ST. JEAN-CAP-FERRAT, France: When an aspirational marque like Mercedes-Benz extends its range by bringing out a small sporty model with a low-ish sticker price, it's big news for a lot of people.
After all, it means that many buyers who might not have been able to afford a new vehicle with the famous 3-pointed star now can. For a lot of people, this would be all they'd need to know about the C-class Sport Coupe -- that it was a new Mercedes-Benz that they could afford, so where can they get one?
As powerful a draw as the Sport Coupe's price may be, Mercedes has also created a vehicle that actually suits younger tastes. It's more compact and less-substantial looking, and it rides and handles in a less determined way. In some ways, it's kind of like an upscale coupe you'd think came out of Japan rather than Germany. It must be pointed out, however, that there is also a Mercedes-like list of technology. More on all this in a minute.
To risk a generalization about the new 2-door that's due here this fall, the primo consumer group for the $30,000-something car will be 30-something women. It would thrill Mercedes-Benz Canada no end to see those ladies turn up in their dealerships, since the company historically sells almost exclusively to men of a more advanced vintage.
This is not the case in Europe and many other parts of the world, of course, where Mercedes sells non-luxury brands like the smart and the A-class, as well as many stripped-down versions of the models we do get, including thousands and thousands of E-class taxicabs.
Canadians will clearly see the C-class Sport Coupe as a departure, then, and for many it will be a welcome one. In the first place, it looks a lot less solid and heavy than Mercedes sedans are consciously meant to do.
Though there's an unmistakable family resemblance in the front end, the side view is more of a departure, even from the other, larger Mercedes coupes that already exist. Because the Sport Coupe is actually a hatchback configuration, designers were able to extend the roofline to the very back of the car in a unique way for Mercedes-Benz.
Along with delivering the car's distinctive style, the hatchback configuration allows for some interesting pragmatic features, which should also suit younger buyers.
In the first place, the car's cargo capacity and range are greater than they would be if the Sport Coupe were actually a coupe. Fold down the rear seats and you can get a bunch of bigger and longer stuff in there.
Not having to cut short the roof to allow for a trunk lid also delivers one of the car's biggest and most pleasant surprises -- considerable room for two real adults in the back seat.
On a related note, access to the rear seat is also pretty good, since the C-class Sport Coupe has huge doors that also make it a snap to get in and out of the front seats.
Since "openness is also on the manifesto of this youthful, agile car," the optional "panoramic sliding sunroof forms a continuous glazed surface from the front windscreen to the rear spoiler and offers passengers a unique all-round view or, with the roof open, an even more realistic feeling of open-air motoring."
This feature of the Sport Coupe will be undoubtedly attractive to sun lovers and people in the back seat, since it greatly increases their view of the outside. Mercedes has smartly designed this sunroof so it retracts on the outside and therefore does not compromise headroom whether it's open or closed.
Interior space turns out to be a big plus for the Sport Coupe, since there is even more front legroom than headroom; in fact, there is more legroom here than in nearly any other vehicle on the market.
Interior fitment is more casual than many of the Mercs we get, though I'm not sure "a tailored suit with a sporty cut" will interest most women. The instrument panel is supposed to be split in two, both visually and technically, with the top half having the displays and gauges and the bottom half having the buttons and knobs. It's hard to point at anything on the dash and go "wow" or "whoa," which is good.
Actually driving the Sport Coupe provides the biggest departure from any of the Mercedes models we get in Canada, since it takes a step away from the steady and deliberate steering that is common in traditional Mercs.
While the C-class Sport Coupe was certainly responsive and nimble on the twisty corniches along the Riviera, the steering was a lot looser and less precise than in the C-class sedan. This will probably only be noted by people familiar with other Mercedes models.
Though there'll be four engines for Sport Coupe around the rest of the world, North America will only get the C230 Kompressor. This is a supercharged inline-4 that should turn out more than 190 horsepower and about 210 pound-feet of torque in its Canadian trim. Though it can be a little thrashy, this engine will deliver enough juice for 99 percent of the demands a reasonable driver can put on a vehicle. Look for the 3.2-litre V6 to arrive in 2002 or later to handle the unreasonable demands.
The Sport Coupe will have front, side and head airbags to protect you in the event that the car's preventative safety features (ABS, stability control, etc.) can't stop you from having a crash.
Details on exactly who equipment will be standard and optional are still to be worked out, but rest assured that Mercedes-Benz Canada will equip the C-class Sport Coupe in a way that befits the brand. The company doesn't mind bending the shape, size and price rules to attract new buyers, but they won't tinker with their luxury expectations.
After all, it means that many buyers who might not have been able to afford a new vehicle with the famous 3-pointed star now can. For a lot of people, this would be all they'd need to know about the C-class Sport Coupe -- that it was a new Mercedes-Benz that they could afford, so where can they get one?
As powerful a draw as the Sport Coupe's price may be, Mercedes has also created a vehicle that actually suits younger tastes. It's more compact and less-substantial looking, and it rides and handles in a less determined way. In some ways, it's kind of like an upscale coupe you'd think came out of Japan rather than Germany. It must be pointed out, however, that there is also a Mercedes-like list of technology. More on all this in a minute.
To risk a generalization about the new 2-door that's due here this fall, the primo consumer group for the $30,000-something car will be 30-something women. It would thrill Mercedes-Benz Canada no end to see those ladies turn up in their dealerships, since the company historically sells almost exclusively to men of a more advanced vintage.
This is not the case in Europe and many other parts of the world, of course, where Mercedes sells non-luxury brands like the smart and the A-class, as well as many stripped-down versions of the models we do get, including thousands and thousands of E-class taxicabs.
Canadians will clearly see the C-class Sport Coupe as a departure, then, and for many it will be a welcome one. In the first place, it looks a lot less solid and heavy than Mercedes sedans are consciously meant to do.
Though there's an unmistakable family resemblance in the front end, the side view is more of a departure, even from the other, larger Mercedes coupes that already exist. Because the Sport Coupe is actually a hatchback configuration, designers were able to extend the roofline to the very back of the car in a unique way for Mercedes-Benz.
Along with delivering the car's distinctive style, the hatchback configuration allows for some interesting pragmatic features, which should also suit younger buyers.
In the first place, the car's cargo capacity and range are greater than they would be if the Sport Coupe were actually a coupe. Fold down the rear seats and you can get a bunch of bigger and longer stuff in there.
Not having to cut short the roof to allow for a trunk lid also delivers one of the car's biggest and most pleasant surprises -- considerable room for two real adults in the back seat.
On a related note, access to the rear seat is also pretty good, since the C-class Sport Coupe has huge doors that also make it a snap to get in and out of the front seats.
Since "openness is also on the manifesto of this youthful, agile car," the optional "panoramic sliding sunroof forms a continuous glazed surface from the front windscreen to the rear spoiler and offers passengers a unique all-round view or, with the roof open, an even more realistic feeling of open-air motoring."
This feature of the Sport Coupe will be undoubtedly attractive to sun lovers and people in the back seat, since it greatly increases their view of the outside. Mercedes has smartly designed this sunroof so it retracts on the outside and therefore does not compromise headroom whether it's open or closed.
Interior space turns out to be a big plus for the Sport Coupe, since there is even more front legroom than headroom; in fact, there is more legroom here than in nearly any other vehicle on the market.
Interior fitment is more casual than many of the Mercs we get, though I'm not sure "a tailored suit with a sporty cut" will interest most women. The instrument panel is supposed to be split in two, both visually and technically, with the top half having the displays and gauges and the bottom half having the buttons and knobs. It's hard to point at anything on the dash and go "wow" or "whoa," which is good.
Actually driving the Sport Coupe provides the biggest departure from any of the Mercedes models we get in Canada, since it takes a step away from the steady and deliberate steering that is common in traditional Mercs.
While the C-class Sport Coupe was certainly responsive and nimble on the twisty corniches along the Riviera, the steering was a lot looser and less precise than in the C-class sedan. This will probably only be noted by people familiar with other Mercedes models.
Though there'll be four engines for Sport Coupe around the rest of the world, North America will only get the C230 Kompressor. This is a supercharged inline-4 that should turn out more than 190 horsepower and about 210 pound-feet of torque in its Canadian trim. Though it can be a little thrashy, this engine will deliver enough juice for 99 percent of the demands a reasonable driver can put on a vehicle. Look for the 3.2-litre V6 to arrive in 2002 or later to handle the unreasonable demands.
The Sport Coupe will have front, side and head airbags to protect you in the event that the car's preventative safety features (ABS, stability control, etc.) can't stop you from having a crash.
Details on exactly who equipment will be standard and optional are still to be worked out, but rest assured that Mercedes-Benz Canada will equip the C-class Sport Coupe in a way that befits the brand. The company doesn't mind bending the shape, size and price rules to attract new buyers, but they won't tinker with their luxury expectations.
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