Mercedes-Benz C250 CGI – More Muscle for the C Class
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has just added a new variant to the C Class car line-up. The new variant is the Mercedes-Benz C250 CGI, which is positioned in between the C200 CGI and the C300.
The C250 CGI is perfect as a middle-of-the-road choice for the buyer who wants more than what the C200 can give, yet does not want the brute power of the C300. It also comes with a lower road tax, which is based on its 1.8 litre engine capacity. Yes, the C250 CGI sports the same 4-cylinder 1.8 litre engine as its sibling, the C200 CGI. However, the C250 CGI gets an additional 20 horsepower, to get a total of 204 horses, and 310Nm of torque through special tuning of the ECU (Engine Control Unit), but that is not all.
For the additional RM30k or so that you have to pay for the C250 CGI, there is a handling package and Avantgarde specifications, not to mention a GPS unit that comes as standard equipment.
The additional engine power and torque translates into a top speed of 240 km/hr, and a zero to 100 kilometres per hour dash in a mere 7.4 seconds. Engineering work done to the underside in terms of aero-dynamics has cut down the drag co-efficient to 0.26, which is exceptional, and to top it off, the new body has also undergone weight reduction measures to increase fuel efficiency. Points to note are the use of aluminium parts for the suspension to reduce un-sprung weight (and improve driving dynamics), and the use of an aluminium bonnet. If you look under the hood, you will notice some parts of the front wheel house has been cut away to reduce weight.
Fuel consumption is rated between 7.2 to 7.9 litres per 100 kilometres – in real world terms, I managed 10.5 litres per 100 kilometres during my test drive stint with the C250 CGI over a period of four days, and close to 900 kilometres. Just as a comparison, my C200K has given me an average of 10.2 litres per 100 kilometres over the last 15,000 kilometres, so for the additional power, the slightly higher consumption is well worth it. To give my readers some indication of the roads I used, my test route took me to Kuala Rompin through the back roads of Kuala Pilah and Bahau, and from Kuala Rompin, I took the scenic route through to Lake Chini in Pahang, before joining the East Coast highway at Temerloh to get back to Kuala Lumpur. My driving style was a mixture between normal and exuberant – where I could go fast, I sped up, and whenever I saw great scenery and plenty of green I drove at normal speeds to enjoy the car. The route itself consisted of a mixture of trunk roads and highway, so you can say that my route was representative of what many Malaysians would go through, except for the city slickers who drive to and from work in traffic jams daily.
I would be lying if I said I did not enjoy the car – it is more powerful than my own car, which is the older C200 Kompressor – the additional 20 horses do make a difference, as does the turbocharger. Mid-range response to demands for power is much improved, making overtaking a cinch, and the familiar compressor whine, an inherent characteristic of the earlier supercharged engine is no more an issue.
The C250 CGI does not have the 7G-Tronic, 7-speed automatic transmission that is available in the C300, but the 5-speed auto is adequate enough. Not that the designers did not want to put the 7-speed into the C250 – it cannot fit to the 4-cylinder block, according to my source in the company. It is not a problem, though, as the 5-speed is something I am very familiar with, and the paddle shifters mounted behind the steering wheel are fun to play with. One can invoke the paddle shifters any time during the normal course of driving – just touch the downshift paddle, and the car shifts down, ready for you to overtake with ease. If you need more than one gear down, just tap the paddle twice. After a while, the drive mode returns to ‘D’. If you want to have it permanently in manual mode, just reach down beside the gear lever and push the ‘M’ button – this puts the car into manual mode until you decide you’ve had enough, in which case you push the ‘M’ button again to put it back into auto mode
In terms of handling, the C250 CGI is practically flawless. The driver has a choice of either COMFORT or SPORT, engaged simply by pressing on a button located on the dash panel. In comfort mode, you get, as the name suggests, a nice, soft ride. Be careful though, if you are going over road humps – the C250 CGI sits 15mm lower than the C200K, and you are liable to get the bottom scraping on the higher humps if you go over any at speed. Being used to my C200K, I prefer the Comfort mode, but every once in a while, especially the little horns start to peep out through your hair, it is good to know that the C250 CGI can provide a more sporty performance if you press the Sport mode. When Sport mode is engaged, the suspension stiffens up, and the engine control unit (ECU) also changes the characteristics of the engine, giving you faster response to throttle.
In addition, the C250 CGI also comes with wider tyres than the C200 – the fronts are shod with 225/45 R 17 tyres at the front and 245/40 R17 tyres at the rear. The front rims are 7.5J, while the rears are an inch wider at 8.5J.
The overall suspension and tyre package results in a car that can take just about any kind of punishment that you can dish out – and if you over-cook it, there is always the ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) to set you right.
The C250 CGI retails at RM287,888, a premium, as said earlier, of about RM30k for the extras. I believe that it is worth every sen of it, considering extra grunt, and the little details such as the paddle shifters, the Sport mode, and the larger tyres, not to mention that it comes in Avantgarde specs, and there is also a navigation system available. Given a choice, I would probably take the C250 CGI over the C200 or the C300.
