The revised entry point to Mercedes-Benz’s sleek C-Class Coupé range has been granted the brand’s latest powertrain technology…
It was under 10 years ago Mercedes-Benz South Africa still listed three very different coupé offerings, each sharing their underpinnings with the C-Class of the day: the CLC, CLK and what would eventually supersede the latter, the W212 E-Class Coupé. The arrival in 2016 of the resolved C205 C-Class Coupé heralded not only a timely trimming of the family tree, but also a welcome return to form for a manufacturer renowned for creating some of the sleekest two-door creations in automotive history.
With smooth lines intended to closely resemble those of the brand’s flagship S-Class offerings, the C205 made the most of its MRA modular architecture. It instantly offered a more traditional coupé stance than the stub-tail CLC, while convincingly mimicking the levels of ride refinement and overall sophistication offered by the current W205 C-Class sedan on which it’s based.
Maintaining its 15 mm lower ride height compared with the four-door, this refreshed C-Class Coupé range’s exterior styling is enhanced by the standard fitment of the brand’s AMG styling package. This includes 18-inch alloy wheels and the visual drama of a star-studded grille. In line with last year’s facelift of the four-door models, the updated Coupé inherits the family’s newest headlamp cluster design with standard LED headlamps, as well as modified bumpers, front and rear.
A further carry-over from the sedan is the incorporation of a new steering wheel design, including neat thumb-operated trackpads, as well as an updated 10,2-inch infotainment display screen with crisp graphics. Costing R11 000, we’re conflicted whether the configurable 12,3-inch digital instrument binnacle – as impressive as its workings are – doesn’t look out of place in the polished and charming cabin of the entry-level C200 Coupé. Complemented by optional wood-grain trim and impressively comfortable (up front at least) seats trimmed in tan-coloured leather, you’d be forgiven for expecting to see old-school analogue instrumentation in a derivative positioned so obviously with comfort and sophistication in mind.
Our test unit featured a host of options aimed at improved luxury – including intuitive Driving Assistance (R36 100) and an Energising Comfort guided relaxation programme (R3 000) – but the first box we’d tick would be the R4 035 seatbelt extender to eliminate having to reach back for these deep-set harness mounting points.
You can save money by not opting for an electric bootlid, as the manual item is sufficiently compact and light. Unchanged from the pre-facelift model, the modern C-Class Coupé’s luggage compartment should offer enough depth and volume for your weekend luggage or a brace of golf bags. Run-flat tyres are standard fitment and do away with the need for a space-impinging spare wheel.
Adding to the sense of quiet calm associated with this entry-level C-Class Coupé is a suspension setup that just about counters the insubstantial sidewalls of the optional 19-inch rubber (though it is a combination too easily unsettled on potted surfaces; we’d consider the additional-cost air suspension if you’d prefer bigger wheels than the standard 18-inch items).
NVH levels are troubled only once the C200’s new M264-series 1 497 cm3 turbopetrol engine explores the unnatural limits of its rev range. While it seems incongruous to find both a sport and sport+ drive setup within these driving modes, mated with Mercedes’ excellent 9G-tronic automatic transmission, this new single twin-scroll turbocharged engine is sufficiently brawny in almost any conditions. The EQ Boost function calls upon a 48 V onboard network which operates the integrated starter generator to deliver 10 kW of supplementary power to mitigate the effects of turbo lag.
While Mercedes-Benz claims a combined fuel consumption figure of 6,8 L/100 km for this 135 kW/280 N.m drivetrain, our standardised fuel route suggested a figure closer to 8,0 L/100 km, which is still impressive.
Road test score
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