Mercedes-Benz C class gets more juice, streamlined looks

Hard to miss in the Baker Motor Co. lot on Savannah Highway is a special, 2008 Mercedes-Benz C 350 sport with all the trimmings and priced at $45,010.

The limited-edition Saks Key to the Cure sedan, designed to help raise money for cancer research, has a sophisticated navigation system, leather seats, high-end audio and obsidian black exterior.

Leroy Burnell
The Post and Courier

In a case of life imitating art, staff at Baker Motor Co. volunteered to re-create a TV commercial segment to show the strength of the new Mercedes-Benz C class by hanging onto the open door windows. They are (from left) sales associates Danny Stackhouse, Barclay Wiggs and Matthew Scoggins and sales manager Jason Stone.

"It's one of 1,000 units available," said Michael Wall, sales associate.

Yet, impressive as the Saks model is, the new C class stands out for another reason. It's because of what comes in every vehicle, without the bells, the whistles and the navs.

The C class is solidly safe. Mercedes is so keen on the structural integrity of the sedan's 70 percent high-strength alloy steel body that it airs a "don't try this at home" style TV ad with four 200-pound volunteers seated in the open windows.

A 6-speed manual propels the C 300 sport, and a 7-speed automatic with clutchless manual mode is standard in the 300 luxury or 350 sport; a 224-horsepower engine motors the 300 editions and a 268-horse V-6 powers the C 350. Still, the C class has a base price of $31,975 for the 300 and less than $37,000 for a well-equipped 350.

For the German automaker, the new C class is "a dramatic change from the ground up," said Jason Stone, sales manager with Baker Mercedes in Charleston. The dealership started receiving its first 2008s in late summer.

"This is the fastest-selling model that I have seen in my seven years with Mercedes," Stone said. He said the C class is among the industry's safest cars, even with its low to mid-$30,000s cost. Buyers have been individuals or families who want the maneuverability of the C series but don't require quite as much room as the full-size E class.

"Clients love the look, the power and the price," Stone said.

In rolling out the new edition, Mercedes-Benz redid the looks to give the exterior a sportier bent, even in the luxury version. The carmaker beefed up the V-6 engine's power although the horsepower hasn't changed from last year, Stone said. Fuel economy is 17-18 miles per gallon city, and 25-26 mpg highway.

Standard equipment that's new for this year includes connections for hands-free phone operation, power sunroof, central console controller with 5-inch display, power front seats with lumbar support, and tire pressure monitor and adaptive brakes as safety features.

Back from 2007 are six air bags, anti-lock brakes, 17-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control and eight-speaker sound system with CD-MP3 player.

Sirius Satellite radio, a rain sensor and auto-dimming folding mirrors are available options on the 350.

"I think it is raising the bar for the industry," Stone said.

At least in a midday test last week of the special edition Saks C 350, the Mercedes C class proved to be an entertaining ride, especially for what amounts to Mercedes' economy level. The model had solid steering, and the V-6 provided steady pickup. The company claims the 4-piston vented disc brakes can decelerate the car from 60 to 0 mph in four seconds. While that wasn't tested here, the brakes are a great comfort, precisely and effectively slowing the car without any jerkiness.

If there's a complaint, the C 350 acted a bit stodgy in automatic even at seven speeds. A nice feature is that the six-speed manual mode without clutch is easy to use, although changing gears in manual and switching between the two transmissions uses a similar motion on the shifter, which can be confusing.

All in all, Mercedes took a big step forward in reinventing the C class as a trendier car at a not unreasonable price.