Unlike the E-Class cars, C-Class Mercs are still seen only once in a while, even in Mumbai. Park this car, and everyone in the vicinity goes gooey-eyed. Mouths smile, eyes twinkle, fingers point, and instantly you are the centre of attention! Fun! But enough of exhibitionism. What does the C180 have, apart from its attention-grabbing capabilities? Getting to the heart of the matter right
away, the C180 has a 1998cc four-cylinder engine that puts out 124 horsepower at 5300revs. As you would expect, this engine is blessed with computer-controlled fuel-injection,
but in addition, it also has double overhead cams moving four valves per cylinder.
Though 124 horses might not seem so much in a car that weighs slightly more than fourteen hundred kilos, you never really fall short of motive power, regardless of what driving conditions you might encounter. In fact, the car is so fleet and surefooted at all times that it lulls you into a deep-seated sense of security, which could actually play havoc if you don't keep a watchful eye on the speedo. The C180 will gladly rush into the triple-digit zone without any fuss and remain there for as long as you like, never threatening to get out of shape.
But OK, as you would expect, there is much more to this car than rocket-boy displays of speed and disaster sequences straight out of Hollywood's finest. That kind of stuff is, after all, best left to a certain Mr. Bond, who of late
has eschewed his erstwhile Bentleys, and has taken to poncing around in flash Beemers. So getting back to the C180, what we have here again, is complete safety (as in ABS and multiple air-bags as standard equipment) and unbridled luxury. My white C180 came in 'Classic' trim, which is supposedly a notch below 'Elegance', but the absence of alloy wheels (standard on the 'Elegance' model), and the lack of a few chrome touches here and there
were the only factors which would allow you to tell the difference. Admittedly, the C-class cars look much better with alloy wheels, and ordinary wheel-covers have no place on this automobile. But apart from that, fit and finish
was beyond any reproach whatsoever, and the interiors - upholstery, switchgear, multi-CD music-system - were functional, and reeked of quality.
Couch potatoes have it real good in this car – you have electrically adjustable front thrones – just twiddle a lever or two to adjust seat-height, and adjust the tilt-angle. Moving the seats back or front still requires you to pull a handle and do the job manually, as on lesser cars! The steering wheel is also adjustable, so no matter what your driving position might be, you should be able to get comfortable in the C180. And as on the 200, the 180 also has steering wheel mounted controls for the instrument-panel display and the stereo, so no taking your hands off the wheel if you want to crank up the volume while banging heads with Metallica!
Getting down to business, creature comforts are all very well, but how does the C180 perform? Well, while trying to keep up with smaller, niftier cars (with better power-to-weight ratios) in heavy traffic, the C180 does feel it could use another 40 horses or so. But then, once the road clears off, and you really get motoring hard, the aforementioned vehicles get reduced to mere blips in the rearview mirror. Even at a speedo-indicated 210kmph, when everything – including City VTECs, those pesky little critters – have been left behind, the C180 feels calm, composed, and planted to the tarmac.
While doing our speed runs, we clocked a 0 – 60 time of 5.51 seconds, and a time of 12.36 seconds for the 0 – 100 blast, which is quite good in my opinion. After all, almost none of these cars are going to be bought by those whose sole concerns are speed and acceleration. And those who buy the car for the luxury and refinement it offers are definitely not going to be disappointed. Though the petrol-engined C180 is definitely going to be more expensive to run that its diesel brother, this 1998cc lump is quieter (not that the CDI engine’s sound levels are ever obtrusive though…), and revs more freely compared to the C200’s engine. Refinement over economy, if you want…
The six-speed gearbox is very smooth, and encourages you to swap ratios swiftly, to keep the car motoring at a respectable pace. The gearing is a mite tallish, but the ratios are okay for dealing with dense city traffic, and when the road does clear off, the C180 will do an indicated 120kmph in 3rd, so there! The ride and handling is superlative as ever. Again, pushed very, very hard, the C180 can be persuaded to enact tail-out antics, but I don’t think anyone who buys this car is going to get into all that stuff, so it is all a bit academic really.
I also tested braking prowess on a variety of surfaces.
Braking very, very hard on isolated wet surfaces, with the ESP switched off, for good measure, the car did get a bit out of shape a couple of times, but only for a second or two. At all times, it would ultimately step back into line, no matter what you tried.
For all practical intents and purposes, you can drive as fast as you want, corner as hard as you dare, brake deep into corners, and generally do whatever catches your fancy, but the car will stay the course – resolutely, relentlessly. For those who can’t live without some drama, switching off the ESP module and taking fast 2nd gear corners in full-power mode will have the rear end stepping out completely, but a quick flick of the wrist brings it back in line. The power-assisted steering is precise, and at all times, you can just choose your line and step on the gas. The MacPherson struts at the front, and independent multi-link setup at the rear keep the car tracking straight and true at all times. Not only is the suspension taut, keeping things in firm control at all times, it also provides a comfortable ride. Once again, as with the C200, full marks to MBIL engineers – you have done your homework well!
So which one would I have, if I ever had the money? Well, having tested the entire range of Mercedes Benz C-class cars available here, I would have to say that I would pick the C200 CDI Automatic. Some might be outraged at this choice. “What!?! A diesel automatic, when you can have a petrol manual?” some might say, and I have no argument with them. For me, the economy that the CDI engine offers would outweigh the (marginal) extra refinement of the petrol, and the automatic gearbox – which has a manual override option
in any case – is more in keeping with the essential nature of this car. If relaxed, highspeed touring is where it’s at for you, the C-Class is your car. Petrol or diesel power would be down to personal preference, but whichever one you choose, you just can’t go wrong. But I can't resist adding this - if you are looking at the C180, do take a test drive in the Ford Mondeo and the Skoda Octavia 2.0 as well, before buying anything. You just might be surprised....
