The concept of a baby Benz may have seemed quaint 25 years ago, but the idea has proven to be a solid proposition. Since the days of the 190E, more than six million units of the compact Mercedes-Benz have been sold, the previous generation selling two million sedans, wagons and coupes. Now no longer the smallest Mercedes car, the all-new fourth generation C-Class has grown in size and capability.

For the first time, a Mercedes sedan presents either of two strikingly different faces. The Elegance package has the traditional slatted grille and three-pointed star on the hood. Long-time Mercedes owners would no doubt prefer this variant, particularly those who use the star on the hood as a driving and parking aid. The Avantgarde package sports a different grille with a large central logo, as befits the sporty cars in the Mercedes range. An AMG appearance package is also available, adding front and side skirts.

The fender bulges introduced on the S-Class find their way to this model, albeit in a subtler form. Sculpted side panels and a clamshell-type hood hint at a more dynamic personality for the new car. DaimlerChrysler Southeast Asia President Dr. Rainier Thiel noted that Winifredo Camacho, a Filipino working at the company’s design studio in Stuttgart, helped design the new look.

Inside, the C-Class features a much roomier interior. Leather and wood are standard in the Elegance; Avantgarde substitutes matte-finished metal trim for the wood. Entertainment and convenience equipment include a 4-GB music server, DVD player, and Bluetooth-telephone connectivity.

The C promises long-distance driving comfort and dynamic handling. Among its new features is agility control, a system which incorporates quicker steering and adaptive shock absorbers to improve the ride quality. The C200 Kompressor delivers 184 hp and 250 Nm from its four-cylinder supercharged engine, while the C350 V6 couples 272 hp output with a seven-speed automatic transmission.

next page >