Working at a Mercedes-Benz and Volvo dealership has given me the opportunity to drive a wide variety of new and used vehicles. Today, I had the opportunity to drive a car that really impressed me. It was the new 2012 Mercedes-Benz C250 Coupe.
What impressed me the most was its responsive 1.8L turbo-charged direct injection four-cylinder engine. With 201 hp and 229 lb/ft of torque coupled to the Mercedes-Benz 7-Speed Automatic, this little car really moves! The explosive acceleration brought to mind the Classic SAAB 900 turbo. Yeah, I know — everything reminds me of the SAAB 900 — but this one really did. The acceleration was quick and lots of fun! The only problem I can see is that the C250 is only available in RWD. So, that may hinder its popularity here in the Greater Cleveland area. But after driving this car, I think customers will drive it and want to own it. It’s that much fun!
The interior is typical Mercedes-Benz — sporty and upscale at the same time. The seats were a bit firm for my taste, but were fairly comfortable for a Mercedes-Benz with the Sport Package. This particular car also came with the COMAND Navigation system. The 7″ High Resolution LCD screen is very readable from the driver’s seat and the system is easy to operate with the console mounted controller. During my highway drive, the nav system displayed information about the coming exit ramps disclosing whether there was a gas station or place to eat. That was a nice touch.
My overall impression of the car was very positive. It’s a nice looking car with the aggressive Mercedes-Benz front end and the beautiful sloping back end of a coupe. The car I drove was priced at $42,120. That’s not bad for a Mercedes-Benz especially for a car as fun as this one!
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