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2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class First Impressions

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Lesley Wimbush
KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine – Worldwide, the C-class sedan is the bread and butter car for luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz. So, it makes good economic sense for the company to develop it further, by offering a 2+2 coupe to compete with the segment-leading BMW 3-series and lovely Audi A5/S5 coupe. Those are tough competitors indeed, but Mercedes is counting on the sporty, dynamic coupe to reach a younger, more hip demographic than the sedan attained.

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 3/4 front
As in the SLK roadster and ML SUV line-ups, all Canadian C-Class coupes wear the AMG-influenced body styling. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com)

Also taking a page from Audi's playbook, the entry-level Benz now adds a high-tech, high-output turbocharged four-cylinder to the bewildering mix of old and new powertrains across the C-Class coupe and sedan line-up. In the sedan (which boasts a choice of five powertrains), the new 4-cylinder mill is only available in rear-wheel drive models, since it's not compatible with the 4MATIC all-wheel drive system.

The coupe, however, offers a simpler choice with only three powertrains – the C 250's 1.8L turbo four producing 201 hp and 229 lb.-ft of torque, the C 350's upgraded 3.5-litre V6 (now boasting direct injection) with 302 hp and 273 lb.-ft as well as the C 63 AMG's prodigious 451-hp, 443-lb.-ft V8.

The C 250 and C 350 both get the 7G-TRONIC Plus automatic transmission, while the C 63 has the AMG Speedshift MCT 7-speed with an extra wet clutch in place of a torque converter. For those in search of even more power, there's a $6,000 AMG Performance Package for the C 63 which upgrades the output to 481 hp, delivering a 0-100 km/h time of 4.3 seconds.

Our test drive took place mainly on country roads through Maine and New Hampshire, with equal time at the wheel of both the C 250 and C 350 coupes.

Based on the C-class sedan's 2,760-mm wheelbase, the coupe has a swooping roofline that's been lowered by 38 mm (or 1.5 inches). Although the interior boasts a "sculpted headliner" to alleviate any shortage of headroom, my not-exactly-lofty-of-height driving partner remarked on the scant clearance despite having the seat at its lowest setting.

As in the SLK roadster and ML SUV line-ups, all Canadian C-Class coupes wear the AMG-influenced body styling – a chiselled face with large, grille-mounted star and moulded side skirts. The high beltline and swept-back rear window give it a more dynamic appearance than its four-door sibling.

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class side
Based on the C-class sedan's 2,760-mm wheelbase, the coupe has a swooping roofline that's been lowered by 38 mm (or 1.5 inches). (Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com)
Lesley Wimbush
Lesley Wimbush
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