Love the new Merc – now I just need a promotion

Dublin People 14 Aug 2011

There is intense competition between the German manufacturers with Mercedes, Audi and BMW all trying to be better than the other with innovations and tweaks to their various models.
The C-Class has been with us since 1993 and the W204 series was introduced in 2007, continuing the success story of the C-Class with a combination of safety, comfort and agility. The changes include a fine-tuning of the exterior design and new improved engines with fuel-saving stop-start technology. Inside there is a complete redesign of the dash.
The beige leather seats were gorgeous and the front two seats were very easy to adjust. People who drive Mercedes regularly will tell you that even after a long journey they are not tired thanks to the comfortable seating.
At first you may confuse the lever for the cruise control with the indicator – they are both to the left of the steering wheel – but after a few hours driving you should get used to it. The lever for the cruise control is only slightly smaller than the indicator lever, but I think that the cruise control on the Mercedes one is one of the simplest and easy to use.
There is plenty of power in this diesel version and if you are in a hurry you can get from zero to 100km/h in approximately 9.2 seconds. But people who drive Mercedes are more refined and they won’t be seen revving up at the traffic lights. The C-Class is so quiet and smooth and just seemed to glide along the road.
Naturally there is ample room for five adults in the comfortable seats. Of course I couldn’t finish a review of a Mercedes without mentioning the famous pointed star. In this model it is incorporated into a crest on the bonnet and you will also find a bigger version in the grille. You would probably need to go back to school to learn all about Mercedes’ models lettering, from A to S, but suffice to say here that the C-Class shares its platform with the E-Class Coupe.
For a certain type of person driving a new Merc represents a landmark in their lives. For some it may come when they get a senior management role, for others they may be near to retirement age before they can afford one.
Prices for the new C-Class start at e36,350. The automatic Blue Efficiency Avantagarde version I drove will cost you e47,456. You will love it, but you may need to get a few more promotions before you can afford the automatic version.

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