Mercedes-Benz introduces the C 300̶a smarter, safer and more luxurious option
The Mercedes-Benz C 300 Sport Suspension elevates an already luxurious driving experience
WE ARE BEINGS of multifaceted personalities, and we want the world to appreciate our complexities. UFC champion and professional face breaker Anderson Silva takes pains to parade his collection of cashmere turtlenecks and bookish spectacles at press events; hard-nosed businessman of Shark Tank fame Kevin O’Leary loves flashing his Chevaliers du Tastevin membership as proof of his refined personage when it comes to elitist Burgundian wines.
And this Mercedes-Benz C 300 - smarter, safer and more luxurious than anything in its price class - is chock full of sporting intent that belies its polished veneer. Granted, a pair of aggro-ish front air channels, and its black exhaust/diffuser assembly, doesn’t immediately nullify its mainstream Mercedes blandness… but I can live with that. Notably, when it offers an untroubled 250km/h top speed, aided most certainly by the aforementioned Sport Suspension.
Swapping out the Airmatic mechanism, which uses rubber airbags to adjust damping and ride quality, for the more customary coil spring editions actually allow for a slightly cheaper option. This makes the hefty C 300 noticeably firmer at high speeds in Sport mode, and stickier when in Sport+. (Sidenote: switching between performance personalities is an effortless joy with Merc’s Agility Select system. Pushing a toggle shoves your self-deprecating Clark Kent into a phonebooth and spits out devil-may-care Tony Stark.)
The twin-scroll turbocharged 2-litre M264 engine offers 255 horses from 5,800 to 6,100rpm. And its solid 370Nm peak torque arrives at 1,800rpm. Even in a hefty automobile like this, irresponsible acceleration runs you up to speed and out of available tarmac unusually fast. Since Superman would have nothing to prove and therefore opt for the bus... yeah, a smug Tony Stark getting awkwardly surprised by the
power on tap feels an appropriate analogy. I hit top sprint and almost immediately got on the brakes in as genteel a fashion as possible, because one; I felt a little woozy and two; it takes a while to slow down safely for the slowpoke who just pulled into the fastlane 500m ahead.
I’m not suggesting this C 300 is a performance car in any capacity, but its overall tune is just right for a fast sedan that will complement your daily routines. If you so desired, it can sit pretty flat through corners without being brutal on passengers. With a full load, slip it into Comfort and breeze your way across town, albeit on 19-inch wheels wrapped in run-flats - i.e. stiffer sidewalls mean a ride that’s a tad harsher. The steering is easy and precise, with power sent to the rear wheels. Governed by a nine-speed transmission that readily drops two or three cogs, this car has all the pulling power city slickers will need. All things considered, this iteration of the C-Class is a neutral car that takes on whatever attitude you’re in.
My test unit was blanketed in sophisticated black leather, enhanced by classy open-pore wood and aluminium accents. Together with its flat-bottom wheel, alloy pedals, 360-degree camera, enlarged infotainment screen and a driving mode-specific digital gauge cluster, I relished driving this car a lot more than
I’d initially anticipated. It’s a proper mix of old-school Mercedes-Benz luxury and modern minimalism. Plus the Android Auto interface allowed me to type up addresses on Google Maps and play media from my phone without a single inconvenience. In addition, owners can now engage remote engine start, glance at the fuel level or set pre-entry climate controls through the accompanying Mercedes me application.
The C 300 remains an impressive compact luxury sedan, one that’s founded on composure and luxury. Sure it can call up some fire and a touch of brimstone when the mood arises, but the C-Class has never lost sight of its personal values. Its competitors might have firmer set-ups, sharper handling or a more sonorous fourcylinder bellow - constantly egging their owners to be sporty and competitive even when running to the grocer for milk and eggs. If that’s your cuppa, then the C 43 will do just nicely for RM421,888 OTR, w/ out insurance. Whereas this car is about getting the job of transportation done briskly and without unnecessary posturing. Retailing at a sensible RM304,888 OTR, w/ out insurance, I say throw on a blacked-out colour scheme and some gaudy alloys and you’re balling.
“THIS MERCEDESBENZ C 300 IS SMARTER, SAFER AND MORE LUXURIOUS THAN ANYTHING IN ITS PRICE CLASS IS CHOCK FULL OF SPORTING INTENT THAT BELIES ITS POLISHED VENEER”