Mercedes-Benz has upped their game considerably with the introduction of a new V6 diesel and three new petrol V6 units into their C-Class range. Gone is the old single-overhead-camshaft three-valve-per-cylinder technology, replaced by double-overhead-camshaft four-valve units mated to the company’s superb seven speed auto transmissions.
There are four new models in the revised C Class series. Starting with the smallest, the C230 Sports Coupe ousts the previous C230 Kompressor that used supercharging and four cylinders to produce 141 kW from just 1,8 litres. The new C230 now utilises six naturally aspirated cylinders displacing 2,5 litres to generate 150 kW of power and 235 Nm torque. The coupe comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission, with the seven speed auto being available as an option.
Next up comes the C 280, which replaces the earlier six-cylinder C 240’s 125 kW with a whopping 170 kW allied with 300 Nm of torque at 2 500 rpm. On paper that’s impressive, but the biggest of the new petrol engines, the C350, blows it into the weeds, with 200 kW of power and 350 Nm of torque getting the car up to 100 km/hr in just 6,4 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/hr.
The most impressive of the three new models is the C 320 CDI turbodiesel. This oil-burner’s 165 kW is impressive enough, but its torque of 510 Nm is astounding. Hoof the gas pedal floorwards at any speed and the car simply surges forwards like there’s no tomorrow. Compared with the car it replaces, the new model has 32% more power and 27% more torque, and it feels like it. The factory claims that the new diesel model reaches 100 km/hr within 8,1 seconds of launching. That’s not THAT quick, but when it comes to simply putting your foot down to overtake there’s not much on the road that’s going to stay with the Merc oil-burner.
The new Mercedes-Benz C Class models are priced slightly higher than their predecessors, with the prices as follows:
C 230 Sports Coupe – R311 000
C 280 Sedan – R339 000
C 280 Estate – R349 000
C 350 sedan – R377 000
C 350 estate – R388 000
C 320 CDi Sedan – R362 000
C 320 CDi Estate – R373 000