Our drive route took us through beautiful, pastoral villages – on smooth pavement and rough country roads pockmarked with potholes. We were grateful for the C-Class's rather compliant suspension, which absorbed most of the ragged tarmac, yet thoroughly maintained its composure. The Dynamic Handling Package, standard on the C 350 and as an option on the C 250, offers electronically controlled adaptive damping through a driver-selectable button.
Select "Sport" and the shocks tighten up, resulting in a flatter-cornering coupe with sharper throttle response and heavier weighted steering. It's not sports-car harsh however, as the C-Class always maintains a sense of comfort. The chassis' composure is well illustrated during a portion of our route that included the infamous Mount Washington – a 7.6-mile trek whose 6,288-ft summit marks the finish line for the iconic "Climb to the Clouds" hill climb race.
Narrow and clinging to the side of a mountain, with often only scant feet to the edge, the road ascends past the tree line into tundra-like climate punctuated by rocks and lichen. The pavement buckles and dips, often giving way to sections of gravel. But the C-Class exhibits no pitching, no body roll and we enjoy our thrilling, yet slow ascent to the clouds.
The 2012 C-Class sedan’s price ranges from the $36,700 C 250 to the $65,000 C 63 AMG. The C-Class Coupe is also available in showrooms now, beginning at $39,900 for the C 250, $49,200 for the C 350 and $66,900 for the C 63 AMG. There are a variety of optional packages available for each.
Select "Sport" and the shocks tighten up, resulting in a flatter-cornering coupe with sharper throttle response and heavier weighted steering. It's not sports-car harsh however, as the C-Class always maintains a sense of comfort. The chassis' composure is well illustrated during a portion of our route that included the infamous Mount Washington – a 7.6-mile trek whose 6,288-ft summit marks the finish line for the iconic "Climb to the Clouds" hill climb race.
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| The 2012 C-Class sedan’s price ranges from the $36,700 C 250 to the $65,000 C 63 AMG. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com) |
Narrow and clinging to the side of a mountain, with often only scant feet to the edge, the road ascends past the tree line into tundra-like climate punctuated by rocks and lichen. The pavement buckles and dips, often giving way to sections of gravel. But the C-Class exhibits no pitching, no body roll and we enjoy our thrilling, yet slow ascent to the clouds.
The 2012 C-Class sedan’s price ranges from the $36,700 C 250 to the $65,000 C 63 AMG. The C-Class Coupe is also available in showrooms now, beginning at $39,900 for the C 250, $49,200 for the C 350 and $66,900 for the C 63 AMG. There are a variety of optional packages available for each.
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