I very nearly bought a C200k SC the other day. It was in an orange/red metallic colour with quartz leather and the Evo Panorama pack. That includes the wheels in the most recent pics fromMBenz, lowered suspension and the glass roof.

I too had my doubts about the car until I saw it in the metal. The interior is beautiful in my opinion, as are those 17 inch alloys. The glass roof is nice and the rear is actually very neatly done.

The car I nearly bought was fully loaded and I stepped back from the deal when I realised I was about to spend £30,000 (US$42,500) on a hatchback.

The car also had a 6 speed clutchless sequential manual transmission which felt great in the shop (I didn't drive it) but which I have yet to see reviewed. Does anybody have any experience with this transmission?

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JJ Rodger
2013 G350 Bluetec
1999 SL 500
1993 E300 diesel T
1990 190

While my S320 was in the shop, the dealer lend me a brand new C180 SportCoupe with a full auto transmission for three days.

Nice car, especially the front and the interior. The back is just plainly French (think Renault Megane/Laguna).

Although the 1.8 liter did not do wonders with the shiftronic automatic, it moved in an acceptable way.

The car came with the cloth seats, as leather is a $2,500 option here. Most people prefer to order the Panorama sunroof ($2,600.00) instead.

The best looking wheels are the new 10-spoke 16"

Although, I would not spend that amount of money for a Mercedes Hatchback.

A. Rosich
S320, 1998
E320T, 1995

Ya know what.......


I'm starting to like it. It might just be what MBZ needs. A way of getting back to basics, and concentrating on the car, not all the B/S.

I didn't think I'd like it but I can honestly say I do...its what can one say...uh cute!

__________________
"Damn the torpedos, four bells full speed ahead"
-Admiral Farragut




-1987 300E Smoke Silver
-1997 S320 Black on Black
-Soon To be E55 AMG
-27 foot Grady White Offshore Sportfish.

I did my first Pre-Delivery inspection on one yesterday, Silver 230K with cloth. Geez, whataya gotta do to get leather or Tex in one of these things?
Power was on par with a SLK230K, it has the EVO motor so it's not noisy like the earlier Kompressors. SLK's have had the EVO 111 motor for over a year now. I kinda like the Coupe, it's fun to drive. This had the Pano roof as well.
Strange thing about the seats is that they are heated, I thought this was universally only done on non-cloth seats?
I don't like the appearance of the steering wheel either, but what does the previous poster mean that it looks "fake"? No such thing as a "real" steering wheel, but I dislike the looks, too. I think this is going to be a good car for MB, they've needed a car like this for a long time.....
Gilly

One thing that put me off the C220k SC was that I think MB is going to sell a LOT of these cars. I suspect that will be very good for Daimler Chrysler, but whether it's good for MB owners generally is another matter. I was very impressed by the quality of the interior. I even liked the steering wheel! What is poor is that the second level switches (above the stereo and heater or a/c controls) are all in one unit, rather than being individual like on the older cars.

I suppose that selling a lot of A-Classes has not done MB any harm. I still want to hear from anyone with experience of the 6 speed clutchless sequential manual gearbox...

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JJ Rodger
2013 G350 Bluetec
1999 SL 500
1993 E300 diesel T
1990 190

Heated clothed seats were an option in Europe...probably since MB started to heat their seats...

About that comment on the steering wheel (fake); I meant to say kitsch, but I don't know what the English translation is. I just don't like the looks of it.

greetingz,

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

Okay, I knew MB has definitely more spartan furnishings as a rule in other markets. In the US it seems like the upscale equipment are the rule rather than the exception. Strange thing is it seems like the real "over the top" luxury equipment are more common in other markets rather than the US.
I was also thinking that possibly heated seats were still only on MBTex and leather seats, in my mind maybe because the leather or Tex would stand the heat better than cloth. I dunno, that's just what I was thinking, seems like other manufacturers require "non-cloth" seats to get the heaters also.
Yes, it could use a different style steering wheel. I can't remember for sure, but it seems like the C-class sedan doesn't use this wheel. The left and right spoke areas look OK, seems to get "ugly" (I think maybe that's the word you were searching for) in the lower spoke and where the "styling" lines run vertically towards the star.
Gilly

PS on my previous note: The SPORTCOUPE has the BEST looking wheel center cap I've ever seen. Very tasteful, chrome star on a silver painted background.
Gilly

You know what MB should do? It should make the sportcoupe an all out sporty car. The steering shouldn't be as boosted, the suspension should be stiffer, and they should really try to promote it with the manual transmission. MB does not have an excuse not to. They shouldn't focus more on luxury or features with this car, they should focus on the handling. They should make it handle way better than the 4 door C-class. It should be a real drivers car. MB has a chance to do it with this car, I hope they take advantage of it in the next 5 or 6 years when this cars gets a makeover or facelift.

MBenz:

Kitsch translates in English; it's quite funny, but I've seen French- and German-speakers use "fake" in the same sense you did. The English word kitsch also connotes tackiness, in the way that a reproduction might be slightly "over the top".

SV:

All of the reviews I have read of the Sports Coupe when fitted with the AMG package suggest that this is NOT the way to go with the car.

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JJ Rodger
2013 G350 Bluetec
1999 SL 500
1993 E300 diesel T
1990 190

I still am totally turned off by the car. It HAD potential to be cute, so to speak. But now it looks like a C-class that got rear ended. Totally ugly. I sat in one the other day at Fletcher Jones and did like the panorama sunroof and that extra window on the rear, but absolutely hated the rear (ATROCIOUSLY UGLY!) and like others pointed out, the steering wheel.
I don't think I'll see to many with the cloth seats though, not in this part of CA anyway. Thank god!

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2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Do you mean wheel center caps like this:



[img]http://communities.msn.nl/_Secure/0LQAAAFQOwEScTx37rgI3*5qOANnas*!htlaeh*h61AesRbwJdwkcjBlt7KPuaXlCoXJTr5yQRdI/rims1.JPG[/img]

[img]http://communities.msn.nl/_Secure/0LQAAAFUO50TIAsSPEL9sITOVzT9Og!pD*!6Xhtxwvhl0ZfRon2riq!CmmRMT!gb86XMd6WcPsnQ/rims2.JPG[/img]

These are not only for the C class aportcoupe, but can be put on almost all MB rims...

Yes, I did mean the vertical spoke in the middle and the sport trims/lines! The description of the word kitsch that JJ gave, is exactlt what I meant; thanks JJ!

greetingz,

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

Yeah, those are it. Never seen them before, and I've slapped a few wheel centers into new MB rims in my day. Maybe they've been around in the Netherlands and other "continental" locales, never seen them over here before.
Gilly

gillybenztech: I can get you the part number this evening if you wish, they are in the latest MB Alloy Wheel brochure. I bought some of the sports wheel centres for my car (like on the SLK wheels, the Mercedes three pointed star inside the Benz laurel leaves, silver on blue) and they cost GB Pounds 6 each, about US$8. I had to take the wheels off to fit them, though, which is a bore.

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JJ Rodger
2013 G350 Bluetec
1999 SL 500
1993 E300 diesel T
1990 190

Could you guys please post the M.B. part number to order those new wheel center caps with the chrome star. I would really appreciate it. Thank you.

A. Rosich
S320, 1998
E320T, 1995