SUAVE AND SUBLIME
Mercedes-Benz C 300 Coupe quickly wins over its harshest critics
Casual golferists looking to one-up the carpark competition. Remuera empty-nesters at the apex of a dual mid-life crisis. Spoilt privateschoolers, ill-equipped for the realities of the world.
On the journey to any test vehicle pick-up, it’s natural to wonder aloud who the car in question is built for. At the best of times it’s a process of stereotype exploration. And, in
regards to the newly refreshed Mercedes-Benz C 300 Coupe, I’ll concede that my mind wandered down a cheap and nasty path.
Mercedes should be used to this kind of thing, of course. Being considered one of the world’s best carmakers means that you’re an eternal target. And, within half an hour of being handed the C 300’s keys, I was eating humble pie.
The C-Class Coupe is the most modestly sized and priced of the three-pointed star's two-door coupes. Its lowest point of entry is through the 1.5-litre, $79,300 C 200. But, this quicker, higher-spec C 300 is the one to get.
It comes with a more powerful turbocharged 2-litre four-cylinder engine making 190kW/370Nm, linked to a 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic. Ordinarily it'd set buyers back $98,000, but this tester's assertive AMG Line bodykit and Vision Package extras push the
as-tested price to $104,300.
So, a bargain way then to make the neighbours think you've splurged on a full-milk AMG — or, an expensive way to buy just 2 litres of performance. A genuine sports coupe, or a sheep-in-wolf’s-clothing designed to look nice on the driveway?
Before getting into that, it's worth affirming that it does indeed look good on the driveway.
While the nose is packed with design elements — including new headlamps and hungrier grill-work — the neatly pinched rear is subtle and tidy. Party up front and business down back, with a big, bold crease along the side from headlight to taillight that ties it all together.
It's the sort of car that looks like it's been designed from the ground up to be a suave sports coupe, instead of being part of a sedan/wagon triple threat.
The C-Class is set to be one of the last Mercs to get a version of Mercedes' new interior design language. Aesthetically at least, I don't see this to be a huge problem. There's little wrong with the outgoing look. Our tester, with its metals, muted black wood, and optional AMG fauxleather trim, looked exceptional.
New for 2019 is the option of a big 12.3in infotainment screen. But, that screen doesn't come with the latest ‘Hey Mercedes' MBUX tech. You do, at least, now get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, as well as the gimmicky-but-surprisingly-useful touch-pad controls on the steering wheel.
Other new toys include Traffic Sign Assist and standard Active Parking Assist. These join safety goodies such as active lane keep and one of the best adaptive cruise control systems in the business.
The interesting mixed bag with the C-Class Coupe is space. The second row is reasonably commodious, with enough room for some adults. Weirdly, it's the driver's seat that's compromised for room, thanks to a significant hump next to the transmission tunnel. Over my week with the car I found myself getting occasional leg cramps on longer drives, although results may vary for differing body shapes.
And, longer drives are likely to be frequent, given how much fun this is.
For all the portions of the C 300's “AMG cosplay” that look pretend (like the fake exhaust pipes) there are details that offer clues to its true performance strengths. Like the rather large front brake calipers, which have barely more than a few millimetres of tolerance to each front wheel.
That 2-litre engine comes with a 10kW power bump over the previous C 300. The 0-100km/h sprint is unchanged at six seconds, but that's still a healthy 1.9s quicker than the C 200. Top speed sits at a limited 250km/h.
It's not as techy as the EQ-boosted 1.5-litre in the C 200, but the C 300's unit does have a few tricks up its sleeve. The new twin-scroll turbo features improved airflow and efficiency in ways that could double the wordcount of this story.
To put it simply, the power this little 2-litre makes is ample for the money. Paired with the quick-shifting nine-speed, it rarely feels out of puff. It's still maybe not as soulful as a six, but it's nonetheless just as fast.
But, as good as the engine is, it plays second fiddle to how the C 300 corners.
I'm not talking about it having limitless grip, or anything like that. No, the C 300's best cornering attribute is that the limit of grip is something a driver can reach out and touch. Steering is well weighted and precise, while the Dynamic Body Control suspension supplies balance and feel.
In some ways it feels like a big, plush, Mazda MX-5. When you're hustling it through a twisty road, you can ride the edge of adhesion without needing obscene speeds as a catalyst.
There's a mild gripe here in that the suspension feels a little firm for daily use. But otherwise the small-capacity-big-fun C 300 nicely fills the hole between C 200 and AMG C43.
And yes, if you must, a set of golf clubs will fit in the boot just fine.