THERE have been precious few threats to Mercedes-Benz’s dominance of the compact executive segment apart from the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series. Despite the unique package that each of the C-Class’s rivals offer, the Benz has easily defended its position as CAR’s Top 12 best buy in the compact executive class for several years.
Still, Mercedes-Benz isn’t waiting for its competitors to up their game … The C-Class has just undergone a facelift that not only included an exterior styling revision, but also notable interior improvements. The redesigned front bumper features new central air intakes, but the most significant alteration comes in the form of the headlamp clusters that have been shaped to emphasise the V-shape formed by the new nose. Customers who opt for the bi-xenon lamps also get the Intelligent Light System (as fitted to our test unit) which includes a distinct C-shaped light inside the cluster so that the C-Class is unmistakable at night.
Other noticeable changes include horizontal LED daytime lights on either side of the lower air dam, distinctive tapered contours on the rear bumper and new taillamps with LED indicators. Our test unit also came equipped with an AMG Sports package (a R28 000 extra), which adds a more aggressive edge thanks to sporty rims and front bumper detailing, flared side sills, a bespoke rear splitter and sports suspension.
The AMG theme continues inside, with sports seats in front, an aluminium-look gear selector and sports pedals finished in brushed stainless steel. Apart from the stitching, the test unit also featured ivory-coloured trim to contrast the dark leather. As expected, the finish is of superb quality, doing away with some of the marginal plastic surfaces that were a source of criticism in the pre-facelift C. What’s more, the facia has been extensively redesigned, with the colour display now incorporated into the overall layout instead of on its own. Most of our testers bemoaned the lack of full electric adjustment for the front seats … the car does cost in excess of R500 000.
The 3,5-litre V6 engine has been tweaked with, inter alia, the introduction of BlueDirect direct fuelinjection technology, and now produces 225 kW and 370 N.m of torque. Throttle blips are met with a muted but distinctive growl from the designer oval tailpipes. The accelerator pedal is a little sensitive for something as poised as a C-Class and takes some getting used to, but is arguably weighted just right for the driver to confidently flex his or her right foot to gain instant momentum.
On paper, the C350’s performance is on par with that of its rivals, but the seeming ease with which it delivers forward thrust is exactly what we’ve come to expect from larger-engined Benzes. The ESP intervenes early, which blunts all-out acceleration by limiting the necessary slip that gets the 1,6-tonne C-Class off the line efficiently.
Turn off the ESP, bury the throttle and the C350 will get up and go with the rear wheels chirping along to the V6 roar. With so much low-down torque, the C350 pulls strongly without the use of a launch-control system and with the 7G-Tronic transmission in manual mode, the V6 revs eagerly before the electronics override with a shift. The C350 passed the zero to 100 km/h benchmark in 6,4 seconds – and that’s not far off the claim of 6,0 secs bearing in mind the full tank, equipment and two testers on board.
Granted, the shifts of the seven speeder aren’t as lightning-quick as those of a dual-clutch transmission, but that won’t perturb the majority of C350 buyers. The ventilated discs initially bite hard and our exhaustive stopping procedure resulted in an excellent average of 2,76 seconds from 100 km/h to zero.
With regard to how it rides, the AMG wheels wrapped in low profile rubber and sports suspension don’t do the C350 any favours in this department. It’s not that the ride ever feels overly rigid or that the suspension crashes – we’ve always liked the C-Class’s comfortable set-up – but the tolerances of a 35-section tyre and stiff springs are minute and the C350 isn’t quite at home on less-than-perfect surfaces. It does still handle corrugations and the like better than the equivalent A4 or 3 Series, as any Mercedes should.
Despite the long options list that accompanies the new C, the standard features for the C350 are generous enough, with the Audio 20 system now incorporating USB connectivity, and dual-zone climate control. Safety-spec is also comprehensive, with seven airbags, ESP and a host of other aids to keep damage to a minimum, such as Pre-Safe and Attention Assist.
TEST SUMMARY
The C-Class has emphatically proven that it deserves to retain our Top 12 honour in its latest iteration. The C350 is more expensive than the rivals we’ve picked for this test’s match-up table but, in truth, there are no direct compact executive rivals at the Benz’s exact price position … The car delivers performance that’s closer to that of the BMW 335i, but costs about R22 000 less than the turbocharged Bavarian. The total of the options specified on our unit was almost R90 000, which included the lavish AMG kit and a sunroof, but the new C-Class does not need all those extra trimmings to demonstrate its prowess. It effortlessly manages to evoke a sensation of large-saloon luxury and sophistication in its driver and occupants, and (still) does so with more aplomb than any of the compact executives currently in our market.