Mercedes-Benz C-Class C320 Sport Sedan, big features in a small package

By Vince Bodiford,
Automotive Editor

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - In all automotive segments, one brand stands out as the benchmark for all others to aspire. In the premium compact sport sedan class, Mercedes Benz C-Class leads the pack - just as the brand typically does in all the other categories. The C-Class Mercedes-Benz is full of content and class not easily found in a small package.

We chose the magnificent road of the California coast to drive our C320 Sport Sedan - all the way up Pacific Coast Highway from Malibu to Morro Bay, then back inland, twisting down the winding roads of the rolling hills. Back in the city, our 'Benzo was equally at home at the Santa Monica Pier as it was under the Portico of the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Whether in city traffic, freeways or open country roads, the C-Class is silky-smooth, delivering unending driving pleasure and comfort. It's responsive and powerful, yet refined and dignified. This Mercedes-Benz, like all its cousins, looks great and drives superbly. The interior is typically high-quality, with fit, finish and materials you'd expect from a high-end German automobile. The leather seating is softer and more comfortable than I was expecting, and the front buckets offer nearly endless adjustments for personal comfort.

The C-Class sport family, comprised of the C230 Kompressor sport sedan and sport coupe, C320 sport sedan and sport coupe and the C32 AMG offer all of the expected C-Class technology and refinement with added performance and esthetic appeal intended for the driving enthusiast.

Building on the success of the C-Class sedan, the C230 Kompressor and C320 sport sedans deliver the overall performance of a true sport sedan. This included a sport-tuned suspension, sport body cladding, aluminum interior trim, seven-spoke 17-inch wheels with high performance tires, standard six-speed close-ratio manual transmission and thickly bolstered front sport seats as standard equipment.

For model year 2005, the sport sedans receive a healthy dose of performance and styling updates. All sport sedans receive four-piston fixed caliper front brakes and cross-drilled rotors, which contribute to fade-free stopping power and visual appeal.

Exterior curb appeal is accented further with a new staggered offset five-spoke 17-inch wheel designed to show off the new braking system. Front wheels measure 7.5 x 17-inch and are fitted with 225/45R17 tires while the rears are 8.5 x 17-inch and include 245/40R17 high-performance rubber. To provide an extra measure of control, the suspension has been optimized with a lowered ride height and recalibrated shocks and springs. A modified exhaust system with a polished exhaust tip completes the exterior modifications.

Inside, the sport sedan is adorned with a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel with raised thumb-grips, a stainless steel pedal set with rubber studs and a new leather-covered shifter featuring shorter throws on the manual transmission. The interior is very familiar for any Mercedes-Benz aficionado, and it is well-designed and brimming with quality.

The C-Class sport coupes also receive styling enhancements for 2004. All sport coupes now come with standard 7.5 x 17-inch seven-spoke alloy wheels and high-performance 225/45R17 tires, three-spoke multifunction sport steering wheel with raised thumb-grips, leather-covered sport shift knob, rubber-studded stainless steel pedals, enlarged chrome exhaust tip, body-colored door handles and patterned aluminum door sills.

The C-Class sport lineup for the U.S. includes a supercharged V6 model in the C32 AMG, a normally aspirated V6 for the C320 sport sedan and sport coupe, as well as a supercharged 1.8-liter in-line 4-cylinder engine for the C230 Kompressor sport sedan and sport coupe.

Both Mercedes-Benz V6 engines provide excellent performance yet with super-low exhaust emissions. The V6 engines capitalize on a twin-spark/three-valve-per-cylinder arrangement that simultaneously offers high power and torque output, plus clean emissions. Two intake valves assure quick cylinder filling of the precise air/fuel mixture. One large exhaust valve helps the engine breathe, yet also reduces emissions by retaining exhaust heat. Advanced twin-spark plug, three-valve-per-cylinder technology also means that the C320, already a low emission vehicle, can burn cleaner than ever before. When combined with the automatic transmission, the 3.2-liter V6 engine in the C320 sport sedan and sport coupe are Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV) which can run efficiently on E85 ethanol as well as conventional gasoline.

Both of the C-Class V6 engines incorporate dual-resonance intake manifolds, which help maximize torque at all engine speeds. The result is the C32 AMG sport sedan's all-powerful supercharged 3.2-liter delivering 349 horsepower and 332 lbs.-ft. of torque at 4,400 rpm. The C320 sport sedan's and sport coupe's 3.2-liter engine generates 215-horsepower and 221 lbs.-ft. of torque from 3,000-4,600 rpm. Sequential fuel injection and electronic drive-by-wire throttle control ensure progressive response to the throttle. The result in the case of the C32 AMG is exotic-car-like 0-60 sprints in just 4.9 seconds. For the C320 sport sedan and sport coupe, 0-60 comes in a scant 6.9 seconds.

The C230 Kompressor sport sedan and sport coupe, powered with a supercharged and intercooled 189-hp, 1.8-liter engine, is also classified as a low emissions vehicle. Estimates have the 1.8-liter sport sedan and sport coupe reaching 60 mph in approximately 7.6 seconds.

Bringing a strong sporty component to the C-Class sport family, the six-speed manual transmission has been improved with shorter gear throws. With the six-speed manual, Mercedes engineers narrowed the gaps between each gear and made a slightly shorter first gear (as compared to a five-speed manual) for quicker acceleration from rest, all while maintaining an overdrive sixth gear for quiet and economic highway cruising. Shift effort is low, thanks to multiple-cone synchromesh, easing cross-gate shifts from second to third and from fourth to fifth. The reverse lockout is overcome by lifting on the shift lever when selecting reverse.

All of this adds up to a car that exceeds all expectations, even those you may not know that you have. It's a package that under-promises and over-delivers. The C-Class is all Mercedes-Benz, updated for the '05 model year, offering uncompromising quality, performance and styling.

COMPARISON VEHICLES: BMW 3-Series, Cadillac CTS, Saab 9-3, Volvo S-40.

HIGHS: Mercedes-Benz brand quality, service and warranty. Superior engineering and build quality.

LOWS: Sport model needs more power, bigger wheels.

VEHICLE PRICING: $38,070 suggested retail price, C320 Sport sedan. Prices and equipment vary, see dealer for details.

FUEL ECONOMY: EPA Estimates, 20-mpg city, 26-mpg highway.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 1-800-FOR-MERCEDES (1-800-367-6372), or visit www.mbusa.com

LIFE'S A TRIP - Enjoy the drive. Be a safe and courteous driver, obey all highway laws, never drive impaired and buckle everyone up. Copyright © 2004 The Weekend Drive, All Rights Reserved.