And the winner is:












This is the combination we will be ordering. The Tenorite Grey Exterior with Sahara Beige/Black Interior. The wheels will be upgraded to:

Congrats, the C-class is a very fine car, so I am not surprised you guys prefer it over the A4, and I guess once you have driven a MB, you don't really feel like driving anything else, cause it just feels different. When will the car be delivered to you ? Are there still a 3 months waiting list?

TESTDRIVE:

C CLASS

Well we took a C200k for a test drive. First impressions were overwhelmingly positive. The car just soaks up all the bumps and thumps in it's stride. Where my aunt's 3-series (on a 16 inch non sports set up) hops and thumps, the C-class just smothers the bumps with disdain. While the steering is light and at first may seem over assisted, lacking the meaty feel of the 3-series helm, it's incredibly accurate and progressive. The car goes exactly where you point it and you come to appreciate the incredibly relaxing feeling the lightness imparts when cruising and how it weighs up nicely when the road gets windy and you feel like pushing things along.

Body control. While it doesn’t remain as flat as the almighty, in this regard at least, 3 series, it is very composed and the body roll is kept to an absolute minimum. Very very impressive for a car that rides so beautifully.

NVH -
Road Noise suppression: Very good/Excellent
Wind noise: Very good/Excellent
Engine refinement: Good

Now this is where the C200k was ever so slightly disappointing. The on paper figures look pleasing, but in reality the 200 kompressor mated to the syrupy smooth 5 speed auto was left somewhat wanting. It does not have the refinement of a V6, let alone an inline 6. Don't get me wrong though, it was by no means gruff or harsh, it was just not sewing machine smooth. It was also much less willing to rev then expected and the engine note was uninspiring. I do concede however that the example we drove had ONLY 68 kilometers on the clock, so the engine was probably extremely tight and things should improve quite considerably with more Km's on the clock.

The tried and tested 5 speed auto did a superb job of keeping things bubbling and always seemed to be in the right gear for the occasion. The changes were seamless.

Now for the interior. I know there have been countless moans and groans about the interior. In all honestly this is only justified in the case of the all black interior. In any other combination it is superb. While some may think it's spartan and 'under styled,' it truly imparts a relaxed sense of wellbeing. There’s no fuss or gimmickery. The design is unfussed and classy and the build quality and finish are excellent. The rubbers and plastics are all soft touch, the controls perfectly weighted and the panel gaps tiny and even. Everything that opens and closes does so with a pleasingly solid yet damped thunk (doors and glove box) or well oiled precision. The two tone effect of the avant-garde interior is incredibly sporty and lift the ambience to another level and the leather of a very good quality. I was honestly truly taken by the overall cohesiveness and quality of the interior. Pictures do not do it justice my any means and it really does have that hewn solid feeling.

The Command interface and speed of operation was vastly superior to the I-drive in our X5 and the general ergonomics were spot on.

The exterior design is great. Mercedes stylist really pulled it off. The blend of conservative elegance with trendy styling details and that teutonic appearance of a Benz is almost perfect. The rear end is probably the weakest point of the car’s design, but it’s still pretty good. The classic can be accused of being a bit dull, but the elegance and avant-garde versions are exactly that! Effortlessly elegant or sporty.

Where the little C was found a bit lacking was in the gee wiz tech department. There was no distronic cruise control available, no lane change assist or blind spot indicator as is available on the A4. However given the substantial cost of fitting these options to what is essentially an entry level vehicle, this actually wasn't even an issue in the end.

The command system with it's 4 gig hard drive, SD Card, blue tooth connectivity, lingatronic and navigation is finally bang up to date.

As monster said, the C-class really brings back that special feeling of driving a Mercedes. There's just a cohesiveness and depth to the overall package that makes it just that little bit more special. Some may corner harder, some may have more electronics to play with, accelerate faster etc. but in the end this C-class really is a very special (yes the third time I've said it in one paragraph) vehicle.

But nevertheless, the day was not yet over and we had to scoot over to Audi for a drive of the new A4. My mum was dragging her feet at this point, because after experiencing the C she felt no need to visit Audi. It would be the perfect four door replacement for the CLK. But I insisted.

A4

As we walk into the showroom. I spot the A4. The third time I’ve seen the vehicle in the flesh. I look hard at it, my eyes darting back and forth over it trying to find some point of interest. Apart from the headlights, which look sinister but yet also a bit flamboyant, I'm under whelmed. Both my parent's ask 'Is that it?'. On display were a black and a navy blue. Both colours do absolutely nothing for the A4. The styling and creases are so subtle, lighter colors are essential to appreciate them. The white vehicle we saw later on was mouthwatering, we all agreed.

Hopping into the interior. Ughh another all black special. Why every single car on the floor and in the lot have an all black interior, I have absolutely no idea. For most new interiors black is really the most unflattering colour and this I sure hope is the case with the A4. It did not look good. So anyway, I had to look beyond that. Let's have a little poke around.

Style - Looks outstanding in photos. It's a mess in person. Audi has lost the plot with this interior. Where is the simple elegance and classiness gone? There's cuts and lines all over the place. Bit's and pieces everywhere. Where the MB's interior imparts a sense of hewn solidity through its simple design, the Audi felt like a parts special. There is simply too much going on and the differences in texture from one component to another was not positive. Also, why are all the buttons on the centre console shining? Oh because theyre smooth hard black plastic, not the textured softer feeling stuff found in older Audi’s (My A3 for gods sake!) or in the new C. Why does the door panel feel like light foam and why the hell is the transmission tunnel covered in hard plastic. I simply do not understand how this interior has received so much praise. The 3-series is even superior. The C-class leaves it in its wake.

Anyway, at least everything falls at your fingertips and the MMI is outstandingly intuitive. Yes it's even a degree easier to use then MB's Command. But Mercedes counters with its superior standard voice control and an interface that suits the car pedigree. The Audi's graphics feel like they came off a sony playstation. Very try hard cool.

Were all a bit disappointed at this stage, me especially, since I had such high hopes for this vehicle. Anyway, time to press on with the test drive.

Ahhhh that's MUCH better. The steering is a blend of C-class and 3-series and the weighting falls perfectly in the middle of the two. The car goes exactly where you point it, though there is a slight numbness on centre. Despite that it feels like a great compromise between the BMW and MB's tillers.

Engine. This is everything I wanted the MB unit to be. Sewing machine smooth, eager to rev with a very very pleasing engine note. Oh so it wants me to go for it...ok let's go...over the bumps.

Hang on, where is the suspension harshness that Audi has been blasted for in Australia gone? The A4 covered the bumps like a champion. Ok so the ultimate ride quality and refinement fall short of the exemplary C-class, but the car is much superior to the knobbly 3-series. No hops or skips, just firm controlled absorption and on with the job. Very nice.

Around the corners we go then. Wow it's sitting as flat as the 3-series. Let's make the most of that engine. Crap. It's FWD. Yes this is where the dynamics fell apart for the A4. The FWD configuration meant the eager as a beaver engine would cause the steering to tug in your hands, much more noticeably then I anticipated. This is not what I consider great dynamics. Qouttro is a MUST but won't be available in Australia until 'first quarter' 2009, whenever that may be.

Oh well let's see what else this engine can do. Yes I am in love with it at this point. Stick the transmission into sports and its eagerness to spin jumps yet again. Perfect!

While some of you have expressed concern over the CVT transmission, on the test drive its performance was flawless. Perfect gear selection EVERY SINGLE TIME and slick shifts that could not be felt. Finally the sports mode really transforms the character of the engine/gearbox combination.

So there we had it. We went to Audi with HIGH HIGH expectations having just driven the C, and came away with a bittersweet taste. The style is certain colours was great, the interior a disaster (though I still think/hope things may improve quite a bit in a non black interior). While it was more spacious then the C, a plus in the comfort department, it lacked the ultimate ride refinement of the C, a minus. The dynamics were also left somewhat wanting in the FWD configuration, and waiting untill next year for an all paw alternative was not an option. But wow, what an engine. I wish we could rip it out of the A4 and put it in the C.

So in all while Audi has done a great job with the A4, Mercedes has done an outstanding one with the C. Whereas at times it appears the A4 is trying so hard to be the best (the I’m so cool and stylish interior), the C-class just does it's thing. The choice has never been harder in this segment, but the new C is a true return to form for Mercedes. I can’t wait until the end of September! (Yes Moster, the 3 month wait on a vehicle ordered to your specs still applies.)

^^ I agree with everything you said about the Mercedes... Today I was at the Mercedes showroom again, and the C-Class is still my hot favourite. The A4... Audi is starting to lose the plot a bit, that 'feel' is not there when they're pursuing so hard to be the class leader in handling and design. The basics are a little shaky. I went to see the S-Class again and, wow, I'm just stunned. This is Mercedes's best effort to date, no 7er, QP, A8L touches it.

You really made your decision very quickly... So it's the C200K for you? How about diesels? The C220CDI is really not that bad of an engine despite its age. The C200k's engine is a reworked version of the previous one if I'm not wrong. But I came out impressed from a C200K test drive as well. It's powerful enough, the car rides perfectly, the Mercedes is back.

Congratulations!

BTW, you guys get a full Comand system with the C200K? That's very generous... We only get the small screen with really poor graphics. The Full Comand system would set us back about 10k. What other options are you getting, Xenon lights?

Excellent reviews my friend

The 1.8 engine in the C200k is the only real disappointment relative to the entire package. How is the engine performance, is it sufficient or barely adequate? How well does this engine compare to the 2.6 V6 in your mum's CLK?

I totally agree with you about the interior quality of both cars. People and magazines have been saying the C-class quality is still behind the A4, and I fail to see why. Ok the C-class has some average buttons and nobs for the air-con but overall everything feels extremely solid and well engineered. You pretty much said it all when you describe the interior design and quality of the A4. I just don't understand the hype about them.

I haven't driven the new C-class yet, but the old C180K and C220 CDI I have driven left me pleasantly surprised. They are comfortable, quite and extremely smooth cars, and the entire car feels like a rock.

I saw a new metallic grey A4 on the road, it looked very underwhelming. I also asked myself "Is that it ?" it looks so bland and boring, and it doesn't look any newer than the previous A4. Good to hear Audi has managed to resolve the ride issue on Australian roads and the new car has much sharper handling. Personally I don't mind the torque steer at all, our old Saab was a torque steering beast of a thing but it makes the driving experience more interesting.

3 months is a long time to wait for a new car, especially for car enthusiasts like us. Did your salesman give you any freebies or price reduction?

The COMMAND is still optional, I think it is a $4k AUD option or more

Yeah Audi is losing a bit of what made them Audi. The S-class and C on the other hand are Mercedes at their best in over a decade!

They're also taking the sausage thing a bit far and are looking very congruous across the entire range. I bet at least 60% of the public will have a hard time distinguishing between the new A4 and older face lifted model.

Yup, 200K is the engine we'll be getting. The 220 is a bit unrefined at lower revs and rest, and comfort and refinement are the priority. The C200k will also be replaced after the 220D, so it will be current for longer. Details of the new diesel have already been announced. Finally, the extra cost of the diesel is not justified by fuel consumption either given the relatively low number of K's my mum racks up every year.

The 2.6litre unit in the CLK is extremely refined. It is much smoother then the the 3.2litre unit we had in the E320 even. That said...it's lazy and lethargic and in no hurry to go anywhere. A cruising engine certainly.

The 200k engine is less refined then the 2.6, probably on par with the old 3.2V6. But it's quite eager to get going. I have driven the 180k and 200k in the past, and they were much better then the unit we sampled on the weekend. It has to be put down to the fact that it had only 68Km on it.

Yeah, I'm perplexed about the interior quality issue. Audi has them all fooled after a decade of peerless interiors. lol. The new C is true to the 'bank vault' cliche used to describe older benzes. It's a rock as you said.

Yes 3 months is far tooo long, but none of the dealer stock at any of the QLD dealerships comes close to the combination we want:
- Tenorite Grey exterior
- Sahara Beige/Black interior (80%+ of interiors are full black )
- Command (its just over 3K this time around. Much more reasonable then the 5K Audi is asking for MMI and what MB used to ask for in the past)
- Vision package (Sunroof, Harmon Kardon Sound, Bi Xenons)
- Active Bi Xenon option
- Avantgarde package
- 17 Inch AMG alloys

There was a vehicle at the dealership that was exactly that (less the AMG wheels), but it was a special order as well and already sold. But at least we got to see exactly what it will look like internally and externally.

The C should do very nicely for another 5 years (can't believe the clk is that old). Now it's just a matter of negotiating the price tomorrow.

Thank you everyone for all the input, information and feedback. Fingers crossed theres no hiccups.

Congrats!!! This is going to be a great car!! Love the sahara beige interior and in my opinion it is awesome (even with 80 %+ black interior)! The only thing, that I wouldn't like is cleaning the leather after every drive.
And the exterior colour is the best, you can choose!! Absolutely gorgeous!!

And thanks for the testdrives reports!!