2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport

By Lyndon Conrad Bell

Because they are in the same basic category, Mercedes’ C-Class cars are often cross-shopped against BMW’s 3 Series cars. And while Mercedes usually skews more toward the luxury buyer and BMW skews more toward the sporty driver, there are many sporty drivers who covet the three-pointed star. In an effort to appease the drivers, yet hold on to the buyers, the 2008 C-Class car is available in two very distinct versions, Sport and Luxury.

This is not a new phenomenon, Mercedes C-Class cars have offered a sport version in the past, but for 2008 considerable effort has been made to visually differentiate the two models.

Standard equipment on all C-Class cars for 2008 includes a power sunroof, eight-way power front seats with lumbar support, two-zone automatic climate control, 17-inch wheels, Bluetooth connectivity and a central controller with a seven-inch display screen for the COMAND system. Mercedes’ 4-MATIC all wheel drive is optional and comes with a seven-speed automatic transmission.

Our test car, a C300 Sport, had AMG-style body cladding featuring deeper front and rear aprons, as well as rocker panels under the doors. Twin-spoke staggered width 17-inch wheels, sport shocks, springs, and stabilizer bars provide a crisper ride.

The lowered ride height of more than a half-inch makes the car more responsive to driver inputs, while improving agility and road holding. Inside, you’ll find a three-spoke steering wheel and aluminum trim in the C300 Sport. Black Birdseye maple adorns the interior of the more upscale C350 Sport.

Our C300 Sport used a very smooth, free revving 3.0-liter V6 that produced 228 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque. Remarkable in that it didn’t call undue attention to itself, the engine nevertheless motivated the car in a spirited, if not exactly exciting fashion.

The car wasn’t fast in a way that made us go, “Whoooo! This thing is strong.” But it did move out briskly, and never left us wondering if merging with high-speed traffic would be a life-threatening situation.

Behind the wheel, things are intuitive. We generally found exactly what we were looking for. Advanced features of the audio system, as well as operation of the navigation and communications functions are accomplished through the C-Class car’s 2008 simplified version of the central controller-operated COMAND. Rocker switches on the steering wheel also provide interaction with the system.

The C300 Sport’s standard audio system pumps 100-watts through eight-speakers. It provides AM/FM radio, Sirius satellite radio, a single CD slot, a MP3 player jack, and the aforementioned Bluetooth interface. We were satisfied, if not exactly breathless about its sound quality.

For breathless, upgrade to the optional 450-watt LOGIC7 Dolby Digital/DTS 5.1 discrete multichannel surround audio system that plays DTS DVD audio discs through 12 speakers. (OK, now pause to catch your breath.) The Multimedia package also delivers a 4 gig hard drive-based system that can hold 1,000 tracks and can automatically access the Gracenote database to identify the track details.

As for how the C300 Sport goes over the road, simply put, quite well.

In the suspension department, powerful brakes, excellent road holding and a smooth and comfortable ride accompany remarkable stability. On our canyon test loop, the C300 exhibited exceptionally entertaining dynamics, enabling us to go into curves at speed with considerable confidence. Yet, when we hit the bumpy part of the test route, we were isolated from the roughness of the road in a way that enhanced our comfort level without causing us to want to break stride.

The 3.0-liter V6, while not exactly stupefying in its performance, is capable of a significant level of amusement. Frankly, it led us to wonder just exactly how much more excitement the 40 additional horsepower and 37 lb-ft afforded by the C350’s 3.5-liter engine (268 hp/258 lb-ft) would provide. Truth be told, what we’re really looking forward to is the C63 AMG’s 450 horsepower and 443 lb-ft. (But not so much the additional 30 grand in cost.)

Some of the slower corners caused us to take control of the seven-speed automatic to affect a downshift. Given the larger 3.5-liter engine, we imagined this would be less noticeable. Overall, the transmission, operated in the sport mode, anticipated our needs and responded to given situations quite respectably by downshifting when needed, as well as holding upshifts until needed.

An all-new, six-speed manual transmission is available for the 2008 C300 Sport, and while we have yet to sample it, we believe it would up the fun quotient in the canyon.

We have driven the current 3 Series BMW sedans over the same roads and found that the two cars nicely comparable. A slight edge, perhaps, goes to the BMW, although the Mercedes is close, very close.

Overall, we have no problem recommending the C300 Sport. Its new look is nicely aggressive, yet more dignified than its predecessor. The equipment level is in line with what you’d expect from a Mercedes-Benz product, and it offers an entertaining driving experience, tempered by civility and respectability.

We like it.

2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
Base Price: $31,975
Engine: 3.0-liter/228 hp DOHC V6
Drivetrain: Front engine / rear wheel drive (all wheel drive optional)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (six-speed manual optional)
Fuel Consumption: Estimated 22 city/26 hwy (mpg)
Basic Warranty: Four years/50,000 miles

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