Mercedes-Benz has always been regarded as the choice of the privileged and the upper class. The mere sight of the three-pointed star atop the radiator grille is enough to cause a sea of traffic to part, the security guards to salute and the valet to give up the VIP parking slot. Well, at least that’s how it was before the intensive diversification of the brand. From a luxury car maker that used to have just three or four models, Mercedes-Benz now has 12—and that’s just what’s available locally. Spreading the line to include just about any niche (four-door coupe, anyone?) means that almost any Tom, Dick and Harry has a Mercedes almost tailor-made to fit his taste, lifestyle and budget.
Unfortunately, this same scenario caused a tarnishing to this prestigious German marque. Production glitches, numerous recalls and declining quality were all signs pointing towards manufacturing that couldn’t keep up with the increasing sales volume. The early 2000’s were dark times for Mercedes, not because of wavering sales, but because of wavering customer loyalty and trust. The failure of the A-Class in the elk avoidance test didn’t help things either. In a genuine light bulb moment, Mercedes knew that to stay in forefront of the luxury car game, they had to focus themselves on what they (should) know best: quality. Turning the company around 180 degrees from launching too much products, Mercedes went back to basics in a bid to improve its image. The first to morph itself into a high-quality product was the S-Class, followed by the heavily revised E-Class and then, mainstream C-Class.
Setting sights on the C 280 Avantgarde, it’s immediately clear the difference a model generation makes. Gone are the scalloped headlamps, subtle curves and triangular tail lamps and in come an angular, masculine look. The bulging wheel fenders stand out, but look much more integrated and therefore less comical than on the S-Class. The hard side crease may clash with the rounded door handles, but it creates dynamism and movement—important for the sporty look. Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the C-Class is the rear, where the trapezoidal tail lamps look tacked onto the trunk lid. Mercedes reckons it increases trunk space, so in this respect, it’s excusable. There’s little in the way of design gimmickry, but those that are present are very effective highlights. The ‘Avantgarde’ line is distinguished by the large Mercedes logo on the grille, horizontal chrome strips on the radiator grille and fog lamps as well as the exposed ovoid tail lamps (since this is a six cylinder model, there are two—one on each side). The sport suspension package is fitted as standard on all local Avantgarde models, so it means this C 280 rides on 17-inch alloys fitted with generous 225/45 W-rated tires.
Opening the weighty driver’s door (a surefire sign of Mercedes quality) reveals a roomy cabin filled with the same angular cues found outside. Again, designers shunned the curves in favor of masculine angularity. The treatment may seem cold, but it’s actually quite elegant, timeless and downright ergonomic. First, the seats are firm and nicely supportive. The pictographic adjuster for the driver moves the seat eight ways and is a cinch to use. However, the front passenger will still need to pull a lever to fix fore/aft movement. The flat, square-cut dash dominates the cabin and makes for larger, chunkier buttons. And it should given that the C 280 crams entertainment, telephone and riving aid functions into an eight square-inch space. Only the climate control has been kept separate—located at the bottom of the center console. Its close proximity to the shifter causes some functions to be obscured when the car’s in park.
Like some of its exterior design cues, the C 280’s cabin isn’t exactly free from any sort of controversy. The COMAND interface system from the S-Class migrates onto the baby Merc, so some functions like adjusting speaker bass/treble and radio presetting require wheel fiddling/clicking. It’s easier to master than its rivals’ systems, but it’s embarrassing when mundane functions like clock adjustment remained a mystery despite a week of usage. The COMAND functions are outputted to a large, colored LCD screen that works as well as it looks. It also lends a dash of modern luxury, like having a big Plasma TV in your living room. The screen swivels into the dash when not in use, giving a much neater cabin. This fancy system though also raises a question of longevity.
Mercedes’ new model designation still doesn’t make any sense for the consumer: the C 280 actually has a 3.0-liter engine under the hood. With 231 horsepower and 300 Nm of torque, it easily outguns its similarly displaced European rivals. Don’t let the sports car like power figures fool you, the C 280 is more of a long distance tourer. With a seven-speed automatic and drive-by-wire technology, acceleration is seamless and smooth with the engine rarely raising a whisper. Those feeling a bit sporty will appreciate the transmission’s sport and manual override functions. With all sorts of smooth highways and Autobahns, the C 280 should return 13.88 km/L. In the midst of Manila traffic though, it was closer to 7.04 km/L—not bad considering it’s close to the BMW 320i.
Beyond the C 280’s impressive drivetrain, even the chassis tuning is more on the comfortable, but remains capable when pushed. Taking the car up to Tagaytay reveals a very complaint ride, absorbing all sorts of road irregularities as if they weren’t there. And yet, throw it into a sweeping bend, it will oblige with neutral handling. The steering is also on the light side, but there’s still a nice feeling of precision and good road feel built into it. The NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness) isolation is also easily the best in its class, making this the car of choice if you’re ferry your family or boss in—and that’s despite the 45-series tires!
At P 3,980,000, the C 280 Avantgarde isn’t exactly the best bargain out there. In fact, it’s more than P 400,000 more than its closest rival: the BMW 325i. However, the Mercedes-Benz comes out as a impressive package of high-tech and luxury with a much better drivetrain and generous levels of equipment. And it’s much more comfortable, better built and roomier to boot. More than anything though, the new C-Class is a visible signal that when Mercedes-Benz puts its foot down and moves in the right direction, it can design and build cars which are true stars.
By Ulysses Ang | Photos by Ulysses Ang
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