MotorTrend First Drive: 2012 Mercedes C-Class
03-08-2011, 01:32 PM
#1
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MotorTrend First Drive: 2012 Mercedes C-Class
Originally Posted by MotorTrend
Locals' heads swivel in unison as our caravan of entry-level luxury rolls through the streets of Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands. Dozens of automotive journalists in reworked Mercedes C-Classes wind through the narrow streets like the German Secret Service on holiday. The island is filled with tiny Peugeots and Seats, so even the smallest of the Mercedes sedan family suddenly looks like a land yacht navigating among the brightly painted stucco buildings and thatch umbrellas.
Mercedes has chosen Tenerife to preview the 2012 Mercedes C-Class and SLK so that we can drive in every environment you can imagine, and probably even some you can't. Journalists get pretty jaded about exotic locations, but this one is borderline insane. Rainforest, desert, beaches, even a 12,000-foot volcano are all located on the 500-acre island. As a bonus, the local department of civil engineering doesn't seem to own a single straightedge.
The 2012 C-Class isn't a brand-new model, but you would be forgiven for thinking so. Mercedes classifies this as an extensive refresh consisting of more than 2000 new components. I counted roughly 1983, but I didn't have the time or wrenches to be completely accurate.
The exterior is updated in Mercedes' latest design language with a pronounced grille and more squared-off two-tier headlights. The look is more aggressive, especially the sport version, which is equipped with a more open grille sporting the larger three-pointed star. Front and rear bumpers are new with more angular shapes, as is the aluminum hood, which drops 20 pounds off the front of the car. With all this, aerodynamics are improved resulting in a surprisingly low 0.26 coefficient of drag.
The interior is where most of the magic has taken place. The last C-Class always felt a little cheap. The dash shape was awkward, the Nav-system looked like an afterthought, and it was built with materials not quite befitting a luxury car. Mercedes listened to feedback from customers and not only upgraded the materials but redesigned the dash to integrate navigation and infotainment system into a more horizontally sweeping layout. A small but critical improvement is the steering wheel, which is closer in shape and thickness to the near-perfect C63 AMG's. The instrument panel now has a high-definition multi-use screen mounted between the speedometer and tachometer. Large-scale changes like materials and layout bring the car up to the level you expect from the smallest Mercedes, but the high-tech details elevate the level to something you expect in one of the larger, more expensive cars.
The previous C-Class never disappointed with handling and composure on the road, but Mercedes engineers aren't content to leave well enough alone. The suspension design is the same as before, but spring, damping, and anti-roll rates have been reworked. The result is a car that feels more stable on the road, but retains-if not improves on-previous ride quality. The body feels stiffer as well, but chassis engineers attribute this mostly to the more effective tuning of the squishy bits. All models are available with both a sports suspension and a Dynamic Handling package for those looking to switch directions a little quicker. The Sports Package lowers the car and increases spring rates, while the Dynamic Suspension package adds adjustable dampers that stiffen at the push of a button.
Three drivetrain options will be sold in the United States. The C250 will use Mercedes' new 1.8-liter turbocharged direct-injection four cylinder delivering 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque from 2200 to 4300 rpm. The C300 4matic offers all-wheel drive and is powered by a 3.0-liter V-6 producing 228 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque from 2700 to 5000 rpm. Quite predictably, the C350 offers a 3.5-liter V-6 with an impressive 302 horsepower and 273 pound-feet from 3500 to 5250 rpm. Thanks to direct injection and work on reducing parasitic drag in the engine and in the new seven-speed automatic transmission, the C-Class models are up to 15 percent more efficient than previous models.
While other markets will receive 10 new electronic driving aids, North America will receive only five. Our end of the stick isn't as short as you may think. We'll receive mostly passive systems, while the rest of the world gets several active systems that have received a chilly welcome from a few testers. Mercedes has chosen Adaptive High-beam Assist, Attention Assist, Parktronic, Lane Assist, and Blind Spot Assist for North America. Other countries receive systems that actively steer the vehicle if it feels you are inadvertently leaving your lane; cars are smart enough to steer themselves but don't possess the clairvoyance necessary to judge between wandering due to inattention and drifting over a line to avoid something in the road. Missing out on these features may be a blessing in disguise.
On the road, the new C-Class still feels like the smallest Mercedes. While it feels very solid and planted, it does feel more nimble than the old car. Steering effort has a nice heft to it in sport mode; in regular mode it does feel slightly light. There also seems to be a dead spot in the steering. Turn-in feels sharp at first, then it gets to a point where a much larger input is needed to get just a little more steering angle. It may be a result of deflection in the suspension components or something with the active steering, but either way it becomes apparent pretty quickly.
The 3.5-liter V-6 feels strong all the way through the rev range. Freeway on-ramps disappear in flashes. At high speed, the power isn't quite as impressive. At anything above 90 mph the C350 still pulls, just not with the gusto it has at legal speeds. For most drivers, it won't ever be an issue, but for those interested in triple-digit exploits it might fall short. The 1.8-liter turbo four-cylinder feels great as well. It isn't as composed or refined, but the low-end torque will get the C250 from corner to corner quickly. The frenetic nature of the smaller engine is quite entertaining, and, when driven hard, really changes the character of the car. For those who remember DTM-Racing in the early 1990s, the smaller engine in a sport model C-Class will recall the 190e 2.3-16. Unfortunately, a manual won't be an option in the U.S. market for the seven of us who would buy one.
The new seven-speed transmission is smooth and fast in most situations. Kick-downs on the highway happen just when you want them, and the adaptive technology seems to finally be at the point where it works as promised. In some of the twistier sections on the island when constantly going between second and third it did become slightly balky, hesitating between shifts and engaging with a clunk that would unsettle the car. We have to think that the only people driving their C-Classes that hard are journalists and teenagers borrowing their parents' cars, so this is probably a non-issue. When switched to manual mode, we could hold the car in one gear since the engines are so tractable, which alleviated the hunting back and forth.
Previous C-Classes were always nice cars, especially when paired with attractive lease deals. It was a car you got into for a couple years until you could afford an E-Class. The C-Class now feels complete, with a better interior, better efficiency, and more solid structure. With improved styling, handling, and power, the C has gone from something you would like to lease to something you would love to own. If you get one, it might just stick around for awhile.
Mercedes has chosen Tenerife to preview the 2012 Mercedes C-Class and SLK so that we can drive in every environment you can imagine, and probably even some you can't. Journalists get pretty jaded about exotic locations, but this one is borderline insane. Rainforest, desert, beaches, even a 12,000-foot volcano are all located on the 500-acre island. As a bonus, the local department of civil engineering doesn't seem to own a single straightedge.
The 2012 C-Class isn't a brand-new model, but you would be forgiven for thinking so. Mercedes classifies this as an extensive refresh consisting of more than 2000 new components. I counted roughly 1983, but I didn't have the time or wrenches to be completely accurate.
The exterior is updated in Mercedes' latest design language with a pronounced grille and more squared-off two-tier headlights. The look is more aggressive, especially the sport version, which is equipped with a more open grille sporting the larger three-pointed star. Front and rear bumpers are new with more angular shapes, as is the aluminum hood, which drops 20 pounds off the front of the car. With all this, aerodynamics are improved resulting in a surprisingly low 0.26 coefficient of drag.
The interior is where most of the magic has taken place. The last C-Class always felt a little cheap. The dash shape was awkward, the Nav-system looked like an afterthought, and it was built with materials not quite befitting a luxury car. Mercedes listened to feedback from customers and not only upgraded the materials but redesigned the dash to integrate navigation and infotainment system into a more horizontally sweeping layout. A small but critical improvement is the steering wheel, which is closer in shape and thickness to the near-perfect C63 AMG's. The instrument panel now has a high-definition multi-use screen mounted between the speedometer and tachometer. Large-scale changes like materials and layout bring the car up to the level you expect from the smallest Mercedes, but the high-tech details elevate the level to something you expect in one of the larger, more expensive cars.
The previous C-Class never disappointed with handling and composure on the road, but Mercedes engineers aren't content to leave well enough alone. The suspension design is the same as before, but spring, damping, and anti-roll rates have been reworked. The result is a car that feels more stable on the road, but retains-if not improves on-previous ride quality. The body feels stiffer as well, but chassis engineers attribute this mostly to the more effective tuning of the squishy bits. All models are available with both a sports suspension and a Dynamic Handling package for those looking to switch directions a little quicker. The Sports Package lowers the car and increases spring rates, while the Dynamic Suspension package adds adjustable dampers that stiffen at the push of a button.
Three drivetrain options will be sold in the United States. The C250 will use Mercedes' new 1.8-liter turbocharged direct-injection four cylinder delivering 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque from 2200 to 4300 rpm. The C300 4matic offers all-wheel drive and is powered by a 3.0-liter V-6 producing 228 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque from 2700 to 5000 rpm. Quite predictably, the C350 offers a 3.5-liter V-6 with an impressive 302 horsepower and 273 pound-feet from 3500 to 5250 rpm. Thanks to direct injection and work on reducing parasitic drag in the engine and in the new seven-speed automatic transmission, the C-Class models are up to 15 percent more efficient than previous models.
While other markets will receive 10 new electronic driving aids, North America will receive only five. Our end of the stick isn't as short as you may think. We'll receive mostly passive systems, while the rest of the world gets several active systems that have received a chilly welcome from a few testers. Mercedes has chosen Adaptive High-beam Assist, Attention Assist, Parktronic, Lane Assist, and Blind Spot Assist for North America. Other countries receive systems that actively steer the vehicle if it feels you are inadvertently leaving your lane; cars are smart enough to steer themselves but don't possess the clairvoyance necessary to judge between wandering due to inattention and drifting over a line to avoid something in the road. Missing out on these features may be a blessing in disguise.
On the road, the new C-Class still feels like the smallest Mercedes. While it feels very solid and planted, it does feel more nimble than the old car. Steering effort has a nice heft to it in sport mode; in regular mode it does feel slightly light. There also seems to be a dead spot in the steering. Turn-in feels sharp at first, then it gets to a point where a much larger input is needed to get just a little more steering angle. It may be a result of deflection in the suspension components or something with the active steering, but either way it becomes apparent pretty quickly.
The 3.5-liter V-6 feels strong all the way through the rev range. Freeway on-ramps disappear in flashes. At high speed, the power isn't quite as impressive. At anything above 90 mph the C350 still pulls, just not with the gusto it has at legal speeds. For most drivers, it won't ever be an issue, but for those interested in triple-digit exploits it might fall short. The 1.8-liter turbo four-cylinder feels great as well. It isn't as composed or refined, but the low-end torque will get the C250 from corner to corner quickly. The frenetic nature of the smaller engine is quite entertaining, and, when driven hard, really changes the character of the car. For those who remember DTM-Racing in the early 1990s, the smaller engine in a sport model C-Class will recall the 190e 2.3-16. Unfortunately, a manual won't be an option in the U.S. market for the seven of us who would buy one.
The new seven-speed transmission is smooth and fast in most situations. Kick-downs on the highway happen just when you want them, and the adaptive technology seems to finally be at the point where it works as promised. In some of the twistier sections on the island when constantly going between second and third it did become slightly balky, hesitating between shifts and engaging with a clunk that would unsettle the car. We have to think that the only people driving their C-Classes that hard are journalists and teenagers borrowing their parents' cars, so this is probably a non-issue. When switched to manual mode, we could hold the car in one gear since the engines are so tractable, which alleviated the hunting back and forth.
Previous C-Classes were always nice cars, especially when paired with attractive lease deals. It was a car you got into for a couple years until you could afford an E-Class. The C-Class now feels complete, with a better interior, better efficiency, and more solid structure. With improved styling, handling, and power, the C has gone from something you would like to lease to something you would love to own. If you get one, it might just stick around for awhile.
Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...#ixzz1G2BhQ6Nn
03-08-2011, 01:51 PM
#2
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Automobile First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-class
Originally Posted by Automobile Mag
The First "Baby Benz"
When Mercedes-Benz introduced its first small sedan back in 1982, the press immediately dubbed it the "Baby Benz." The first U. S. press drive was from the old-money Homestead in West Virginia (perhaps to remind us all of its luxury bones), to the Indianapolis Speedway. The goal was to see which two-person team of reporters could achieve the highest fuel economy. Snore.
Brock Yates and I made our own game plan, with very different rules: First one to Indy wins. We put the hammer down and beat everyone else by hours, won the hastily created Friends of OPEC award, and we were lustily cheered by the German mechanics as we collected our prize. "Real men don't give a flying (insert bad word here) about fuel economy, Lindamood!" Yates snorted. "Yeah!" I shouted.
Not an auspicious start to what has become the bread-and-butter car of the three-pointed star. That first "starter" Benz was dubbed the 190 and didn't really get interesting until it got a high-performance 2.3-liter16-valve head and boy-racer bodywork to redeem itself. The 190 officially became the C-class in 1993, which was redone in 2000 and again in 2007. That fourth-generation has sold more than a million worldwide. Including the 190-badged years, the C-class has racked up over 8.5 million sales for Mercedes-Benz.
What's changed
We're all a lot more sophisticated today. Well, I at least bring a lot more luggage along than I used to. But in my defense, we would be hitting the motor show in Geneva, where cold, wind, and rain were predicted, then flying to the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, known for it's near-80 temps this time of year to test the new C-class. It takes a village worth of luggage to support the sophisticated me. On the other hand, one look at the 2012 C-class says volumes about its upscale metamorphosis from Baby to premium player in the crowded entry-luxury segment. And I can't say enough about the size of the trunk.
This C-class is actually being billed as a facelift, but there are more than 2000 new parts, from the new a four-cylinder engine (returning to the U.S. after a long absence), to a new lightweight aluminum hood and five new safety systems. Its sleek exterior (with an incredible drag coefficient of 0.26) features a stronger face (the Sport version's bigger three-pointed star mounted mid-grille is our favorite) and a cleaner profile, which move the C-class deeper visually and emotionally into the upscale heart of the M-B lineup. It's an image enhanced by a much richer standard leather interior, a longer list of high-end options, and upgrades like new state-of-the-art telematics that allow cars equipped with the COMAND system to access the web. It can even alert you to ideal car pool lane entry and exit points
Body styles and powertrains
You don't pull big sales numbers without a lot of variants, and the new C-class will be coming to market as a sedan, a coupe, and a wagon -- with AMG versions of all three -- available for order right now in Europe. A convertible is most assuredly on the way. While the rest of the world gets to choose between some combination of three four-cylinder and two V-6 gas engines, or five inline fours and one V-6 diesels, M-B's U.S. marketing team is keeping it simple for us. The C-class sedan will be available this August with a choice of three gasoline engines, all mated to the very fine seven-speed automatic transmission, which is a critical tool in the fuel economy war. The C300 4Matic has a carryover 228-hp 3.0-liter V-6 with 221 pounds-feet of torque. The C350 Sport has a much more robust 302-hp 3.5-liter V-6 from the E-class with 273 pounds-feet of torque. But it was the brand new turbocharged 201-hp 1.8-liter direct-injected inline four powering the entry-level C250 that had the attention of the press corps. It was all about the torque -- a solid 229 pounds-feet, beating the 3.0-lter V-6's. Well, it was torque, a very sophisticated turbocharger, and the weight advantage the smaller engine has over the bigger V-6s. All in, the C250 weighs 400 pounds less than the C300, and even beats the modern C350 by 300 pounds.
The appeal of the C250 was especially noticeable after a long day of driving on the sinuous and narrow mountain roads of Tenerife, which led from lush vegetation in the south into a harsh moonscape of lava spilling from the steep center of the island to its north coast. Roads are fairly well maintained, as befitting a place geared directly to a well-heeled tourist clientele, but the interior roads snake for miles along the edges of vast crevasses reminiscent of Kauai's canyons, and you can see the canary-yellow paint of way-too-short stone blocks lining the road edge for miles in the distance, a cheerful reminder that nothing but a very long drop awaits you on the other side if you overcook a turn.
The V-6 in the C350 is a full 1.2 seconds faster from 0 to 60 mph than the C250, which feels great when you're passing the tourist buses waddling uphill, and when you're on the island's fast ring road. But flinging along with those yellow rocks in your peripheral vision is a much more entertaining proposition in the C250. Its combined fuel economy is being touted at an estimated 24, a nice bonus over the C300's 20mpg and the C350's 21 mpg.
For you diesel fans, it's coming. The late arrival of the C250 CDI is an interesting story. Production of the next-generation, NAFTA-model C-Class moves to Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 2013. That's when you'll get your diesel. As MBNA public relations chief Geoff Day points out, when you can still get double-digit fuel economy improvement with internal combustion gas engines, diesel just isn't as critical. That could very easily change by 2013. Any bets on the price of gasoline in two years?
The four-wheel independent suspension (three-link, strut-type in front, multi-link rear) with stabilizer bars front and rear, is carryover. Adding the Dynamic Handling Package allows you to choose between comfort and a sporty setting with the push of a dash button, and a dial next to the gear selector will change shift points from economy to sport mode. If you live on Tenerife, it makes a big different on the ravaged interior roads.
Five new driver assistance systems based on state-of-the-art camera, radar, and sensor technology, make it into the C-class. Attention Assist to detect driver drowsiness is included. Adaptive High Beam Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and Parktronic are available as options.
Timing and Pricing
Because of its late summer arrival in the U.S., the new C-class will be badged as a 2012 model. Base price, if it follows the typical M-B pattern of launching a refreshed model at the same price as the outgoing car or at an "equipment-based, better value price," should be in the low $30,000 range.
No word on AMG pricing, but we are assured that the C-class AMG models -- launched in Europe with the more prosaic C-class models -- will make it to America in August. The C63 AMG coupe, revealed to the press under strict photo embargo, will show its striking face at the upcoming New York Auto Show. Check back with automobilemag.com for the details.
When Mercedes-Benz introduced its first small sedan back in 1982, the press immediately dubbed it the "Baby Benz." The first U. S. press drive was from the old-money Homestead in West Virginia (perhaps to remind us all of its luxury bones), to the Indianapolis Speedway. The goal was to see which two-person team of reporters could achieve the highest fuel economy. Snore.
Brock Yates and I made our own game plan, with very different rules: First one to Indy wins. We put the hammer down and beat everyone else by hours, won the hastily created Friends of OPEC award, and we were lustily cheered by the German mechanics as we collected our prize. "Real men don't give a flying (insert bad word here) about fuel economy, Lindamood!" Yates snorted. "Yeah!" I shouted.
Not an auspicious start to what has become the bread-and-butter car of the three-pointed star. That first "starter" Benz was dubbed the 190 and didn't really get interesting until it got a high-performance 2.3-liter16-valve head and boy-racer bodywork to redeem itself. The 190 officially became the C-class in 1993, which was redone in 2000 and again in 2007. That fourth-generation has sold more than a million worldwide. Including the 190-badged years, the C-class has racked up over 8.5 million sales for Mercedes-Benz.
What's changed
We're all a lot more sophisticated today. Well, I at least bring a lot more luggage along than I used to. But in my defense, we would be hitting the motor show in Geneva, where cold, wind, and rain were predicted, then flying to the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, known for it's near-80 temps this time of year to test the new C-class. It takes a village worth of luggage to support the sophisticated me. On the other hand, one look at the 2012 C-class says volumes about its upscale metamorphosis from Baby to premium player in the crowded entry-luxury segment. And I can't say enough about the size of the trunk.
This C-class is actually being billed as a facelift, but there are more than 2000 new parts, from the new a four-cylinder engine (returning to the U.S. after a long absence), to a new lightweight aluminum hood and five new safety systems. Its sleek exterior (with an incredible drag coefficient of 0.26) features a stronger face (the Sport version's bigger three-pointed star mounted mid-grille is our favorite) and a cleaner profile, which move the C-class deeper visually and emotionally into the upscale heart of the M-B lineup. It's an image enhanced by a much richer standard leather interior, a longer list of high-end options, and upgrades like new state-of-the-art telematics that allow cars equipped with the COMAND system to access the web. It can even alert you to ideal car pool lane entry and exit points
Body styles and powertrains
You don't pull big sales numbers without a lot of variants, and the new C-class will be coming to market as a sedan, a coupe, and a wagon -- with AMG versions of all three -- available for order right now in Europe. A convertible is most assuredly on the way. While the rest of the world gets to choose between some combination of three four-cylinder and two V-6 gas engines, or five inline fours and one V-6 diesels, M-B's U.S. marketing team is keeping it simple for us. The C-class sedan will be available this August with a choice of three gasoline engines, all mated to the very fine seven-speed automatic transmission, which is a critical tool in the fuel economy war. The C300 4Matic has a carryover 228-hp 3.0-liter V-6 with 221 pounds-feet of torque. The C350 Sport has a much more robust 302-hp 3.5-liter V-6 from the E-class with 273 pounds-feet of torque. But it was the brand new turbocharged 201-hp 1.8-liter direct-injected inline four powering the entry-level C250 that had the attention of the press corps. It was all about the torque -- a solid 229 pounds-feet, beating the 3.0-lter V-6's. Well, it was torque, a very sophisticated turbocharger, and the weight advantage the smaller engine has over the bigger V-6s. All in, the C250 weighs 400 pounds less than the C300, and even beats the modern C350 by 300 pounds.
The appeal of the C250 was especially noticeable after a long day of driving on the sinuous and narrow mountain roads of Tenerife, which led from lush vegetation in the south into a harsh moonscape of lava spilling from the steep center of the island to its north coast. Roads are fairly well maintained, as befitting a place geared directly to a well-heeled tourist clientele, but the interior roads snake for miles along the edges of vast crevasses reminiscent of Kauai's canyons, and you can see the canary-yellow paint of way-too-short stone blocks lining the road edge for miles in the distance, a cheerful reminder that nothing but a very long drop awaits you on the other side if you overcook a turn.
The V-6 in the C350 is a full 1.2 seconds faster from 0 to 60 mph than the C250, which feels great when you're passing the tourist buses waddling uphill, and when you're on the island's fast ring road. But flinging along with those yellow rocks in your peripheral vision is a much more entertaining proposition in the C250. Its combined fuel economy is being touted at an estimated 24, a nice bonus over the C300's 20mpg and the C350's 21 mpg.
For you diesel fans, it's coming. The late arrival of the C250 CDI is an interesting story. Production of the next-generation, NAFTA-model C-Class moves to Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 2013. That's when you'll get your diesel. As MBNA public relations chief Geoff Day points out, when you can still get double-digit fuel economy improvement with internal combustion gas engines, diesel just isn't as critical. That could very easily change by 2013. Any bets on the price of gasoline in two years?
The four-wheel independent suspension (three-link, strut-type in front, multi-link rear) with stabilizer bars front and rear, is carryover. Adding the Dynamic Handling Package allows you to choose between comfort and a sporty setting with the push of a dash button, and a dial next to the gear selector will change shift points from economy to sport mode. If you live on Tenerife, it makes a big different on the ravaged interior roads.
Five new driver assistance systems based on state-of-the-art camera, radar, and sensor technology, make it into the C-class. Attention Assist to detect driver drowsiness is included. Adaptive High Beam Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and Parktronic are available as options.
Timing and Pricing
Because of its late summer arrival in the U.S., the new C-class will be badged as a 2012 model. Base price, if it follows the typical M-B pattern of launching a refreshed model at the same price as the outgoing car or at an "equipment-based, better value price," should be in the low $30,000 range.
No word on AMG pricing, but we are assured that the C-class AMG models -- launched in Europe with the more prosaic C-class models -- will make it to America in August. The C63 AMG coupe, revealed to the press under strict photo embargo, will show its striking face at the upcoming New York Auto Show. Check back with automobilemag.com for the details.
03-08-2011, 01:55 PM
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2017 E300
Im a bit jealous, but its great to hear MB is making their cars even better
leather is now standard? life's not fair
leather is now standard? life's not fair
Last edited by joshg1001; 03-08-2011 at 02:00 PM.
03-08-2011, 02:00 PM
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'09 C300 4Matic Sport
Have there been any pics posted of the 2012 C Class with the Sport Package (star in grill, sport bumpers, rims, etc)? All the pictures that I've seen appear to be of the "luxury" model
03-08-2011, 03:02 PM
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'14 ML350 GONE-'12 GL450/'10 E550/'10 ML350/'09 C300/'07 ML350/'03 E320
Wow, the new C looks great, matched with the new interior and C350 engine, I think this is now heads and shoulders above the BMW 335, A4 or G37.
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03-08-2011, 04:00 PM
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03-08-2011, 05:05 PM
#10
MBWorld Fanatic!
Looks to be an all around improvement other than the headlights. It seems there was a test mule a while back where they brought the hood further forward to get rid of the eyebrows, but didn't "overstyle" the upper shape of the lights. Or is the coupe like that?
I also have to say I have never been a big fan of the CLK but the new one is actually pretty damn nice! I may now consider a CLK250 with a manual...since it's now the lone shift it yourself Benz in the States.
I also have to say I have never been a big fan of the CLK but the new one is actually pretty damn nice! I may now consider a CLK250 with a manual...since it's now the lone shift it yourself Benz in the States.
03-08-2011, 07:28 PM
#14
Super Member
Nice pic- thanks. Best one I have seen yet and I have a much better impression of the new front end styling now.
The 1.8L, twin turbo, direct injection delivering slightly more torque than current V6 3.0 sounds like a great motor. The 400LB weight drop is HUGE.
I am very tempted by the motor and weight proposition! Offsets my dis-taste for the new dash by far.
The 1.8L, twin turbo, direct injection delivering slightly more torque than current V6 3.0 sounds like a great motor. The 400LB weight drop is HUGE.
I am very tempted by the motor and weight proposition! Offsets my dis-taste for the new dash by far.
Last edited by whiteongrey; 03-08-2011 at 07:37 PM.
03-08-2011, 08:46 PM
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'09 C300 4Matic Sport
03-09-2011, 10:04 AM
#20
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I've had the privilege of having had a wide variety of cars over the years, and I've concluded that the best predictor of how much I will enjoy the experience is the amount of "entertaining engagement"...my own personal metric. A few years back, I had an SRT8, which had a beast of an engine. But, after the initial excitement of the first few WOT runs, I (again) realized anyone can just mash the right pedal and sit there and watch what happens...actually becomes a bit dull. My approximately half the displacement/horsepower C300 is more entertaining to drive with the manual than was the automatic SRT8 because each new situation requires my brain and body to be fully involved to respond, with good technique, therein the delight! How many know and enjoy the accomplishment of a seamless double clutch downshift every day (or even still know what that is after years of synchros)? Some technical sport athletes will relate (surfing, gymnastics, etc.) I did read a study a while back that there is a significantly lower rate of Alzheimer's disease among drivers of manual transmissions, based on the theory of more long-term grey cell utilization.
So, for my "entertaining engagement" as well as long term mental health, I will consider whichever brand offers me that opportunity, within some boundaries of safety (impact testing performance) and quality/reliability. I could NOT care less* about status or impressing anyone else, and I'm very flexible on design.
*(Those of you who often write "could care less", therefore, care more than none!)
So, for my "entertaining engagement" as well as long term mental health, I will consider whichever brand offers me that opportunity, within some boundaries of safety (impact testing performance) and quality/reliability. I could NOT care less* about status or impressing anyone else, and I'm very flexible on design.
*(Those of you who often write "could care less", therefore, care more than none!)
03-09-2011, 11:31 AM
#21
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Fort Myers, FL
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'09 C300 4Matic Sport
While I love the styling of the coupe...the sedan just looks very boring. I think the current model looks much more aggressive...but again I'll reserve final judgment until I see it in person.
BTW...it looks like the grill will be the same (shape/size) as the current C-Class. If I decide to go with a '12 after my current lease is up in February I'll definitely be swapping in my blacked out grill
Last edited by NJBNZ; 03-09-2011 at 11:34 AM.
03-09-2011, 07:21 PM
#22
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Maryland
Posts: 361
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2014 GLK250 BlueTEC, 2012 BMW 335is Conv.
For the sedan, I think the pre-facelift model looks better with the Sport grill but I think the facelifted model looks better with the Luxury grill. With the reshaped headlights that have more visual detail, the huge star, and the three bars (coupe only has two bars which helps), it's just too much... well, just too much. Getting rid of the huge star and putting the emblem on the hood helps to even out some of the detail visually.
03-09-2011, 07:45 PM
#23
Super Member
I prefer the coupe 2 slat grill and think they should make the star bigger - it's looking a little small after a few years haha.
Does not matter though with the 400lb weight savings and torque of the 1.8 - the only one I would get simply because I'll take lower weight over more power any day.
Does not matter though with the 400lb weight savings and torque of the 1.8 - the only one I would get simply because I'll take lower weight over more power any day.
