Mercedes Class with a capital C
Latest W205 recreates the values of great Mercs of yesteryear
LD Mercs. Ask any car enthusiast what his or her carrestoration bucket list looks like and, alongside the very-rare and unusual, I’ve no doubt you’ll find the odd Benz or two. I’ve for years had the itch to bring an old 450 SLC back to its former glory, but certainly wouldn’t turn my nose up to an immaculate W123 230E as a daily drive. Of course, should Lady Luck really shine on the cuzzy, a pristine Gullwing or Pagoda is the silver lining on any car-dreamer’s dark cloud.
The point here being that older Mercs have a certain romance and desirability about them – which is something, in my opinion anyway, that seems to have faded away as newer, more plasticky and run-ofthe-mill model-generations have filtered through the carmaker’s lineup. It’s like the sausage-factory approach killed a golden era. Until now. Stand in a Merc showroom these days and you’ll be hard-pressed to ignore the streak of creativity flowing through the veins of the brand. Virtually the entire line-up is
Obrand-new, with ranges like the A, CLA and GLA raising the eyebrows of the younger set, and the new SClass a technological limo-piece. Meeting somewhere in-between is the new C-Class, which for the first time – in a long time – makes me believe that since the W123 range there’s finally a family sedan range that one day, someone will look to preserve.
At the outset it must be said that the W205 (the codename for the new C) is more than just a new offering, the technology and final product feels more like a two-generation jump than single-generation progress. Instead of creating a new C-Class, it’s clear the engineers in Stuttgart opted for a baby S-Class instead – with everything from the C’s styling to technology palate mimicking its stately elder.
Before even turning the
key, you’re forced to take a second look at the level of accoutrements in the spacious cabin. Where the previous car had a bit of a Game/Makro store appliance feel to it, the new car is Boardmans all the way.
Touch anything, and I do mean anything, and you get that definite tactile feel of quality.
Scroll through the menus and there’s a subtle electronic click to every movement, prod the electric window buttons and they return a cushioned feel, glide your finger over the new touchpad and it’s like touching glass, turn the rotary dial and it clicks mechanically with the precision of a Swiss watch. You picking up what I’m putting down? Then there’s the electronic gadgetry, some of which I’ve no doubt costs extra but are certainly cool-tohaves. Trinkets straight out of the S-Class include the fancy perfume factory, which lives in the cubbyhole and will keep Aunty Tiny’s pungent fish curry at bay; while the three-colour ambient lighting system, paired to crystal-clear Burmester-spec sound, should impress aunties of the younger varietal.
The interior’s sloping centre console is a work of art; while the touchpad, which was introduced in the C and will be next seen in the SClass Coupé, is quite nifty too – allowing for quick swipes through menus like you would on your smartphone. But the deal-sealer here are the graphics used within the various menus, with shadow vehicle illustrations moving in the