Auto Motor und Sport has been given permission by Mercedes-Benz to come along for a testdrive of a factory car (Werkswagen) C350 W204. Along for the ride came the C-Class development boss Michael Krämer who was driving the car and showing it to AMS journalist Birgit Priemer. Here's the review.
The article starts out by proclaiming that the C-Class will be bullet proof quality and reliability wise. Mercedes has tested this car for 24 million kilometers (according to AMS) and has made sure that the electronics and everything else is problem free. The C350 was started via push-button which according to the reviewer is just as impressive as the 3D images you see on the navigation screen. They leave through gate 16 of the Sindelfingen factory and head towards some twisty country roads where Krämer will demonstrate the C350 to us and its new handling capabilities.
As a co-passanger, so the reviewer Birgit Priemer, you can't help but feel at home in the cabin. The interior of the W203 C-Class appears so 1980s in comparison to the W204. She claims the new interior is modern and conservative but the touches of chrome and leather throughout the interior remind you that this is a premium car. Birgit claims that there is noticebly more interior space than in the W203, even at the rear, the former weakspot of the W203.
The driving weather isn't ideal. Hard winds and a snowy rain seem likely to ruin this experience. The inside of the car is nice and warm. Krämer explains that the W203's heating system wasn't very efficient, so the Mercedes engineers redesigned the system from scratch and made it more efficient, quicker acting and quieter. The cockpit is a masterpiece of ergonomics. Krämer explains that the engineers designed over 100 different interiors and experimented with the best, most efficient and user friendly layout. The W204 interior you see is the result of this work. The engineers also worked on creating the "closing door sound effect" of older Mercedes. Open and close the door on the W204 and you might confuse this car with a Mercedes from the past. Krämer demonstrates it, yes, it does sound magnificent.
The driver of an Avantgarde spec C-Class will be driving without the traditional hood star (the idea came from Dieter Zetsche). The hood is higher on the W204 than on the W203 to fullfill the new European pedestrian safety laws.
Progress was also made on the production time. It took 930 minutes to build a W203 C-Class. A W204 C-Class on the other hand only takes 578 minutes to build. The car is built in Sindelfingen and Bremen. The next generation E-Class will share many parts with the W204 C-Class such as engines, airconditioning technology etc.
The C-Class is supposed to over comfort qualities on the level of the S-Class, but those who want true sportiness can also order an optional sports package - like this testcar, the C350 Avantgarde. The sports package really transforms the car. Krämer explains that in the past, comfort and sport were hard to mix, but in the new W204, they compliment each other so perfectly. Indeed. I notice in curves how solid the suspension feels, at the same time it is also comfortable and quiet. Also fitting is the sporty sound of the 3.5-l V6 engine courtesy of the exhausts.
The Parameterlenkung system has received some extra modifications, which made the steering response better in both sport and comfort modes. The W204 weighs 8 kg less than a W203 and the engines use less fuel and emit less emissions. For the first time, a diesel C-Class will be available with 4Matic (AWD). We arrive back in Sindelfingen. As Krämer turns off the engine, the navigation screen monitor switches off and dissapears back into its little box.
Quotes from Michael Krämer
"We have design elements from the S-Class, but the C-Class is not a copy of that car."
"Softer, more deformable materials underneath the bonnet improve pedestrian safety."
"The new aluminum rims have been designed to suit the C-Class."