Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Nostalgia is a dangerous thing because most of the time, things are never as good as you remember, however, there are always exceptions.
It’s been a long time since I sat behind the wheel of a Mercedes but when I took the new C250 for a spin, all the reasons I love this marque came flooding back to me with absolute clarity.
Honestly, it has very little to do with the brand’s name and everything to do with the quality of the drive. In my opinion, Mercedes is a brand that consistently delivers quality and, if you doubt that, you have clearly not test driven its latest offering.
There is a choice of two different fronts: sporty with a central star or – reserved solely for the Exclusive Line – the classic saloon radiator grille with the iconic Mercedes star on the bonnet.
One of the more subtle adjustments is the front grille. If you take a good, hard look it is actually closed. This is because active shutters open and close based on the need for cooling air. When not required, it is closed and aerodynamics improve, resulting in fuel savings.
While the exterior revamp is understated, it’s clear that the C Class has taken a few chapters from the S Class playbook. It’s longer, wider and lighter than the outgoing model but the really impressive changes are on the inside.
It’s obviously taken a huge step forward when compared to its predecessor. It comes outfitted with a combination of features and finishes that wouldn’t look out of place in an S Class.
These include a leather-wrapped 4-spoke steering wheel that gives access to some of the vehicle functions you use most often. There are buttons that let you control the audio volume and selection, send and end calls on your Bluetooth-enabled phone and scroll through the features of the multi-function display in the instrument cluster.
One of the main highlights of the new model is the touch-pad controller, which works your infotainment. Not that I had any use for them, but Arabic letters, numbers and special characters are supported.
If, however, the touch-pad feature isn’t up your alley, you can also use the rotary controller located between the front seats.
Obviously the looks play their part, but as my old mum says, it’s what’s underneath that counts. And, trust me, there is lots of goodness under the bonnet of this mean machine.
I was shocked to find out that the model I drove only had a 2.1-litre 4-cylinder 201bhp engine, it genuinely felt like a larger V6, perhaps because of the reduced weight.
When cornering suddenly, the brakes have a torque-vectoring feature, which essentially keeps everything stable by pinching the rear brakes to help turn the front end.
The suspension on this model is also worth bragging about. It has been redeveloped to provide better handling and you can really notice it while weaving between lanes on the highway.
During my drive through Isa Town, every corner was taken in stride, and the handling characteristics can be altered by selecting the sport mode or sport plus mode which produces a much more rigid ride.
My only qualm is the position of the gearstick behind the steering wheel. I’m a purist and find it more comfortable in between the front seats.
However, I quickly adapted and because of the tiptronic gearbox, manual gear-shifts can be made using the paddle shifters so there is really no need to lament.
Prices start from BD16,500.
For details, call Al Haddad Motors on 17785454.
