First Drive: Mercedes C-ClassHas Mercedes finally created a car to knock the 3-Series off its perch? Michael McAleerMotoring Editor, tries out the new C-Class
Forget about the A-Class or the Golf-wannabe B-Class. Put aside the S-Class and the E-Class. This is the most important car Mercedes has launched in years.
Some 25 years after the first small executive Mercedes - the 190 - rolled off production lines, the German brand needs this car to entice aspiring executives more than ever. These are the future E-Class and S-Class owners and the foundation has to be laid here.
For all the prestige of the three-pointed star, Mercedes still looks on enviously at the ground occupied by its German rival, BMW, and its ability to attract younger motorists.
While the 3-Series, and to a lesser extent Audi's A4, rules the roost with these buyers, the C-Class has had something of a musty air - it never quite cut the mustard with the thirtysomethings. That's not to say that the C-Class doesn't have a loyal following. As of last week's international launch, 65,000 people across Europe had already ordered the new car without even seeing it in the metal.
Yet management at the premium brand knows the C-Class doesn't have the desirability for younger motorists, nor does it have a reputation for dynamic driving appeal.
It doesn't end with a change in age profile: Mercedes also requires a facelift to its reputation for reliability. The need to exceed is the message that was drilled into Mercedes engineers working on the C-Class. It's not some trite marketing line: this message is vital to the future of the brand. Persistent quality problems, particularly with electronics, culminated in Mercedes recalling 1.3 million cars for repairs in 2005 at a cost of €500 million.
If the C-Class is to be the introduction to the brand for many aspiring executives, then it needs to cosset them in comfort, entertain them behind the wheel and turn them into loyal ambassadors for the brand.
That's why Mercedes built over 280 prototypes of the new C-Class - and engaged in its most detailed digital prototype testing to date - in an effort to rule out any faults.
The end result is a new car with the immediate impression of quality, feel and refinement. While it will not be mistaken for anything other than a C-Class, it has a lot more sharpness in its cut. The high roofline is softened slightly by the raised bonnet and a sharper tapering of the side glass.
There's also a more distinctive crease along the side - similar to the BMW 3-Series, dare we say - that slides well into the slightly bulging bonnet. The latter gives the car a more impressive appearance up front. Tapered front and rear lights are also more striking and the rear bumper is less prominent, giving the car a deeper, more solid look to the rear.
These are not enough to wow the younger buyers, however, so Mercedes has opted to feed both sections of its buyer market with two style formats.
Along with the regular Classic range, the Avantgarde and Elegance styles are directly aimed at the different end users.
For the thirtysomethings who previously opted for Audi or BMW, the Avantgarde gets a dominant three-pointed star on its grille that resembles the ones available from retrofit bodykit specialists, while Classic and Elegance versions - aimed at retaining older, more conservative C-Class buyers - retain the traditional gunsight bonnet mascot.
Of the three versions, the Avantgarde is undoubtedly the most striking, with its tapered bonnet sitting well when matched to the Avantgarde grille and giving the car a more aggressive look than any previous C-Class.
However, the differences in versions are only aesthetic, for there are no changes to suspension set-up or power output between the Avantgarde or Elegance models.
The new C-Class has increased in size in every dimension, with an enormous boot and comfortable seats, though it still remains tight in terms of rear legroom.
A variety of colour trims are offered and time spent here will pay dividends for owners both in their daily life and when it comes time to sell on. Our tip would be to avoid the light grey finish that's offered, similar to the sort of colours that abound in Korean car showrooms.
Of the rest, our only major gripe would be that in the Elegance versions, the steering wheel feels too big for the car.
FOR ALL THE CRITICISM among the chattering classes about BMW's iDrive system, the day of the single rotating controller has surely arrived and all new C-Class models feature a dial controller in some form.
In entry level models, it will work the radio and air conditioning, while more advanced versions will include Sat-Nav menus and telephone controls.
It's a less advanced version of the one in the S-Class, but it is there nonetheless and leaves the E-Class feeling positively out-of-date with its multi-button controls.
Sadly, only two engines were offered for us to test, the 3-litre diesel in the C320 CDI and the 3.5-litre petrol C350. Neither will sell more than a handful on the Irish market.
Thankfully, the full range offers three turbodiesel engines and five petrols, with Irish favourites, the C180 Kompressor and C200 CDI, both due for launch in Ireland by October.
Safety features in the new car are also impressive, with the company's Presafe system - an active brake system that primes itself if it thinks you're going to crash and also prevents rolling back on uphill gradients - fitted as standard.
The C320 CDI cruised effortlessly on motorway stretches and conquered the other routes without too much complaint. The automatic transmission remains a favoured option with C-Class buyers but, for our money, we'd still prefer manual to get the most from the engine.
If Mercedes is going to tap into the younger 3-Series market, it will find more demand for this format.
As expected from such a sizeable diesel, the target is all about low-end torque rather than outright performance, though we found it cruised without complaint at autobahn speeds.
It takes a significant bump for the suspension to be caught out, though traction control did flicker frequently when we pushed the car along on wet roads.
Along with Mercedes's new Agility control suspension system - that supposedly reacts within milliseconds to driving style and road conditions - an optional advanced system suspension set-up is available, which allows you to change the damper settings, and sharpens the throttle response at the touch of a button.
Overall, the new C-Class is not as overtly sporting as the 3-Series but the steering is more precise than we've come to expect from Mercedes, though it remains less communicative than the BMW - a Mercedes trait across its range.
It has rapidly closed the gap in every other sense, however.
Mercedes holds up its hands about the reliability issues it faced in the early years of this decade and claims that it now works to "exceed customer expectations".
If Mercedes hopes to win favour over the likes of Audi, BMW or even Lexus, it must accept that these new converts will not give them a second chance if reliability becomes a problem. The stakes are high and this car has to get it right.
For now, the new model goes a long way to redress the C-Class's image issues; it looks good, it drives very well, it's comfortable and it's the first C-Class we would actually consider buying.
The 3-Series has ruled the roost for decades now and even the most loyal BMW owner is eager to see a new king on the throne, if only to provide a real option for buyers in this segment.