If car segments were members of a big family, coupés would be those who stay in the shadow of their siblings. People who want a charming car often go to cabriolets. Practical buyers prefer sedans. Performance-seekers will only take coupés in sporty variations. And, more recently, coupés can't even get the undecided: their four-door brothers are increasingly eager to snatch those folks. Mercedes-Benz sells at least one of each of those. However, like in most families, coupés only need a moment of your undivided attention to show at what are they good. When someone does that, the results are usually breathtaking.
The existance of so many potentially-threatening vehicles leads to think it would be hard even to find something different to offer with this car, in the first place. But comparing it to those turns out to be quite interesting: C-Class Coupé is way more conventional than AMG GT, lighter and nimbler than S-Class Coupé, sportier than its own sedan variation, and fancier than CLA. Regular coupés are interesting because they adapt the proposal of the sedans from which they come to the desires of people who would actually be satisfied with a sedan, but don’t really want one. Seems a pretty small market, it’s true, but in the luxury industry, those are where the big bucks usually hide. Therefore, it’s not surprising that the German trio already made sure to participate of this one; the direct rivals here are Audi A5 and BMW 4-Series.
Going back to Mercedes, those who enjoy its lineup as a whole will be particularly thrilled with the new vehicle’s design. From everywhere you look, there is a familiar styling element. The front end is shared with the sedan and follows the trend debuted with A-Class. The sides feature thin pillars and muscular sheetmetal to help creating the aforementioned difference from its “relatives”. And the rear contributes to the great overall feeling by sporting a fastback silhouette that ends in a pair of sleek lights whose style has been applied even to GLE’s coupé version. What gives C-Class Coupé an image of its own is the way in which all those elements were dimensioned, and the fact that it accomplishes just as well the sedan’s mission of presenting all the values for which Mercedes is known.
When it comes to the interior, Coupé didn’t copy the sedan’s as perfectly as one could imagine. The dashboard is the same, charming and sporty regardless of the color scheme you choose. But the coupé brings sporty seats as standard for the front passengers and that beautiful panoramic sunroof, makes more room for everyone’s heads, shoulders and elbows (compared to its predecessor), and takes away a little bit of rear-seat legroom and trunk space. Upscale trims add LED headlamps, 7” or 8.4” screens for the Comand infotainment, Burmester audio system, multiple electronic safety systems, the Distronic Plus cruise control, and some interesting novelties: a climate control that works with the GPS to activate recirculation when you enter a tunnel, and a navigation system that shows trip information through in-seat displays.
As far as powertrain is concerned, this coupé will be launched with six options. The gasoline group is composed by a 156-hp 1.6 in the C 180, 184-hp 2.0 in the C 200, 211-hp 2.0 in the C 250, and 245 hp in the C 300. Switching to diesel, the two four-cylinder units reach 170 or 204 hp and use the SCR technology for exhaust gas aftertreatment. If you want (much) more power, Mercedes-AMG has the vehicle for you: the C 63 variation uses a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 in order to reach 476 hp, which can become 510 hp if you take the S package. Along with the typical improvements regarding external style, you’ll have performance equipments such as Ride Control suspension, Dynamic Select for driving modes, and limited-slip differential. This car goes on sale in the second trimester of 2016.