Following the C180, C200K, C240 and C320 petrol engined models comes the
Big D – the C270CDI powered by a high torque turbodiesel that we first encountered
in the M-Class sport-utility a year ago.
It does not take much imagination to realise that a motor considered strong enough
to propel a 2,2-ton SUV is a recipe for more than ample performance when fitted
to a passenger car. And so it is. Here is a Mercedes diesel that, on the one hand,
will light up its back tyres and display some snaking wheelspin on its way to
giving a number of hot hatches a run for their money, while on the other will
provide frugality and decorum befitting a premium saloon. An entertaining and
appealing mix, something not readily associated with mainstream Mercs of the past,
oil-burners in particular.
Although DaimlerChrysler is currently treading a sticky path globally, the Mercedes-Benz
division of the conglomerate must be more than pleased with the progress of its
W203 C-Class. There is a world-wide waiting list for every model in the range;
it says something for the marque’s reputation that prospective owners are
prepared to wait in the face of some more readily available and equally attractive
rivals…
M-B’s entrant into the turbo-diesel sector may, on paper at least, appear
to smack of overkill. When assessing compact saloons, almost inevitably heads
turn towards the BMW 3-Series range as the benchmark, but in this case it appears
as though these two traditional rivals have purposely avoided each other. BMW
has both a 320d and a 330d to call upon, but locally offers only the 320d with
a manual gearbox. Mercedes has a trio of C-Class oil-burners: a naturally aspirated
two-litre and two turbodiesels – one of 2,2-litre capacity, the other 2,7.
For SA, the only choice is the 2,7 mated with an autobox. A direct comparison
is obviously not possible, but is the C’s five-cylinder a sledgehammer
to crack the 3’s four-cylinder nut?
Step inside the Mercedes’s Elegance cabin, belt up, insert the ignition key-plug
and give it a quick twist, then wait a second or two for the car’s electronics
to take over the starting procedure. The common-rail turbodiesel clacks into life
and settles immediately into a generic, but subdued, clattering tickover. Pull
the Tippshift’s selector down its dogleg gate into D, squeeze the drive-by-wire
accelerator, and a hefty slug of torque overcomes inertia to set you on your away
without any apparent effort. Effort? With the aid of a variable nozzle turbo and
charge-air intercooling, the twin-cam 20-valve motor produces its whopping 400
N.m of maximum torque from 1 800 to 2 600 r/min. It will spin to 4 600 r/min –
peak power of 125 kW occurs at 4 200 – but it is hardly necessary to try to make
the crank dizzy. In top gear, keeping the engine’s revs on the torque plateau
encompasses a speed range of 95 to 137 km/h, making for wonderfully relaxed cruising.
If more oomph is needed quickly, either activating the accelerator’s kickdown
or tipping the gearshift to the left to engage a lower gear brings about a satisfying
dose of extra thrust. Moving across the gate from D automatically engages fourth
gear, and subsequent actions select the lower ratios sequentially. (Tipping to
the right reverses the procedure.) The ‘box will not change down if, by
doing so, maximum revs will be exceeded. But of more significance is that it does
not change up as soon as maximum revs are reached. Instead, a soft limiter kicks
in, a feature that gives the driver more sense of being in control. “Thinking”
electronic transmissions, such as Tiptronic, can annoy by changing up without
being bid.
And the tyre-smoking? Well, yes, if you want to. Mercedes diesels are most readily
associated with taxi operation around the world, but hop in a C270CDI with the
instruction “follow that car” and you will not be left for dead
before reaching the end of the first block. With traction control switched off
and the brake pedal depressed, once past 1 800 on the rev counter the rear wheels
are already rotating. Release the brakes and put pedal to the metal, and the Merc
will smoke plenty rubber. There is something a bit decadent about such hooliganism,
but M-B does tout the new C-Class as a more sporting drive…
Mentioning smoke, though, we have to say that the test car did a good impersonation
of a harbour tug on occasion. However, we learnt from M-B that it was fitted with
a catalytic converter unsuited to local high-sulphur diesel, and that production
vehicles will be equipped with a compatible cat. And the car’s rubberware
was not to spec, either. The tyre inflation decal referred only to a 225/50 –
the spare was this size – but the road wheels were shod with 205/55s, which
have approximately 6 mm greater rolling circumference, so would not significantly
affect gearing and, therefore, performance.
But the rest of the car was up to Mercedes-Benz’s customary high standard
of quality, comfort and specification, including the foot operated park brake
(can you imagine a BMW 3-Series or Audi A4 with such a device?), and the multi-function
column stalk and attendant cruise control wand of which their location and action
is always a topic of heated debate amongst CAR’s test team. They are Merc
quirks that are unlikely to help convert Beemer or Audi owners to the three-pointed
star. The lack of a fold-down rear seat may be a put-off, too.
However, the electronic wizardry will doubtless appeal. No less than 40 pages
of the classy handbook are devoted to the “multi-function steering wheel/multi-function
display”. There is a mind-boggling number of settings that can be called
up, altered, played with or deleted. Other highlights include side-to-side climate
control with auto mode and a charcoal filter, a six-CD shuttle in the glovebox,
headlight “auto on” facility and beam height adjustment, electric
window operation (all with one-touch up and down), indicators with a one-touch/three-flash
operation, cell ‘phone pre-wiring, a remote powered bootlid opener, and
sat-nav for where digital mapping is active.
