|
|
|
Full Test: 2001 Mercedes-Benz C320
The Baby Benz Grows Up
|
By Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor
Date posted: 11-09-2000
So
if you had $1.3 billion, what would you do with
it? Invest it? Spend it frivolously by buying
everything from the Macy's online catalog for
each of your 500 closest friends? Donate it to
charity? Get Ted Koppel some new hair? (Buying
Ted hair would actually be considered a tax-deductible
donation.)
Mercedes-Benz has $1.3 billion. Or, rather, it
did have it. It blew through that wad of cash
for a car — the new C-Class, specifically.
That's a pretty stunning amount of money to spend
on the development of a car. But Mercedes believes
that every penny of its investment was worth it.
The C-Class is the company's entry-level luxury
car in the United States, competing in a segment
that has grown from 623,000 vehicles sold in 1991
to 875,000 sold in 1999. Those vehicles represent
the largest portion of the total luxury segment,
at over 70 percent. For a luxury-focused company
like Mercedes to sell an uncompetitive car in
this segment would be almost unthinkable.
The previous C-Class was available from 1994 to
2000. Prestigious and luxurious, the final year
was perhaps the car's best, with a lineup including
the supercharged C230, a V6-powered C280 and the
high-performance C43. The 2000 cars also had additional
content in the form of Tele Aid and Touch Shift
transmissions. But even with these upgrades, proverbial
gray hairs were starting to appear. More recent
products from BMW and Lexus were fresher, cheaper
and offered a more stimulating drive. Dynamically
and stylistically, the C-Class was becoming old.
When a car is redesigned, it is common to see
a growth in size, as that keeps the marketing
guys happy. But place a 2001 C-Class next to a
2000 model, and you will be hard pressed to notice
any dimensional changes. The new car rides on
a 106.9-inch wheelbase versus the old car's 105.9-inch
measurement. Overall length, height and width
are virtually identical, as is cabin volume (88.6
cubic feet vs. 88.0). Trunk space is slightly
less with the new car (12.0 vs. 12.9), but passenger
accommodations such as legroom and headroom are
either identical or slightly more. It would seem
that Mercedes considered the previous C-Class
"right-sized" and saw little reason to change
it.
It is in the other areas of car design —
structural engineering, features, safety equipment,
and driving dynamics — that Mercedes decided
to improve upon. In a way, you could think of
the new C-Class as the result of a genetic experiment
where C-Class, E-Class and S-Class DNA has been
chopped up and placed into the automotive version
of a Human Genome Project sequencing machine.
This process is most apparent by looking at the
car's exterior styling. The basic profile and
shape of the car is remotely similar to the previous
C-Class, but it is more modern and draws heavily
from the styling applied to the new-for-2000 S-Class.
The car is youthful looking now, with swooping
C-pillars, a sculpted hood, a trimmer waistline
and stronger shoulders. Aerodynamic drag is a
super-low 0.27 Cd. The headlights and taillights
are styled to fit more closely into the Mercedes-Benz
family lineage, with triangle-shaped taillights
seemingly straight off an S-Class, LED turn signals
fitted in the side mirrors and guitar-shaped headlights
that look like the E-Class' quad lamps melted
and stuck together. Overall, our staff wasn't
drooling over the new C-Class' styling (the headlight
design was the most maligned), but certainly nobody
hated the styling and we compliment Mercedes for
updating the car's looks without being too timid
or radical.
Underneath that new sheetmetal is an all-new body
structure. Mercedes says it is 26 percent stiffer
in static torsional resistance, while bending
resistance is 50 percent improved. The front strut-type
suspension design has been updated by utilizing
two lower links, along with coil springs, twin-tube
gas shocks and an antiroll bar. By using two lower
links instead of one large link (or control arm),
Mercedes says front-impact crash absorption is
enhanced. The rear multi-link suspension has also
been updated to improve vehicle stability and
wheel control at high cornering speeds. Complementing
the improved stability are larger and thicker
brake rotors, new brake calipers and a more powerful
brake booster. There is also a new rack-and-pinion
steering system, a change from the previous C-Class'
recirculating-ball steering design.
Another C-Class change is the lineup of engines.
In fact, all of the engines found in the 2000
C-Class are gone, replaced by two new V6s. The
C240 Sedan has a 2.6-liter engine and the C320
has a 3.2-liter V6 (Yes, "240" makes little sense,
thereby keeping Mercedes' reputation for cryptic
badging intact.). The smaller engine produces
168 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 177 foot-pounds
of torque at 4,500 rpm. The larger engine profits
from its extra 0.6 liter of displacement by making
215 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 221 foot-pounds
of torque at 3,000 rpm. As a rather interesting
aside, the C320, BMW 330i, Acura TL and Lexus
IS 300 make nearly identical amounts of horsepower
and torque, so no car has a clear advantage in
power output.
Both C-Class engines feature modern Mercedes architecture,
with aluminum construction, a double plenum intake
manifold, a single overhead camshaft per cylinder
bank and twin-spark/three-valve-per-cylinder technology.
Mercedes says it uses two spark plugs and three
valves per cylinder to reduce emissions without
any corresponding loss in horsepower. There's
also a computer that takes readings from a variety
of sensors to determine optimal service intervals,
thereby eliminating scheduled oil changes in the
conventional sense.
Two transmissions are offered for the 2001 C-Class.
The C240 can be ordered with a six-speed manual
transmission, the first time a manual has been
offered in a Mercedes sedan in a very long time.
The other choice is a five-speed automatic, and
that is the only transmission offered in the C320.
The automatic features Touch Shift, a feature
that first appeared on the C-Class in 2000. Touch
Shift allows manual gear selection of the automatic
by pushing the shift lever to the left slightly
to downshift and to the right slightly to upshift.
When in normal drive mode, the electronically
controlled automatic can also adapt to both road
conditions and driver style.
Another carryover from the previous car is Electronic
Stability Program, or ESP. Found on every Mercedes
product and tailored to each specific model, ESP
uses a steering angle sensor, speed sensors at
each wheel, sensors for lateral acceleration and
vehicle yaw to calculate the path being asked
by the driver (through the steering) versus the
vehicle's actual path. If there is a discernable
difference, ESP activates to reduce the chances
of understeer and oversteer, thereby improving
the safety of the vehicle. Traction control and
ABS with brake assist are also standard equipment.
If the C-Class does get into an accident, there
are plenty of other new measures to keep occupants
safe. The body structure itself features new reinforcements
in the body floor, doors and roof pillars to improve
impact absorption. Tele Aid, Mercedes' cellular-based
emergency call system, is standard in both models.
Inside the cabin, all five seating positions in
the new C-Class are fitted with three-point belts
with electronically controlled pre-tensioners.
Front passengers get dual-stage front airbags
and door-mounted side airbags. Rear outboard passengers
also get side airbags, and curtain airbags deploy
from the headliner to offer head protection to
all outboard passengers. Like before, the C-Class
has BabySmart, a system that uses transponders
to detect the presence of a BabySmart-compatible
child seat to automatically deactivate the front
passenger-side airbag. As of this writing, the
2001 C-Class hasn't been tested yet by the NHTSA
or IIHS, so we can't comment on how effective
the safety systems will be. There should be room
for improvement, though; in NCAP tests, the previous
C-Class never achieved five stars in either frontal-
or side-impact ratings.
Fortunately, we never had to test the crashworthiness
of the C-Class ourselves, but we were able to
evaluate nearly every other aspect of the car.
Our test vehicle was a C320 equipped with the
C6 Sport Package. First impressions? It is obvious
that Mercedes has upped the sporting content of
the C-Class, a move that certainly has a few BMW
execs popping more antacid tablets than usual.
The new rack-and-pinion steering system is a big
improvement, offering better feel and response.
Some people might think it is too heavy for parking
lot maneuvers, and it still does not connect the
driver to the road in the way that a BMW steering
system can. But it weights up nicely while cornering
and exhibits little play on center, so you can't
ask for too much more.
Equipped with the sport package, our test car's
handling abilities seemed better than the old
C280 and certainly closer to the high-performance
C43. Like most Mercedes cars, the car conveys
a sense of solid stability. But driven back to
back against a 330i, we would say that the C320's
suspension engineers still have some more work
to do before they can claim superiority. On twisty
canyon roads, the C320 doesn't inspire the confidence
or generate the level of enthusiasm that the BMW
can. There's more body roll (it's 123 pounds heavier
than the 2000 C280), and the theoretical payoff
in terms of better ride quality doesn't seem to
be there.
Still, the fact that the new car begs to be compared
to a 3 Series shows just how far it has come.
When it comes down to performance handling numbers
in the slalom, the Mercedes is about equal to
the BMW, and the C320 is certainly more of a pleasure
to pilot aggressively than a front-drive Lexus
ES 300 or Acura TL.
Another enthusiast bonus is the new 3.2-liter
V6 engine. It is very smooth and quiet —
as expected — but it also puts out about
10 percent more torque and horsepower than the
C280's 2.8-liter V6. At the track, our test car
ran from zero to 60 in 7.5 seconds and posted
a quarter-mile time of 15.75 seconds at 91 mph.
Power is available throughout the rev band, and
acceleration seems best from around 3,000 rpm
to redline. Braking is simply outstanding. Our
car stopped from 60 mph to zero in 111 feet, one
of the best figures we have ever recorded.
The enthusiast leanings stop at the transmission,
however. Since the manual can't be ordered with
the C320, drivers are stuck with the auto. This
certainly won't be a problem for the majority
of current Mercedes owners, but it won't attract
any buyers who insist on having a manual. Like
NutraSweet or reading about sex, the Touch Shift
function is a poor substitute for the real thing.
There is a noticeable time delay between when
the driver asks for a shift and the transmission
actually acts upon the request. If we lower our
expectations to more real-world usage, the transmission's
fortunes improve, as it works great around town
and on the freeway, always picking the right gear
and just generally being transparent.
It's also during those mundane times of urban
transit that the C-Class shows how it is still
one of the best entry-level cars in terms of luxury
and feature content. Wind and road noise are minimal,
and the interior design, like the exterior, has
gained many family traits found in more expensive
Mercedes-Benz cars. Interior material quality
has been improved, with every interior plastic
panel touchable from the driver's seat being of
the soft-touch variety. Leather quality on the
seats was high on our sport package-equipped test
car, though only one of our editors liked the
sport package's engraved aluminum trim; the rest
said it looked cheap and unfinished.
An all-new S-Class-inspired gauge cluster features
a large analog speedometer along with a smaller
fuel gauge and tachometer. The tach is too small
in our opinion, but we were very impressed with
the menu-driven LCD screen. Operated by large
and convenient buttons on the thick steering wheel,
the screen can display parameters like running
time, language (no Swedish, sorry), outside temperature,
service intervals and audio settings. It can also
be used to adjust settings of the door locks and
exterior lights.
Control ergonomics irked some members of our staff,
though it seemed to trouble the newer staffers
unfamiliar with the "Mercedes-Benz School of Wonky
Control Layout." Window switches? Those would
be on the door near the floor. Seat controls?
Oh, those are on the door, too. The large allotment
of buttons on the dash and for the audio and climate
systems can be intimidating. Our more seasoned
staffers note, however, that there is logic to
the madness, and that after spending time in the
car, things do make more sense. Interior storage
is better than before, with large door bins and
a dual-level center bin. The glove box is also
roomy, but the optional CD changer in our test
car took up a decent percentage of it. Nobody,
but nobody, liked the elegant but nearly useless
cupholder.
Best then to use the optional COMAND navigation
system to get yourself to a sit-down coffee house.
COMAND also integrates the telephone and audio
system. Other options include heated seats, high-intensity
discharge headlights and an integrated digital
cellular phone system. The C2 Package includes
a sunroof, rain-sensing windshield wipers and
a one-touch power rear-window sunshade. Standard
equipment highlights include automatic headlights,
an auto-dimming mirror, remote fold-down rear
headrests, a power-operated steering wheel (optional
on the C240), dual-zone automatic climate control
with an active charcoal filter, and a Bose premium
audio system (also optional on the C240).
Of course, all of these features don't come free
of charge. Pricing is similar to the previous
C-Class, but to say that our test car's price
is "entry-level" would be a big stretch. Compared
to our car, a Lexus IS 300 costs approximately
$10,000 less, and an Acura TL with the GPS navigation
system (the only feature not standard) is about
$12,000 less. Ouch.
But then those cars don't have the three-pointed
star on the hood, do they? For consumers who want
a solid and prestigious entry-level luxury car
with an unparalleled list of options, the C320
is about as good as it gets for 2001. It is also
more of a sedan that would appeal to the sporting
enthusiast, but for the time being, that crown
is still on the head of the 3 Series.
See all the Ratings: 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class C320 4dr Sedan (3.2L 6cyl 5A) Road Test Scoreboard
|
|
|
