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of the classy Mercedes-Benz C-Class as a 5/6 scale S-Class and you won't be far
off. And considering that it is only half the price, you've got some numbers that
add up quite nicely, thank you. Clearly,
a comparison to a large luxury sedan like the S-Class is at once a mighty high
compliment and a remarkable achievement. But the C-Class also compares favorably
to others in this group by the standards that entry level luxury cars measured
by as well (ie: sporty road manners and decent value). The comfortable C240 sedan
(168 hp) scoots nicely enough, but the C320 (215 hp) livens things up considerably
while bringing with it some additional luxury features. Of
note, the C240 can be ordered with a 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission,
while the C320 gets the automatic only. Also, the handsome C-Class wagon is available
only with the bigger engine. New this year is the C-Class Sport Coupe, which is
a fresh-looking, 4-seat hatchback with a 194-horsepower engine and a price well
under $30K. Interiors
are spacious and beautifully designed, sharing the same sophisticated design philosophies
(and many of its components) with higher priced Mercedes models. Safety features,
as always, are first rate. Base
prices of the C-Class sedans start in the low-to high Thirties, and loading one
up with options can easily push the price above $40K. A lot of dough, to be sure,
but then again, this is every solid inch a Mercedes-Benz, and they've never come
cheap.
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