German Car Zone

Mercedes-Benz' 2008 C-Class estate, launched in South Africa this week with a relaxed and very civilised drive through the Magaliesberg north of Johannesburg, has everything of the sedan and a whole lot more.

It's available in the same three trim variations - Classic, Elegance and Avantgarde – and with the same choice of seven engines, including the mighty C63 AMG (due July 2008); the same performance packages and intimidatingly comprehensive options catalogue apply.

But it's much more than a C-Class sedan with a very big boot, more than a surprisingly practical family all-rounder – even if it does have space for 485 litres of shopping under the cargo net behind the rear seats and an awesome 1500 litres when loaded to the roof with the rear seats folded
It's much more than a C-Class sedan with a very big boot
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I think it's by far the better-looking of the two; the C-pillar treatment on the sedan is neat but outshone by the long, elegant roofline of the estate that slopes sweetly to end with just a hint of a spoiler (neatly housing a third brake light) at the top of the tail door.

It's accentuated by two curved roof rails finished in black on Classic models and brushed aluminium on Elegance and Avantgarde variants.

The rising waistline, merely hinted at on the sedan, is so perfectly delineated that once you've seen an estate the sedan will always look unfinished and the character line below the door releases (wasted on the sedan) becomes a crucial element in the estate's profile, no matter from where you view it
Once you've seen an estate the sedan will always look unfinished
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The estate is only 15mm longer than the sedan (4.596m vs. 4.581m) but the longer roofline emphasises the short (765mm) front overhang and gives the estate poise all its own.

Inside the tail door (power operation a classy but unnecessary R3000) there's a neat, self-retracting cargo cover, two bag hooks and four tie-down rings. The rear seat splits 60:40 and the cargo-cover casing is bolted to the rear of the bigger section so you don't have to sprain your back getting it out before you fold the seat backs – it just moves out of the way with them.

The rear seats fold very nearly flat and the resulting cargo area is carpeted except for the back of the front seat. Under the glass-fibre floor (chromed handle for an easy lift) there's a full-size alloy spare wheel.

Engine options

When the range is complete the C-Class estate will be available with a choice of five petrol and two diesel engines. Here's the full list and their prices:

• C180 Kompressor – R306 000
• C180 Kompressor a/t – R319 000
• C200 Kompressor – R322 000
• C200 Kompressor a/t – R335 000
• C220 CDI - TBA
• C280 V6 - R406 000
• C320 CDI V6 – R434 000
• C350 V6 – R441 000
• C63 AMG - R738 000

A six-speed manual gearbox is standard on four-cylinder models with a five-speed semi-auto a R13 000 option. The V6 and V8 models are available only with a 7G-Tronic, seven-speed, manual/sequential transmission.

The C220 CDI turbodiesel and C63 AMG will be here in July 2008; the rest now.

The estate bodywork adds about 150kg to the weight of each model that adds a couple of tenths to the car's' 0-100km/h sprint times and a few percentage points to its fuel consumption – although the differences are tiny.

Drivers' cars

What hasn't changed is the car's superb combination of comfort and drivability. I drove a C200 Kompressor and was chauffeured in a C350 during the launch drive and was impressed by the firm but supple suspension that informed without jarring, even on the worst of Gauteng's back roads.

This wagon handles way better than most versions of that ubiquitous 21st-century urban shuttle, the MPV; even the entry-level C180 and C200 Kompressors are real drivers' cars.

Two optional sports packages are available; the AMG Sport package, despite its name, is largely cosmetic and includes special front and rear bumpers, side skirts and 17" alloy rims.

Higher sales target

The interior is jazzed with up a sporty three-spoked steering wheel bearing paddle shifters (auto models), stainless-steel pedals and full leather trim.

The Advanced Agility package adds stiffer springs that lower the car by 15mm, stiffer anti-roll bars, adaptive dampers and more-direct steering.

It's this combination of versatility, luxury appointments and agile handling that is doing away with the station wagon's reputation as a car for reps and old fogeys and bringing it back into favour, according to Mercedes-Benz SA divisional manager Eckart Mayer.

He said wagons made up 18 percent of C-Class sales in Europe and he expected the percentage in South Africa to improve from the present trickle to five-10 percent in the medium term

Keep posting these South African info feeds!

Will do christian.....