Built specifically for motorcycle racing, Redstar Raceway near Delmas is a couple of kilometres of extremely tight turns, with a couple of short straights giving respite from the directional shifts, the kind of circuit that takes many laps to understand and master.
I do not have the luxury of many laps and I’m in a car! I do, however, have the luxury of Clint Weston sitting alongside me.
Clint is a race driver, rally driver and very important person for Mercedes-Benz SA’s driver training programme. He has had the luxury of many, many laps around Redstar Raceway and is there to talk me through the various corners.
The track has also been marked with cones to assist us with locating the turn in, apex and exit points on the corners and, thankfully, Clint’s instruction is of the “Go, Go” and “Hammer it” variety, as opposed to the “Brake, for heaven’s sake brake” and “OmiGod” type of instruction.
The car I am driving is the new Mercedes-Benz C220 BluTEC. Eyebrows raised? Yes, this is a diesel. Now Mercedes-Benz diesel cars are driven by grey-haired businessmen wearing grey suits, grey ties and whose main thrill in life comes from the occasional glimpse of a nipple while watching ‘Game of Thrones’.
Sure, we know Audi has creamed Le Mans for the past few years with diesel-powered cars, but those are purpose-built race cars, not road cars and certainly not large mid-executive saloons designed to ferry its occupants in comfort and luxury.
True, but as I wind up the rubber band on the Merc, it launches with a great sense of eagerness and the first set of corners comes rushing up somewhat faster than I am reacting. In one sense this provides an important early lesson as the C220 tends to understeer gently when hurried into the corner too quickly.
Later, and with unbridled confidence growing and adrenalin rushing, I got to experiment with hurling the car into a corner and not only getting it slide nicely a la drifting mode, but proved you make an oil-burner wheelspin in third gear.
Naturally my weapon of choice here was the 6-speed manual, although the tight nature of RedStar means using only second and third around the lap – occasionally finding fourth on the longer straight.
With Clint providing the necessary ‘navigator’s’ input related to the many turns, there was enough opportunity to devote myself to feeling the car that forms part of the all-new C-Class launched locally by Mercedes-Benz.
Incorporating technology from the S-Class, the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class is enough of a ‘generation skip’ to have forced one of its German competitors to rethink its own launch plans in order to compete with the bigger, better ‘C’.
Although bigger, the new C-Class adopts a lightweight-design concept boasting weight savings of up to 100 kilograms through extensive use of aluminium. Aerodynamic efficiency and new economical engines also significantly improve operating parameters.
With an 80 mm increase in the wheelbase (2 840 mm) compared with the previous model, the vehicle is 95 mm longer (4 686 mm) and 40 mm wider (1 810 mm). The result is a more spacious interior. At 480-litres the new C-Class also surpasses its predecessor in terms of boot capacity.
In the side view, a long bonnet, a passenger compartment that’s set well back and short overhangs, define the C-Class’s classic proportions. There is a choice of two different fronts: sporty with a central star or, reserved solely for the Exclusive line, the classic sedan radiator grille with the Mercedes-Benz star on the bonnet.
The new C-Class comes with H7 halogen headlamps as standard. In addition to the standard-fit headlamps, two energy-saving LED variants are available: a static system and a dynamic version with the LED ‘Intelligent Light System’. The rear lamp and brake light in the tail lamps feature LED technology with all headlamp versions.
The interior design sees a totally new centre console featuring sporty flowing lines. In vehicles with automatic transmission, a large one-piece centre console panel performs an elegant sweep from the centre air vents to the armrest. On vehicles with manual transmission, the centre console is slightly steeper and features two separate trim elements in order to create ample space for operation of the shift lever.
At launch four model derivatives are on offer with power output ranging from 115 kW to 155 kW. Three of these are petrol models and include the C 180 BlueEFFICIENCY, the C 200 BlueEFFICIENCY and the C 250 BlueEFFICIENCY. The one diesel model available is the C 220 BlueTEC.
Depending on the installed output ratings, Mercedes-Benz offers a new 6-speed manual transmission for the C 180, C 200 and C 220 BlueTEC models or automatic gear shifting by the optional 7G-TRONIC Plus automatic transmission.
A newly designed 4-link front axle is fitted with an optimised multi-link independent suspension with 5 links doing duty at the rear. The new C-Class sedan is fitted as standard with a steel suspension, but is the first vehicle in its segment that can be optionally equipped with an air suspension on the front and rear axle.
The new C-Class incorporates almost all of the new assistance systems only just recently introduced in the new S-Class and E-Class, known collectively as ‘Intelligent Drive’. The C is equipped as standard with Attention Assist, which can warn the driver of inattentiveness and fatigue. Each model variant has a raft of options too numerous to mention, which can be fitted to suit the individual owner.
With my laps now running out, I detect a slight smile on Clint’s face. Nervous relief or just appreciation for a petrolhead journalist having fun. I’ll opt for the latter.
| Prices | |
| Mercedes-Benz C 180 BlueEFFICIENCY | R415 900 |
| Mercedes-Benz C 200 BlueEFFICIENCY | R436 600 |
| Mercedes-Benz C 250 BlueEFFICIENCY | R502 600 |
| Mercedes-Benz C 220 BlueTEC | R459 000 |
Prices include a 6-year/100 000km maintenance plan.
