Arguably the most competitive segment at the moment is that of the German premium saloon. Almost since the dawn of time Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have been at each others throats all jousting to become the worlds prime luxury 
brand. New generation cars from the big three begins the cycle once more, and with a strong showing from BMW’s new 3 Series, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class needs to be something special in order to compete. We took the keys to the all-new 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 220 BlueTEC AMG Line to see what the three pointed star has to offer.
The new Class-S is a very elegant looking machine with soft flowing lines and subtle design detailing. Like a swiss watch, the closer you look at it the more intricate the craftsmanship reveals itself to be. The contours on the bonnet that slope down to the headlights and wings, the sculpted front bumper that sets the tone for further character lines along the cars length, tasteful chrome trim. It all adds up to a product the presents itself in the same light as its bigger brother, the S-Class. It is handsome and oozes class especially in this cars Obsidian Black metallic paint. Place this on your driveway and your neighbours will son be twitching their curtains.
If you think the exterior is opulent then welcome to an interior that will no doubt impress. Beautifully trimmed with brushed aluminium and piano black surfaces, the cabin of the C-Class is of a quality unrivalled in this segment. Everything from the high grade of leather to things as small as seat controls have clearly had great levels of attention paid to them. The console is headed up by an 8.4 inch screen which is controlled via a selector wheel and a touchpad. Ergonomically this works fantastically well as does every other part of the car you come into contact with. Panoramic glass roof panels, of which the front one opens, floods the interior with light. A black thick-rimmed steering wheel contrasted the read leather of our test car giving the interior a nice mystique. Its AMG Line seating is very supportive and in the back the rear bench will accommodate two adults. The third seats leg room is obscured by a transmission tunnel reducing available space. The Boot is a reasonable 480 litres and has a large opening making the loading of large items easy.
This 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 220 BlueTEC AMG Line has a 2.1 litre 4 cylinder turbo diesel engine under the bonnet producing 168BHP and 400Nm of torque. Its performance is brisk with a 0-62MPH time of only 7.4 seconds and a top speed of 145MPH. However, this engine is not the most refined and so some noise does find its way into the cabin when under load. On motorways you don’t so much cruise as waft would be the better adjective. The ride is excellent at speed with the cars AirMATIC self-levelling suspension doing a fine job. Wind and road noise are minimal creating a highly relaxing driving experience. Around town the cars good visibility and parking aids make it easy to manoeuvre, however, this specific models 19 inch alloy wheels did upset the tranquility a bit over high frequency road imperfections at lower speeds. The torque that the engine provides makes getting up to speed or overtaking effortless and the 7 speed automatic transmission is diligent and smooth when left to its own devices. Selecting different driving modes adjust the dampers and control sensitivity. This AMG line car already has a firmer setup than standard and sits 15mm lower. There is a big distinction between comfort and sport mode. The increase in steering weight and throttle response is very noticeable making the C-Class enjoyable to drive in a more exuberant manor. It might not be quite as sharp as the new 3 Series, but everything the C-Class does is absolutely effortless even when being pushed. Economy is claimed to be a pleasing 65.7MPG emitting just 117g/km of CO2.
The all-new C-Class is a wonderfully well engineered automobile. Excellent attention to detail, quality materials and an overall sense of luxury that bests its premium rivals makes this car a commendable choice. This 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 220 BlueTEC AMG Line came to £42,750 but as with all German cars it is the options list that can very quickly increase the price. The base car can be had for reasonable £34,355 which comes with adaptive dampers as standard. Your move Audi…
