I couldn’t think of a better way in which to put the new Mercedes-Benz C320 CDi through its paces than a road trip. So my mum, my sister and I packed everything but the kitchen sink and set off to Durban at 4.30am. The air was crisp and the roads were mostly clear, so it was the perfect opportunity for some spirited driving.
Despite my best attempts to keep things legal, the energetic new V6 engine had other ideas and I was thankful there weren’t many traffic cops out on the roads.
Although the upgraded C320 CDi, which replaces the C270 CDi, has a new engine, 165kW of power and 510Nm of torque, you don’t expect to be shoved into your seat when you put your foot flat on the accelerator. I had clearly underestimated this power plant and, throughout my journey, I had to remind myself that DaimlerChrysler would most certainly not pay for any traffic fines, as the sun started to rise I was subsequently forced to curb my enthusiasm.
But there is only so much restraint one can exercise with a car as agile, as eager and as sure-footed as the C320 — so I’m sure that I’ve inadvertently earned myself a speeding fine or two.
The engine, while still sounding like a diesel, is much more refined than other diesels and doesn’t have that signature truck-like clatter. Overtaking was easy and the revised suspension made the trip exceptionally comfortable. Featuring 225mm tyres up front and 255mm tyres at the rear, the C320 maintained impressive composure through the twists and across a variety of road surfaces.
But the trump card of this new addition to the C-class range is the torque. Having 520Nm of torque available as low down as 1 600rpm was what made this car such fun to drive.
Top speed is electronically governed at 250kph and it is claimed to accelerate from zero to 100kph in 7,2 seconds.
And, of course, when we reached our sunny, yet windy, destination a few hours later, the coastal air gave the car even more of an edge.
The problem with taking the likes of my mum on a long trip in such a refined car is that I’m subjected to the lecture about how I could afford a car like this — even though my own car is worth about less than half what the C320 retails for at R362 000 — with her logic leading to the inevitable conclusion that I don’t manage my money properly. It is strange how my right foot became increasingly heavier during the lecture on our return journey.
The new V6 additions to the C-class range feature revised suspension, an all-alloy engine and Mercedes-Benz’s Neck-Pro anti-whiplash function.
Interior and exterior styling remains largely as it was, with the only noticeable change being the revised air-conditioning controls. Two other models (the C280 and C350) benefit from the new V6 engine revision.
One-and-a-half tanks of diesel is what it took for the about 1 400km trip, which has my Mum snooping around my finances in what, she doesn’t realise, is an entirely futile attempt at getting me to buy the car she thinks I should drive.