MERCEDES C350
The C-Class Is A Better Drivers Car Than Many Give It Credit For And In C350 Guise, Theres The Power To Exploit The Talents Of The Chassis. Andy Enright Reports
Certain concepts never go out of style. Fitting a large capacity engine to a relatively compact car has long been a formula for fun and Mercedes have stuck with it to bring us the C350 a compact executive car that packs a serious amount of punch.
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Aside from the specialist AMG model, this represents the flagship of the C-class ranges, acting as a slap in the face to the likes of
Audi and
BMW. Packing no less than 272bhp, its enough to propel the Mercedes through 60mph in a mere 6.4 seconds en route to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. Although this may make the car sound a bit of a hot rod, the engine is a thoroughly modern and unexpectedly responsible unit capable of turning in combined fuel economy figures in the region of 28.
2mpg. In other words, youre getting the performance of a
Porsche together with the fuel economy of a family hatchback. Even without the cachet of the three-pointed star on the bonnet, that would be enough to guarantee a warm reception, but the badge equity and guaranteed residuals of the Stuttgart marque make this a very desirable vehicle indeed, even at over £33,000. In many ways, the C350 acts as a timely reminder that despite the massive popularity of diesel engines in this corner of the market exemplified not least by its impressive C320CDI sibling theres still a place for a well engineered petrol powerplant.
This unit is becoming a Mercedes mainstay, having already been plumbed into the S Class, the SLK, the SL, the M Class, the E Class and the CLS, so its a known quantity. Familiarity has bred anything other than contempt, however, as this engine proves to be one of the best of its ilk anywhere. Its the engine that turned the SLK into a Boxster rival and which made petrol-powered S Classes relevant again.
"You pay a premium for a car like the C350, but its not very hard to appreciate why"
Drive is transmitted to bitumen via either a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed automatic. Both are surprising in their own right. The manual box bucks received wisdom that Mercedes cant supply a decent manual transmission. Although its true that there have been some dreadful clunkers in the past, this box features a shift thats light, smooth and positive.
Somewhere between BMW and Audi in terms of tactility, its a delight to use. Even the sort of sporting driver who will be attracted to the C350 should check out the automatic. Its got more in its locker than mere wafting, and with seven ratios to blur between, youre always plugged right into the meat of the torque curve. If your C350 is set to do a fair degree of traffic-bound commuting, the 7G-TRONIC is a wise choice.
The Direct Select function allows drivers to select gears manually using a selector level positioned close to the steering wheel. Steering wheel-mounted gearshift buttons are also offered. Put a manual and an automatic C350 against the clock and theres no difference in their sprinting ability to 60mph. Although the jury will be out for a while as to whether the C350 or BMWs latest 335i will prove the better all-round package, many customers will prefer the more refined elegance of the Mercedes product and its not hard to see why.
The styling has matured beautifully, the 2004 facelift updating the look of the C-Class without either alienating existing owners or diverging too far from the original. A freshening around the grille and lights was all that was required. A few changes under the skin have also made the C-Class a sharper steer. Revised bearing setups on both front and rear axles allow for more agile cornering without impacting on ride quality, while a more direct steering ratio gives a more sporting feel.
The reinforced anti-roll bar introduced astern also gives the car a flatter, more dynamic feel through bends. The real issue of course is that cars like this dont spend much time on bendy backroads: around town, on the motorway and on point-to-point A-road journeys, the Mercedes keys are the ones youd always choose. At first glance, it's hard to decide exactly what size this car is, so cleverly packaged are lines which, as weve already said, are clearly derived from the larger S class. You discover pretty quickly mind you, after taking a
seat in the back. There's supposed to be more space than was offered by the last generation C class but it doesn't feel like it. All saloon versions are imported, not from Germany, but from South Africa (so forget getting a cheap parallel import from the small ads). Mercedes promise perfect build quality from this plant - but then they promised that when the first M-class models trickled over from Alabama. We shall see.
Look beyond the sleek lines and the first thing you need to know is that this is the safest car in its class. That simple fact has far-reaching effects, particularly when it comes to weight. With a body that's 26% stiffer, the latest generation C-Class weighs over 100kgs more than its predecessor. Still, the impressive output of the 3.5-litre V6 on test here, coupled with a class-leadingly slippery shape (of 0.26cd), means that the penalties arent too great.
Were it not for the fact that the C320CDI exists, the C350 would get an unalloyed thumbs up. Its quick, refined, raffishly good looking and even relatively economical. The problem is the C320CDi feels even quicker, returns better fuel figures and is priced even more aggressively. Taken in isolation, theres not a lot to dislike about the C350.
Put in context, wed probably shop elsewhere.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR:
Mercedes-Benz C350
PRICES: £33,250-£34,200 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 18 [est]
CO2 EMISSIONS: 239-252g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 6.4s / Max Speed 155mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 19.9mpg / (extra urban) 37.2mpg / (combined) 28.2mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags / ABS/ ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm 4526/1970/1426mm
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