German Car Zone

Right!

In next review we are going to read that new C-class drives better than 3-series and all MB lovers is going banana. Comments like: "BMW sucks" , "BMW cant handle", "eat my shorts", "the king is dead - long live the new king", "haha, C-class handle better than 3er"

Wishful thinking!! Which ever mag writes that, I'll be their subscriber for life .

i need a testdrive with the mags own pictures..
until that i dont even belive the drove the car..
if they did why didnt they bring a cam..and just use the press shots..

so lets wait a little while..

I think you're right. WHy would they go for a brand new testdrive as such without their cameras (unless they forgot ). Pls. I think these are more initial impressions from th front passenger seats than actual factual testdrives. I mean we've all read proper detailed testdrives before. Any1 notice how brief and undetailed some of those 'testdrives' actually were?
Just hang on pple, all will be revealed soon

Yeah i noticed it when i posted this thread, that is why i said "Test Drive" the more detail testing are usually called "Road Test" by Autocar.

Yeah. True. Speaking of which, apparently all the early 'impressions' are of a car that's (AND this IS what a lot of fans want to know) dynamically not quite on par as 3 series, though quite good, but technically and reliably (again apparently- too early) sound, comfortable and refined. i.e w203 + 1 .
I do respect mercedes for not 'staying up all night' to beat the 3series. That would seem like setting a bench target for an inferior product which the w204 is not. It would also seem to be seen as mercedes chasing after bmw which must really be marketing suicide. All too recently it seems like thats what audi and lexus have been trying to do: seemingly wannabes. N i dont mean that to ridicule any makers or fans but thats my impressions. I think kudos to mercedes for going about it differently and saying, ''...hey, we have our own values which we'll wrap in a dynamically competent car!''
Havin said all that, performance is still crucial in this sector. At the premium range, it is sometimes the determinant factor amongst buyers, otherwise we'd all but toyota camrys. N im not whuping up another benz v bmw debate but more benz v benz. Clearly the 330d and (help!) 335d have performance advantages over the w204 320cdi, but so does the w203 320cdi! Any1 read the review in timesoline uk? 6.9s vs 7.7s. I think thats a huge gap in favor of old v new. Apparently the w204 bodyshell's 8% weight savings over w203 has been upset by more equipment on board and also more more refinement and soundproofing without any gains whatsoever in power. Usually this is redressed by small bt meaningful adjustments in power and/or torque.
Does any1 find it strange in this day that a new product has a performance deficit over the one it replaces? I for 1 think merceds has to up its performance ante all across the whole E- class below level to remain competitive. Smhow it seems to be lacking in the output, weight saving and revving departments of its lower end engines, i.e performance. Any1 help out with the last benz mid range engine they really, really got excited about? Also who do you think has the best range of engines right now and invariably who do you think has the most boring???
No need to get out the bazookas, just personal opinions, as is mine.
Cheers to the w204, methinks it will be a brilliant all round drive.

Good post. Welcome to the forums.

Cheers. Have really enjoyed some of your posts in the forum in particular. Your opinions on the engine range amongst the premium brands? And do check out the 'where is it?' thread on in the clk forum when you have the time.
Cheers

Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Test date 13 March 2007 Price when new TBA


What is it?
If you buy a new Mercedes C-class from launch, this is the finest model Stuttgart can offer – the new six-cylinder, petrol powered C350 Sport. Until the AMG C-class appears in September, it must carry the mantle of the most sporting, powerful C-class and with it the hopes of Mercedes that it can attract a younger, more dynamic constituency of punter into its new and conspicuously attractive small saloon.

What's it like?
Heavier and less powerful than its closest rival, the BMW 335i, the C350's performance is unexceptional. Mercedes reckons its 272bhp, 3.5-litre motor will propel it to 62mph from rest in 6.4sec but to me it simply didn’t feel that fleet. Moreover, if you really start rummaging around in the upper reaches of its rev range, the V6 starts to sound a little hoarse and strained.

Left in the mid-range, however, and it fares much better. This is an engine that hits a peak torque figure of 258lb ft at just 2400rpm and maintains it all the way to 5000rpm, so the way to drive it is to select a higher gear than you might naturally choose, and let the engine rather than the gearbox do the work. Besides, left to its own devices the seven-speed auto is as trigger-happy as ever when applied to this engine and only really calms down when bolted to the back of the 3.0-litre diesel motor.

But once you’ve learned to lock it in a gear and drive on the engine’s torque rather than its power, there is a great deal to be enjoyed here. This way you relegate the powertrain to a support role for a chassis of exceptional quality for this kind of car.

On a decent road you notice at once how much better balanced it is than the diesel C320 CDi and it is only on further investigation that you discover the C350 is a whopping 90kg lighter than the diesel. It turns in sharply, resists understeer determinedly and allows your hands to position the nose and your right foot to do the same for the tail. It seems odd to be saying this about a C-class, but it is a precision instrument, which combines fine body control with still enviable ride quality.

All of this only adds to the sense of well-being created by the C-class’s attractive shape, sensibly proportioned interior, perceived standard of build and quite exceptional high speed refinement.

Should I buy one?
It’s a shame the engine is not a little more accomplished, for in most other respects the C350 is all you could hope for from a small Mercedes saloon: compact yet classy, comfortable yet capable all at the same time.

There is no doubt that the 335i, with more firepower at its disposal and a more aggressive set up, is the more focussed driver’s car and, I don’t doubt, the car most of us would choose to pedal if offered the keys to both. But as a thing to live with day to day, the C350 is actually the more broadly appealing car.

Andrew Frankel