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By
EWAN KENNEDY
18 August 2008
A Mercedes-Benz sports coupe for under $50,000. A few years ago
that would have been impossible. Indeed, you don’t have to go
back much more than a decade to find a time when nothing was on
offer for under $100,000.
When
Mercedes announced during the 1990s that it was expanding its
range downwards from large and conservative sedans to sleeker,
more affordable market segments, many said a disaster would
result. But the German giant has proven the doubters well and
truly wrong. Because by broadening its product range it has not
only made itself more accessible, but also brought a lot of buyers
into showrooms who eventually moved up from the lower cost Mercs
to much more expensive models.
All
of which is an introduction to the just-released new Mercedes CLC-Class
coupe. One for under $50,000. Though there’s something we should
point out before going into more detail. Because this ‘new’
model is actually the previous series Mercedes C-Class coupe with
a major facelift, not an all-new model. Which is a big factor in
keeping the price down. The tag ‘CLC’ has been added to give
it a separate identity to other C-Class variants.
Whereas
the C-Class sedan was virtually all-new in 2007, this coupe dates
back to 2001, albeit with big changes to the styling and an
upgrading of mechanical components. The nose treatment has been
deliberately styled to give it a strong resemblance to the 2007
C-Class. Which is no bad thing as that car has been acknowledged
worldwide as being an exceptional machine, and was awarded
‘Wheels’ car of the year in Australia.
There's
also a strong family resemblance in the radiator grille to the
recently restyled Mercedes SLK and SL sports roadsters. Something
that will do this junior member of this Benz sporting range no
harm at all on the showroom floor.
At
the tail, the Mercedes CLC takes its own sleek direction in
styling and has been significantly changed in shape from the
superseded model. In particular, the rear window is now in a
single piece, in the original coupe there was an extra lower glass
section to provide better rearwards visibility. During your test
drive it might be best to check this out; it can be difficult to
see out, especially when parking.
There's
also some clever work in the styling of the tail-lights, with
shapes that give added visual width. Width that ties in nicely
with a diffuser-look undertray.
As
well as the changes to the body, there are new designs of alloy
wheels and the new coupe has had an interior freshen, with
different trim colours and materials.
At
this stage only one engine is on offer, a 1.8-litre supercharged
unit that provides up to 135 kW of power, and torque of 250 Nm
between 2800 and 5000 rpm.
Turbo-diesel
and V6 engines may be considered in the future.
The
great majority of Mercedes CLC-Classes sold in Australia will be
fitted with an ultra-smooth seven-speed automatic transmission
with manual overrides by way of a floor shift of steering-wheel
paddles. Some buyers will opt for a six-speed manual gearbox to
give them that additional control keen drivers love.
Interestingly, there's no difference in price between the two
transmissions.
Our
initial road testing was done on the beautifully flowing roads in
the Canberra region, some with surfaces in better conditions than
others. The engine is strong enough in its own right, with good
response and excellent midrange torque. It’s not really a
sporting unit, but will provide plenty of performance for those
more interested in classy cruising than full-on fanging.
Ride
comfort is remarkably good for a car aimed at the European market,
with the suspension soaking up roughness and noise in a highly
competent manner.
All-in-all
the new Mercedes CLC-Class 200 Kompressor is a superb German
sporty coupe at a remarkable price.
The
complete range, with prices (excluding on-road costs), is:
CLC 200 Kompressor: $49,990
CLC 200 Kompressor Evolution: $53,990
CLC 200 Kompressor Evolution+: $58,988
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Marque Publishing Company
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