I saw a C class sport coupe today in front of my Stuttgart hotel when I left. It is one of the best ways to wake up in the morning for a MB freak (seeing something unexpected with the three pointed star).

The car was black metallic which made the "rice burner" like rear spoiler a kind of invisible (which is good). I did not see whether the car had a glass sunroof or not, but I think it didn't have one.
The car did look a lot better as I ever would expect it would do (I never liked the rear of the car on pictures).
I stood right behind this sport coupe at the traffic lights and the car was wearing a little badge that said "probe fahrzeug".

...just wanted to let you know...

greetingz,

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

COUPE?? Who are they kidding? It's a HATCHBACK! And it's the ugliest Mercedes I've EVER seen. I cannot believe MB is letting that "thing" come to America. I am embarrassed for Daimler for designing that god-awfully unaesthetically pleasing peice of crap!

__________________
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!)

I must strongly disagree with Hottee18m, the Sports Coupe is one great looking car. For once MB has the guts to bring us a innovative European product. Here in North America where stuck with loaded sedans with a whooping choice of 2 or 3 engines for each class.

The North American market is so damn conservative compared to Europe that it's embarrassing. In Europe cars are offered in many body and engine configurations and here it's the sedan and some wagons. I'd rather a hatchback or wagon than a SUV or a pick-up! It seems that in Europe MB makes cars for everyone and in North America they make then for old rich folks that care more for heated seats then handling.

The Sports Coupe is great and it lets you have a sporty Benz without paying CLK prices or being stuck with the everyday uselessness and girly styling of the SLK. I love the huge sliding roof, it's brilliant, it's truly a must have option. It must be even bigger then the one on the Porsche 911 Targa.

MrW123, you do have a good point. And you are entitled to your own opinion, but still I think it's hideous (-looking).

__________________
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!)

Hottee,

I thought the car would look hideous as well. I liked the car's front and sides, but HATED the way the (hatch)back looked from the rear with that japanese looking spoiler.

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this car live on the road; it actually looks GOOD (in black with the invisible spoiler).
In contrary to the CLK it even comes with a 220CDI engine!

greetingz,

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

BTW, since MBenz did not translate, the sign on the back (probe fahrzeug) means "Sample Vehicle" or something like that.

My first trip to Stuttgart last year, I saw several new C Classes on the road. Like MBenz said, for an MB nut, driving around Stuttgart is really fun. There is a high percentage of cars on the streets that are very new MB's. It makes you wonder how many of them are MB employees company cars.

The very best of these company cars are in executive parking spaces along the front of the MB museum. Almost all of those are "one off" cars, most of them AMG's. If I die and don't make it to heaven, just give me a decent job in the building next to that museum, and let me spec. out my company car.

Stuttgart is probably my favorite city in the whole world for a business trip, this is part of being an MB nut.

Have a great day,

I don't think that the C coupe looks bad at all. I strongly disagre with Mr.W123 he stated that the SLK has girly styling.

C-Coupe looks pretty fine to me. Better looking than Bimmer's 3-Series Compact. Like the Glass Top the most, and the interior is fresh looking, yet unmistakeably MB. Though I would rather have standing 3-point star emblem on the hood then the Big one on the grill..

P.S. Though almost 40% of SLK owners in Vancouver I see are female, I strongly disagree that it's girly looking. But it sure can get more aggress look to it.

Andy Kuo

__________________
1992 Mercedes-Benz 400SE
http://members.shaw.ca/AKRY/W140_Side.gif

2002 Acura TL Type S
http://members.shaw.ca/AKRY/type_s_side.gif

Thats why the sports package is offered. If you don't like the sport package there are tuners who offer very nice body kits.

Hey MBenz
Do you happened to get the pics of the C-Coupe..
I hope you did get a chance to take a couple shot.
from the way you describe it, I am even more curious to see the actuall car in black.
And I've been a fans of black color for a long time.

Junaidi,
nope...I was too busy studying the car that I totally forgot to take a picture (even though my digital camera was lying besides me in the center console compartment).
After I lost sight of the car I remembered what I did forget...

Larry,
You are completely right about Stuttgart. My hotel was somewhere in the middle of the town in a "low-budget-looking" neighborhood. There was an SL/SLK/S-class at almost every corner of the street and a couple of C & E classes between those street corners.
I haven't been to the Benz factory last week, but I have seen some of the production halls during several visits in the past. I know for sure that I can spend many days only by walking around the parking lot with thousands (!!!) brand-new cars waiting to get transported out within three days from production finish.
Larry, I presume that you enjoyed that as well?

greetingz,

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

The Edmunds Auto site did a review of the C Coupe. Includes photos. Also, the Worldwide MB site has a whole animated section about it with lots of details.

__________________
E. Gruber

MBenz,

Where is the field of cars waiting to be delivered that you mentioned? I am spending the first week of April in Stuttgart, I would like to see them then.

Have a great day,

Larry, the parking lot can be seen from one of the "autobahns" that run along the mercedes premises.

I have been there several times to pick up a new car and the mercedes excursion bus drives along this parking lot just to let the visitors see how many cars they produce (and sell). This parking lot gives a nice overview of the most sold color as well (a lot of silver gray roofs between the parked cars).
When you follow the signs to the personal-take-away room, you can park your car near the gate round these parked new cars...

greetingz,

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