Auto Test

Mercedes C350 Coupé

Three and a half litres and six cylinders define the Mercedes C-Class Coupé. Our test reveals what else the C350 is about. (Jessica Fischer , 23.01.2012)

This is it

The Mercedes C-Class with the internal designation W204 had been on the market for four years when in 2011 the coupé version C204 made its debut in the showrooms. Its four-door sibling offered alternative front fascia designs and the coupé, too, broke new ground… for the first time in the long history of elegant Mercedes coupé models the latest generation sports a ‘B’ pillar. The car we tested was a C350 with the top power plant, the V6 delivering 306 horsepower and 370 Nm of torque. Anyone wanting more push can of course go for the AMG tuned version, the C63 AMG.

: The dashboard is uncluttered and makes a sobre impression. The white body colour is reflected in the interior.

This is what it offers

Even if this is the smallest of the Mercedes coupé models coming out of Stuttgart the expected virtues are demonstrated. The workmanship is excellent, the comfort level high and additional equipment is present in abundance in the car getting its push from a potent V6 engine. The occupants of the front seats are ensconced in pleasing leather seats. In the back, even with the ‘B’ pillar, the passengers still have individual seats. The dashboard is uncluttered and makes a sobre impression. The white body colour is reflected in the interior. Standard equipment was complemented in the car we drove by a range of extra safety features… there was blind-spot monitoring, lane holding and braking assistant systems were installed. All of these surely have their role to play in accident prevention but frantically blinking warning triangles on the dash and exterior rear-view mirrors, irritating beeping and vibration from the steering wheel can sometimes seem like too much of a good thing.

: The C-Class Coupé offers the possibility of selecting a preferred driving mode. When the option is for ‘Eco’ the system helps the driver to proceed with the optimum efficiency, with the start/stop automatic engaged. But the man or woman at the wheel may decide to enjoy the full driving dynamics potential of the C350 and will then select ‘Sport’ mode.

This is how it drives

For what kind of driving is the Mercedes Coupé best suited? The answer is clear… for the driver who wants to lean back and cover long distances at high speed. In such circumstances the C350 will perform to the driver’s complete satisfaction. Comfort is paramount, with full leather upholstery, heated seats, ‘Command’ system with a changer for six DVDs and air conditioning all help to make even the longest journey an agreeable experience. The C-Class Coupé offers the possibility of selecting a preferred driving mode. When the option is for ‘Eco’ the system helps the driver to proceed with the optimum efficiency, with the start/stop automatic engaged. But the man or woman at the wheel may decide to enjoy the full driving dynamics potential of the C350 and will then select ‘Sport’ mode. The difference is appreciable, with the suspension now stiffer, the response to the accelerator more lively and the steering more direct. Since the car we tested was wearing winter rubber the top speed was electronically limited to 210 kilometres an hour and so we were unable to experience the maximum that the V6 power plant has to offer. This is a motor which is entirely adequate for everyday requirements even if the driver does not perhaps get the feeling he expects from the 3.5 litre six-cylinder engine. If it takes just six seconds to reach a hundred kilometres an hour this is achieved without any feeling of massive power… it is hardly noticed. It must also be noted that tipping the scales at 1,615 kilos the C-Class vehicle weighs more than an S-Class built in 1990. The kerb weight owes much to the comfort and safety features present in the coupé. The seven-stage automatic transmission acquits itself well and makes the shifts gently and smoothly. This cannot be said of the brakes, however… they take charge with almost the vehemence of a sports car’s stoppers. On the other hand, there will be a warning of sudden braking thank to the distance warning system which many may find makes its intervention rather too early.

: For the first time in the long history of elegant Mercedes coupé models the latest generation sports a ‘B’ pillar.

This is what it costs

54,590 Euros is the list price of the basic C350 Coupé. The car we tested had extra equipment which would have raised to cost to 64,962 Euros. Here the driving dynamics package (1,178 Euros) accounted for a part of the increased cost as did the memory package (1,487 Euros) for the seats, the intelligent lighting system (1,660 Euros), the ‘Command’ system (3,427 Euros) and the driver assistance kit for a further 2,320 Euros. Mercedes states the combined fuel consumption as being 7.1 litres per hundred kilometres driven but this was in our test only to be achieved when driving like an old age pensioner and exclusively in ‘Eco’ mode. It must be said, however, that even if the true consumption was from 8 to 8.5 litres this is an acceptable value when the car is driven with the occasional burst of speed.

: 54,590 Euros is the list price of the basic C350 Coupé. The car we tested had extra equipment which would have raised to cost to 64,962 Euros.

This is what we think

Even if the Mercedes Coupé does not quite match the elegance of its ancestors it is nevertheless a very solid automobile which satisfies all requirements in terms of space for the occupants, comfort and motorization. With the exception of the C63 AMG version there is just the powerful V6 engine offered. Even when driven in ‘Sport’ mode this cannot be mistaken for a sports car, although the performance and driving dynamics certainly allow the coupé to cut a fine figure on the passing lane of the autobahn. The ‘green’ touch, however… which the ‘Eco’ driving mode suggests… is more a question of image than of economical reality. Even with start/stop automation on board and with prompted early up-shifting the six-cylinder power plant the car is far from being a rival for the Toyota Prius. It is also by no means a bargain although the price must be deemed acceptable. With an entry tag of 54,590 Euros the coupé is slightly more costly than the competition in the shape of the BMW 3-Series Coupé. The Bavarian car maker asks 48,850 Euros for the 335i with automatic transmission. But with the notoriously comprehensive and expensive BMW extras list the difference is quickly reduced.

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Even if this is the smallest of the Mercedes coupé models coming out of the expected virtues are demonstrated.The workmanship is excellent, the comfort level high and additional equipment is present in abundance in the car getting its push from a potent V6 engine. Picture 1 of 10

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