MERCEDES C200 CDi
The Mercedes C200CDi Makes C-Class Ownership Halfway Affordable. Andy Enright Reports
Lets walk through this argument logically. You like to save money and have therefore decided that a diesel-engined car is the way forward. Being a thrifty type, you scan the pricelists with a fine-toothed comb. After much deliberation, you decide the car you need is a Mercedes C200CDI, a marque with a reputation for hefty price tags.
That takes quite a leap of imagination, but its one Mercedes hope a growing a number of you are prepared to make.
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Given that youre probably a well-informed type, you wont need reminding that the trade-in value on the C200CDI will be pretty plump, the day to day running costs decidedly affordable and that low emissions make the C200CDi a realistic business proposition. Price it up model for model against rivals from
BMW,
Audi,
Jaguar and even
Saab and
Volvo and it doesnt carry the price premium you may expect. The range opens with the £22,815 Classic saloon, with the Classic Estate priced at £23,765 and the Sports Coupe version a mere £21,995. Despite its C200 badging, the engine is a detuned version of that fitted to its bigger brother, the C220CDI.
Of 2,148cc capacity, the engine is good for a modest 122bhp which is less than some diesel
SEAT Ibizas are packing, so any expectations of effortless torque and general outside-lane omnipotence should be managed downwards. More impressive than the saloons 11.7-second sprint to 60mph and 129mph terminal velocity are the cars fuel economy figures. The saloon is capable of averaging nearly 48mpg, CO2 emissions are just 156g/km and revised particulate filter makes the engine fully Euro IV compliant.
The figures, whilst creditable when taken in isolation, are nevertheless a little way off the class best. The Mercedes redeems itself when it comes to real world handling, the C-class chassis being renowned as the best in the business, eclipsing even the once all-powerful BMW 3 Series.
"The saloon is capable of averaging nearly 48mpg and CO2 emissions are just 156g/km"
Fitted with a revised short throw six-speed manual transmission as standard, the C200CDi is agreeably driveable in real world situations. Keeping the revs between 1,400 and 2,800rpm will access the majority of the 270Nm of torque on offer and even if you plump for the optional five-speed automatic, its still quick-witted enough to make decent progress. Pull up beside an Alfa 156JTD or a Jaguar X-TYPE 2.0D at the lights, then start blipping the throttle and you may well be humiliated in a straight line, with the situation reversed when the road gets seriously twisty.
Mercedes common rail diesel engines do a better job than many of offering the flexibility of a petrol engine with the frugality and low running costs of a diesel. Many would argue that diesel manufacturers will only have succeeded when diesel engines feel identical to petrol units but there is an increasing band of drivers who prefer the feel of a decent diesel engine. Although the C200CDis engine wouldnt be the first wed wheel out to convert diesel doubters, it nevertheless feels agreeably loose-limbed. A quick technical resume is called for here: bear with us, its worth it. As Dr Rudolph Diesel realised back in the 1890s, the efficiency of a diesel engine depends entirely on the injection system and its pump. Until quite recent times, many diesels operated on the Indirect Injection (IDI) principle, where fuel is injected into a pre-combustion chamber adjacent to each cylinder. Because combustion takes place here, it has the effect of softening the force and noise of the explosion increasing refinement, but at the expense of efficiency.
It was to improve efficiency that in the Nineties, a new generation of Direction Injection (Di) engines were launched. Here, the fuel was injected directly into the combustion chamber, making the engine more efficient but, unfortunately, rather noisy. Now at last, the industry has set its mind to producing a system that produces the best of both approaches: which brings us to Common Rail Direct Injection. Like all great inventions, this solution sounds complicated but is in fact extremely simple. Instead of being pumped either into a pre-combustion chamber or directly into the cylinder, the fuel is pumped at extremely high pressure into a metal tube the Common Rail. This becomes a permanent reserve of high-pressure fuel that feeds all the injectors.
These in turn are computer-controlled, providing the flexibility to adjust accurately the pressure, amount and timing of fuel being injected. The result is a quiet, clean and supremely efficient diesel engine, with much improved fuel economy and better performance. As for that engine, well according to
Mercedes-Benz, it's really just a question of getting potential customers behind the wheel. Once there, if you listen hard after activating the starter, you can hear the familiar diesel rumble rather louder than some of its competitors. On the move however, the unit is more refined though youre never in any doubt as to what it is. Classic SE versions of the C200CDi add automatic climate control, alloy wheels, a CD player, leather trimmed steering wheel and gear shifter as well as a five-speed automatic transmission that features Speedtronic cruise control and a speed limiter.
The premium? A mere £700. Whichever C200CDi variant you choose, youll find it a surprisingly cost effective proposition. Although excitement may be at a premium, this is one occasion when investing in quality yields a worthwhile long-term return.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Mercedes-Benz C200 CDi range
PRICES: £22,815-£24,965 (saloon and estate) on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 12
CO2 EMISSIONS: 156g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 129mph / 0-60mph 11.5s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [saloon] (Urban) 34 / (Extra urban) 62.8 / (Combined) 47.9mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags / ABS/ ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [saloon] Length/Width/Height mm 4526/1970/1426mm
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