cawimmer430

Driving to hell and back in the new sport sedan from Mercedes

We've heard the Spanish locals call this road the "Calle del Fuego." It's a twisty stretch of newly laid asphalt in the hills above Valencia with wide shoulders painted blood red. It looks like a river of molten lava running down each side of the pavement, and we're thinking it's the Highway to Hell.

As ominous as it looks, this smooth stretch of winding road is the perfect place to wring out the new 2008 Mercedes-Benz C350 Sport. Fully redesigned this year, this car is aimed directly at the BMW 3 Series, just like nearly every other C-Class before it.

The C350 Sport in our hands has an aggressive front fascia unique to the Sport model, newly developed adjustable suspension, and optional 18-inch wheels and tires. It also has shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel, its own iDrive-like computer control, and even a bit more interior room. If this 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class doesn't get the attention of BMW buyers, nothing will.

A meaner C-Class
Before we even started the engine, the C350 Sport's styling scored a few early points with us. Subjective as it might be, we're glad to see the last of the previous model's peanut-shape headlights and soft curves.

Sharp creases in the hood and quarter panels make the new car look chiseled instead of sculpted, while a wider track both front and rear plus a stretched wheelbase make the overall stance far more assertive. Rectangular headlights give it a scowl instead of a smile.

Both the C350 Sport and base C300 Sport make a statement of purpose by replacing the customary Mercedes-Benz hood ornament with a large three-pointed star planted front and center on a unique grille. The C300 Luxury model retains the traditional setup along with a chrome grille and a wood-trimmed interior.

No news isn't necessarily bad news
Even a more dramatic new look will only get the C350 so far, so we hit the road to get a feel for the new mechanical bits. There's no big story under the hood, as the C350 is powered by the same 3.5-liter V6 as last year's model. Its output remains pegged at 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.

In the past, Mercedes has reluctantly offered the C-Class with a six-speed manual transmission, but now it has pared down the availability of this transmission to only the C300 Sport model. A seven-speed automatic is now the sole transmission for the top-of-the-line C350 Sport. For now, it sends power only to the rear wheels; an all-wheel-drive 4Matic model comes later.

With 268 hp and all those gears, the C350 makes good time in a straight line. Mercedes estimates a sprint to 60 mph will take just over 6 seconds, which puts this car well ahead of the Audi A4 yet well behind the 300-hp BMW 330i sedan. Along the way, the engine has the feel of a typical V6 — soft off the line, strong in the midrange and a little breathless as it approaches redline.

To get the most out of the seven-speed automatic, the new Sport Agility package quickens up shift action generally and also adds shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel. Unfortunately the Sport Agility package won't be available in the U.S. until the 2009 C-Class is introduced, and without it there's too much delay for us during downshifts.

Subtle suspension improvements
The basic suspension layout remains the same with struts up front and a five-link independent layout in back. Up front there's an additional control arm, and the use of aluminum for all the suspension links reduces unsprung weight for more precise wheel control.

Meanwhile, all four dampers feature what Mercedes calls Agility Control. You might know them as self-adjusting shock dampers, not exactly new technology.

In keeping with their aspirations, both the C300 Sport and C350 Sport get a more sporting suspension setup compared to the C300 Luxury. Firmly controlled damping settings and stiffer sway bars complement springs that lower the ride height by a half inch.

The forthcoming 2009 Sport Agility package makes this setup even more aggressive. Once you engage the "Sport" button, the dampers adopt firmer settings. In addition, throttle response is stronger and transmission shifts are quicker. Moreover, the Sport Agility package includes a quicker steering ratio of 13.5:1 (a step beyond the 14.5:1 steering ratio of the C300 Sport and C350 Sport), and speed-sensitive hydraulic assist.

A little bit of everything
Although the chassis changes seem minor in detail, they add up to exceptional ride quality on the highway, and there's even a little S-Class in the way the C350 glides over rough pavement. Move the steering wheel off center, and you get an immediate yet progressive level of resistance that gives the car a precise feel at high speed.

Of course, a Camry can feel pretty good on the highway, too, so we hit the roads among the hills in back of Valencia in search of more demanding terrain.

With our car's Sport Agility package set to "Comfort" mode, the C-Class settles into tight corners easily, but it's slow to make the transition to the next turn. Dialing up the "Sport" setting gets rid of the sluggishness, but the steering remains thin on road feel. We've got plenty of grip thanks to the optional Continental ContiSportContact2 tires, 225/40ZR18s in front and wide 255/35ZR18s in the rear. And there's the ever-present electronic stability control system to rein in things when you push too hard. As with all Mercedes models, left-foot braking is deterred by a similar electronic barrier.

When the bends are longer and faster, you just lean on the stiff chassis and wait for mild understeer to creep in. When a tight turn comes up, the brake pedal needs a strong leg to get full braking effect, but the pedal feel remains consistent despite repeated hard stops.

Mercedes goes Audi
Overall, the interior is slightly larger in most dimensions, although front headroom is down slightly. A slight increase in rear leg- and hiproom makes the backseat usable for 6-foot-plus adults. Standard eight-way, power-adjustable seats up front accommodate a wide variety of body forms, although the side bolsters might make the seat bottoms feel a little narrow if you're not. An optional 60/40-split folding rear seat improves the utility of the trunk, which measures 12.4 cubic feet.

The new C-Class now has 88.2 cubic feet of interior passenger volume, a slight improvement over the previous C-Class' 85.5 cubic feet but some ways adrift of the BMW 3 Series' 93.0 cubic feet.

As you'd expect in an Audi, the C-Class' interior materials feel right. All C-Class models get a knob in the center console that acts as a driver interface for tuning the radio and working the optional navigation system. Simple menus make it easier to navigate than BMW's iDrive system.

Right direction, mixed result
The BMW 3 Series has long been the big player in this market segment, with 120,180 sales in the U.S. last year. In comparison, the C-Class sold just 50,187 examples last year, just a bit more than the 49,862 Audi A4s that found a home in America in 2006.

For the small group of hard-core Mercedes enthusiasts who were hoping for a true 3 Series fighter, this C-Class isn't it. You can't get a manual transmission with the big engine, the stability control doesn't turn off and the performance-oriented suspension package won't be available until the 2009 model year.

Of course, all this will remain largely irrelevant for the vast majority of Mercedes-Benz C-Class buyers. You're typically interested in a sport sedan with a luxury feel, and comfort, features and style are more important than quick transitions between the corners. Your Highway to Hell is the average morning commute, not a twisting back road in the hills of Spain. And for this kind of duty, the C350 Sport is every bit the equal to BMW's best.


First Impressions:
Still lacks the cutting-edge performance that enthusiasts demand, but an aggressive new look and clean interior design make this C-Class a much more formidable competitor in the entry-level luxury sedan segment.

Curb Zone

 

Just_me

the reviews are poping up everywhere

what I love about BMW is that they give us new engines for every facelift and new model, I wish MB gave the new c.class new engines as well directly and not later.

cawimmer430

About time!

Merc1

I see that we don't get the sportiest suspension until the 2009 model year. That will also be the year of the next engines and hopefully then a manual will show up on the C350. I think the 2009 models are going to be the ones to really show if MB can build a true 3-Series competitor. I don't like the fact that the initial introductions of the W204 doesn't contain new engines and MB's best effort. That could damage the car in the market.

M

cawimmer430

Not really. Here's why I think this won't really happen.

The majority of W204 C-Class buyers will still be "old foxes" who'll be more appreciative about the style and comfort before they want to know what's under the hood. On a lot of car forums, you hear people say "I'd never shed out $45K for a Mercedes C230 because it "only" has 204-hp and you can get an Acura TL for less money but with 270-hp...". These comments are clearly from performance enthusiasts with a conscience for money. I'd wager that your average C-Class buyer is primarily interested in the traditional Mercedes values such as comfort, style, safety and last but not least, performance. So in essence, such people would appreciate a C230 V6 over an Acura TL because of the comfort etc. qualities. Hope you get what I am trying to say.

The only people who might ignore this car early on are the power freaks or purists who see an Infiniti G35 or BMW 335i as the only choice because of the manual transmission and powerful motors (300-hp+).

Once the new engines come, the C-Class will then be an interesting car for the performance enthusiasts who desire something comfortable as well as sporty and with a powerful engine. And we both know these engines will come. Soon.

Merc1

They've added the video to the review:

- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

M

Merc1

True, I should have been clearer on what I meant.

I mean with the magazines the C350 sport might suffer like the first Lexus IS300 and the IS350 does now because they didn't offer a manual at first or ever in the case of the new IS350. I think Mercedes is waiting until the new engines are in production to team the C350 (or whatever it becomes) with a manual. I don't want the enthusiasts to write off the C350 because it didn't offer a manual until 2009.

M

Hypersonic

I think you are absolutely correct Chris ....most C class buyers are over 200 years old. It is the 'retirement Benz'.

cawimmer430

Marcus, check this out: - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

This is what caught my eye...

That 2005 C350 sprinted to 60 mph in an impressive 5.5 seconds. The new C350 Sport is propelled by the same 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve V-6 as its predecessor, with identical output (268 horsepower, 258 pound-feet of torque), mated to the same seven-speed automatic transmission.

Looks like those 268-horsepower are just fine and dandy.

cawimmer430

You ok? Your post had an annoyed and sarcastic undertone to it, so I felt...

Curb Zone