You could drive almost anything in
Marseille and chances are that you'll be left with nothing but good memories of
the experience, well, as long as you haven't somehow become habituated with the
beautiful coastal French city. You see, this is a problem for us, a good
problem. On international media drives like these, the majesty of a location
often has an influential say in the eventual conclusion of a given test
subject, and it's up to the evaluator to be as uninspired and uninfluenced as
possible when making his or her verdict. For someone as wide-eyed (sometimes)
as I am, Marseille's yacht-filled docks, romantic coastal routes, and suburban
charm makes being uninspired rather difficult. I assure you though, that while
complementary, the location had little to do with how fond I am of the
Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
The
C-class shares a lot of its looks with the new S-class, furthering its
desirability
This trip over to Marseille was one that
happened early in March but due to embargo agreements, which are always a pain
in the neck for members of any media, I'm only at the liberty of getting the
story out now. Waiting almost half a year to share the good news was akin to
having a severe itch on the nose, and then getting my hands tied behind my
back. But yes, I can finally enjoy the relief, satisfaction and pleasure of
scratching said itch now, and it is good. Almost as good, I will add, as how
the W205 C-Class turned out to be. In its sharp "Diamantsilber” AMG Sport
suit, placed against Marseille's rich European architecture and endless blue
skies, the C 250 Bluetec I'm introduced to first makes a captivating early
impression. Cool in its gaze, fresh in its appearance, and tinged with a classy
sense of warmth- much like the French weather at the time. I'd barely spent an
hour with the new C but I liked it already.
The
Intelligent Light System, standard on Sport and AMG Line C-class variants, uses
LEDs; features include a cornering function
A total of 7 variations are available
globally - the petrol-powered C 200, C 250, and C 400 4MATIC; diesel-engined C
200 BlueTEC, C 220 BlueTEC, C 250 BlueTEC; and the C 300 BlueTEC HYBRID-a
diesel hybrid. All embrace Mercedes-Benz's current design philosophy
handsomely, especially those specified with the AMG Sport Grille (the one with
the 3-spoke star logo integrated into the grille design). Our associates at
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia have indicated that this sportier cosmetic offering will
be fitted to C 200 variants only, which, alongside the C 250, are the 2
variants touted to be available in Malaysia. The C 250s in Malaysia are to
receive the more traditional-looking Exclusive Line Airpanel grille, which
features clever adjustable louvers that open or close based on temperature,
aiding aerodynamics in the process. It captures the "small S Class"
label that the C-Class has earned itself, but for the record, I'll have the AMG
Sport grille.
Sculpted
front bumper treatment comes as part of the AMG styling kit included with AMG Line
trim
One thing becomes evident when settling
into the driver's seat, and that is how bland it makes the A4 and 3 Series'
inner spaces appear. If there is one thing about the C-Class that will sway
undecided minds in its direction, it is that cabin; that plush, gorgeous,
modern, cabin. The choices of colours and trim are terrific; all highly
complementary to one another, white keeping in accord with the executive ethos
of this new car. It isn't merely from an aesthetics point of view either; every
bit of the C-Class' interior has a tactile quality that lives up to its visual
splendor, from the lovely wood textures used in the centre console, the
suppleness of its leather seats, consistency in plastic applications, to those
silver-finished Burmester speaker covers, which make a pleasurable option. And
those air-con vents wouldn't look out of place in a Bentley.
