Mercedes Benz C300 4Matic

I sense a reverse migration happening.

Petter-patter.... petter-patter WOP! Petter-patter... petter-patter WOP! The drizzle of raindrops on the windshield interrupted by wipers created a hypnotic rhythm while I sit idle at the lights. It is strange that such mundane moments are often ignored if not for the quiet ambience inside my car. I suppose I can drown out the aquatic beat by firing up the 12-speaker Harmon Kardon audio system. There is certain calmness in my cabin due to the quality NVH design and acoustic filtering technologies. Maybe it's how the 8-way powered seat with standard bum-warmers cradling me on this cold dreary day. The world could be ravaged by the Four Horsemen, but right here right now at this intersection to no where, I am at peace.

I first got a call from the Mercedes-Benz rep about spending the weekend with their latest ‘baby’. However I have a dilemma. Weeks of procrastination has left my yard in need of some attention especially after a SAR task force found a neighborhood kid lost amongst the tall grass. Hmm.... to spend the weekend with my 4hp MasterCraft mower or burn rubber with the new 2008 C-Class?

"Honey, I gotta work!!! The grass ain't gonna pay the bills!"

The newly redesigned C-Class is making its debut for the model year 2008 replacing the previous generation after 6 years in production with a staggering 630,000 copies in global sales. But during its waning years, the C-Class’ market share was slipping faster than Paris Hilton's new single release. Surely this 120-year old company can't let BMW and Audi push it around. Let alone upstarts like Lexus and Infiniti joining the fray.

My tester for the weekend is the C300 4Matic Sport. 4Matic means all-wheel-drive in Mercedes-language not 4-speed automatic. The Sport model replaces the classic Tri-Star ornament with an oversized emblem in the middle of a gapping grille. In addition the Sport model comes with some AMG tidbits, details later. Gone are the oogly-googly headlamps. In its place - a set of trapezoidal light housing active Bi-Xenons. The new headlamps are derived from MB’s flagship S-Class. These units cleverly illuminate what's around the corners by turning in accordance to the steering angle. The designers at MB had done a fantastic job in sculpturing an aggressive profile with the new W204 C-Class. Even at stationary, it portrays a predatory-cat stance ready to pounce. But fear not as the Classic model is still available to those who prefer old school discreteness. It even retains the familiar Tri-Star hood ornament too. It looks like Doktor Dieter Zetsche’s design committee wasn’t able to agree in regards to the C-Class. One group wants a sporty and hip profile and then the others go “Nein! Nein! We vust keep zerything in ördnung!” So in the end they made two flavours. One is for clients who prefer their Martinis shaken not stirred and the other is for those who prefer Darjeeling tea.

The slick design theme continues inside with remarkably rich ARTICO leather, a form of leatherette that rivals many genuine cowhides. Increased rear legroom allows for comfortable adult seating although toe space is minimal. I attribute that to the heating innards that are stuffed under the front seats. My C300 being the Sport model is equipped with a sleek leather-clad tri-spoke wheel that fits perfectly on my hands. The driver is greeted with a combo of brushed-metal and chrome ringed gauges which looks absolutely gorgeous. My previous rant with the B-Class was its messy Multi-Info Display implementation. MB managed to redesign the unit and house it in a high resolution display on the speedometer. Unlike the stoic and somewhat bland 3-Series’ interior, the C-Class offers a sense of occasion to its occupants. From its brushed aluminum gear lever to its beveled knobs, the driver is lavished with the tactile feel that only a Mercedes-Benz can.

And speaking of tactility, thanks to the AMG pixie dusts, my C300 Sport exhibit sporting intentions rather than a plastic trunk badge or catalog option by delivering crisp handling. As of this writing, the Sport version comes as a free package which amongst the juicy bits is AMG suspension tuning that lowers the car by 15mm. A set of cross-drilled discs clamped by monobloc caliper with embossed Mercedes-Benz pokes through the 5-spoke 17" AMG wheels. If you have it, flaunt it!

During my jaunt around the Burnaby Mountain roads, the C keeps on hugging the twisting tarmac with a right combination of lean and adhesion. As the velocity needle crescendos, its steering sharpens up and provides a level of feedback almost unMercedes. There was a certain vault-like solidity when traveling at high speeds thanks to wider track and lengthened wheelbase. Tail-out hooliganism can be provoked with a jab on the brakes while engaging opposite lock at speeds while AWD & the plethora of Nanny-electronics provided a safety net for my controlled drift. Surely this can’t be the C-Class I used to know! ADAPTIVE Brake technology borrowed from the S-class with 12.68” discs anchor the C to a halt quickly and safely in spite of the wet soggy roads.

So what about the Go-Factor? It’s a mixed bag on the C300, in 4Matic trim it weighs a hefty 3736lbs which impacts forward acceleration. A proper manual is offered only with the C300, not available with the 268hp C350. According to the stats collected by MB, C-Class owners prefer their Mercedes to change gears autonomously. In this regard, MB has endowed the C-Class with not 5 nor 6, but 7 gear-ratios called the 7G-TRONIC to maximize engine performance. My overall impression with this new C no longer left me feeling 20 years older that its predecessors once did.

Owning a Benz is very much like having Madeline Albright as your personal ambassador. You could pull into the Royal Fairmont with Satay Sauce dripping off your khakis and the valet will still run to you and treat you like a Maharajah. Even Iraqi village kids know what Mercedes-Benz stands for. It is a well respected name. However like the stately Albright, a Benz also projects old-world conservativeness. This perception has caused MB some sales from the younger more extrovert crowds that end up in the BMW camp. In the quest to appeal to these junior execs, MB did an outstanding job by injecting energy and sexiness (more Jolie than Albright) with the redesigned C-Class. It has a restrained aggressive persona that will surely stand out in the sea of BMWs. While the C300 Sport is dead-on with the 328i in terms of price and performance, the C350 may still have trouble against the 335i twin-turbo übersedan. The C300 will be the volume leader for MB and with a higher feature-content than its Bavarian archrival; it is somewhat of a bargain. The Sport model will surely attract buyers who would otherwise head to the BMW or Audi stores.