trim all around outside of car.
- chrome door handles
- full chrome grille
- wood inserts on all the doors.
- LCD climate control unit
the difference between the classic and elegance in Australia is as follows, for the 2000 to 2004 w203's and most of this carries on for the 2005-2007 update too.
Classic
- no chrome trim all around outside of car.
- classic exterior door handles (not chrome)
- cheap looking plastic grille with little chrome.
- no wood insets in interior doors.
- basic climate control unit (no LCD)
Elegance
- chrome trim all around outside of car.
- chrome door handles
- full chrome grille
- wood inserts on all the doors.
- LCD climate control unit
Last edited by tijn; Nov 2, 2010 at 08:13 PM.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
The sport models are the only models in Australia that have cloth. I think this is only true for the 2000 to 2004 cars. Everything else has leather seats unless special ordered.
the difference between the classic and elegance in Australia is as follows, for the 2000 to 2004 w203's and most of this carries on for the 2005-2007 update too.
Classic
- no chrome trim all around outside of car.
- classic exterior door handles (not chrome)
- cheap looking plastic grille with little chrome.
- no wood insets in interior doors.
- basic climate control unit (no LCD)
Elegance
- chrome trim all around outside of car.
- chrome door handles
- full chrome grille
- wood inserts on all the doors.
- LCD climate control unit
the difference between the classic and elegance in Australia is as follows, for the 2000 to 2004 w203's and most of this carries on for the 2005-2007 update too.
Classic
- no chrome trim all around outside of car.
- classic exterior door handles (not chrome)
- cheap looking plastic grille with little chrome.
- no wood insets in interior doors.
- basic climate control unit (no LCD)
Elegance
- chrome trim all around outside of car.
- chrome door handles
- full chrome grille
- wood inserts on all the doors.
- LCD climate control unit
- So Aus Classic's had full leather? Here that was an option that many took & many got built to but not standard.
- Did they persist with that crappy Classic grill after 2000? From 2001 it changed in SA.
- So you had no choice between Thermatic & Thermotronic HVAC?
I know from the time I lived in Aus that the wheels were different on the cars - same as SA.
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I read on www.redbook.com.au the Australian mercs come with 'partial leather' seats.
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Cloth was only available in Europe. Classics have MBTex or (Taxi leder as the Germans call it) It is quite convincing vinyl. Easy way to tell leather is that it is double stitched like this - see seam in pic. MBTex is not. Leather door panels are rouched. MBTex is not. You can also smell the leather.
