Mercedes See Class in 2003

The thorn in BMW's 3-series' side has always been the C-Class range of cars from Mercedes-Benz.

Both German-designed cars are entry-level luxury vehicles, and both target the same customer demographic, with their plush rides and keenly decked-out interiors.

Just recently, however, the war seems to have swung in Mercedes favour, with the release of the 2003 C-Class.

The new C-Class benefits from a mild cosmetic upgrade, a new batch of improved (read: supercharged) four-cylinder engines and one of the best safety packages ever.

Before looking at the specifications and pricing, however, let's take a peak at what Mercedes has done to the exterior.

Mercedes fans will notice that the headlight cluster has gone hi-tech, incorporating a new look headlight cluster, which also brings the C-Class in line with the rest of the Mercedes family.

Self-leveling xenon projector lamps are optional on all models and lend the car a more sophisticated look. Mercedes also reckons the more expensive lights use less power and are safer, thanks to their increased illumination.

The revised safety package found in Mercedes medium C-Class cars now benefits from Distronic - though it is an optional extra - not standard.

Essentially a 'smart' cruise control system, Distronic uses proximity radar sensors mounted in the front bumper to keep its distance between the car ahead without the drivers intervention.

The system can scan the road up to 150 metres ahead and, interestingly, the driver is also able to call up a screen on the central display which informs him about the nominal vs. actual distance from a vehicle travelling ahead.

The 2003 model-year C-Class is now recognised as one of the safest cars in the world, recently receiving a five-star safety rating from the European NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme).

At present only two cars in the world have attained this exemplary result - the other vehicle is the 2.0-litre Renault Laguna.

The standard safety equipment of the C-Class includes adaptive airbags for driver and front passenger, which deploy in two stages according to the severity of the accident, side and windowbags, belt tensioners, belt force limiters, and now also a further developed "fix seatbelt" warning.

The front-end structure of this Mercedes Saloon is designed with real-life rather than just simulated accidents in mind and features a three-stage system, which comes into play in accordance with the severity of the collision.

This ensures that the C-Class offers the best possible occupant safety in the event of collisions at medium speeds, which are particularly common, and also reduces crash repair costs.

Moving right along, and it would appear that Mercedes has tweaked its four-cylinder engines for more output, more dynamism and lower fuel consumption.

The newly developed four-cylinder petrol engines in the C-Class feature the unique TwinPulse system, which combines different technologies such as a compressor supercharger, intercooler, dynamically variable valve timing, four-valves per cylinder, Lanchester balancer and an adaptive drive system.

The range of outputs extends from 105kW for the new C180 Kompressor (10kW more than the outgoing C180), to 141kW for the new C230 Kompressor, which Mercedes-Benz offers exclusively in the C-Class Sports Coupé.

With 15 per cent more torque, the C180 Kompressor (sedan) betters the fuel consumption of its predecessor by one litre per 100 kilometres according to the NEDC. For the C200 Kompressor, now worth 120kW, the fuel consumption advantage is 0.6-litres/100km versus the previous four-cylinder engine, and 0.7-litres/100 km for the C230 Kompressor, which was previously not available in Australia.

The performance of the new engine variants in the C-Class is fairly average - performance would have been much improved if weight levels were kept down - such is the cost of luxury!

All versions of the new Mercedes four-cylinder engine have a high-strength aluminium alloy cylinder head with 16 valves and two overhead camshafts. In contrast to the previous Mercedes four-cylinder unit, both camshafts are variably adjustable. A newly developed vane-type adjuster with an integral control valve ensures optimum valve timing at all times.

This has a favourable effect on torque characteristics under full load as well as on fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. The valves are controlled by roller-type cam followers and have a maintenance-free hydraulic valve-play compensation.

Mercedes has also developed a system that recognises individual driving styles and adapts the drive characteristics of the engine accordingly, thus further adding to the driving experience.

For those who favour a sporty driving style, the ECU ensures the appropriate accelerator response. If, on the other hand, the computer detects that the driver prefers comfort over speed, it adapts the ECU control characteristics, harmonising the four-cylinder engine settings to suit this particular style of driving.

With this in mind, the base-model C180 Kompressor (sedan) accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h in only 9.7 seconds making it some 1.3 seconds faster than its predecessor. The maximum speed is 223km/h - 13km/h more than before.

The most powerful four-cylinder mill, found only in the C230 Kompressor Sports Coupé, makes 141kW from its 1.8-litre supercharged/intercooled powerplant, roughly the same as the Toyota Celica. This peak power arrives @ 5500rpm, though peak torque of 260Nm @ 3500rpm puts the Celica's shove to shame. These specs allow the C230 to go from 0-100km/h in 8.1 seconds and has a top speed of 240 kays.

The 2003 Mercedes C-Class will make its worldwide debut at the Sydney Motor Show, which shows just how much clout the Aussie car shows have these days. Perhaps the new Falcon and Commodore are already making waves overseas?

The successful Mercedes-Benz C-Class, arguably the safest car in its category, is reasserting its role as the technological leader in this market segment with a new generation of four-cylinder engines, including a new supercharged entry-level four-cylinder unit, new high-tech innovations, and for the first time, a C230 Kompressor Sports Coupé.

"Thanks to the unique new TwinPulse system, the powerful new four-cylinder engines deliver improved fuel consumption and the smoothness of a six-cylinder engine, for a higher level of driving enjoyment," said Matthias Lührs, MD of Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars.

Indeed, with more than 760,000 drivers opting for the C-Class Worldwide, since series production commenced about two years ago, it's plain to see that Mercedes is onto a good thing. But will the new supercharged engines, 'optional' Distronic and funky headlight gear win the war for Mercedes in the medium-luxury segment? Only time will tell...

Pricing:

- C 180 KOMPRESSOR Manual CLASSIC Sedan $52,800
- C 180 KOMPRESSOR Auto CLASSIC Sedan $55,900
- C 200 KOMPRESSOR Manual CLASSIC Sedan $60,374
- C 200 KOMPRESSOR Auto CLASSIC Sedan $63,474
- C 200 KOMPRESSOR CLASSIC Wagon $66,974
- C 180 KOMPRESSOR Manual Sports Coupé $50,800
- C 180 KOMPRESSOR Auto Sports Coupé $53,900
- C 200 KOMPRESSOR Manual Sports Coupé $57,374
- C 200 KOMPRESSOR Auto Sports Coupé $60,474
- C 230 KOMPRESSOR Man Sports Coupé $67,800*
- C 230 KOMPRESSOR Auto Sports Coupé $70,900*

* Includes leather upholstery as standard