New Benz coupe is fast and frugal. The C250 Coupe blends great fuel economy with enough power to please speed-hungry drivers

Mercedes-Benz has covered all the bases with the introduction of the all-new C-Class Coupe. Three models share the same sleek AMG-inspired lines but offer three distinct levels of performance and luxury. And after a long absence, the C250 sees the return of a four-cylinder engine to the Mercedes-Benz lineup. But this is no ordinary 1.8-litre four-cylinder.


It features direct injection, dual balance shafts and a turbocharger that delivers 201 horsepower to the rear wheels and dashes to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds while sipping just 6.4 L/100 km on the highway. It's called having your strudel and eating it. The C350 ups the ante with a 3.5-litre, 302 horsepower V6 while the overthe-top AMG C63 has somehow found space under the hood to squeeze in the 6.2-litre, 481 horsepower V8. This will rocket you to 100 km/h in an eye-watering 4.4 seconds and has a potential terminal speed of 280 km/h. Not around here, of course.

Our tester was the C250, finished in Calcite White with Black, man-made Artico leather upholstery. The Coupe shares the same wheelbase and overall dimensions with the C-Class Sedan except for a 40 mm (1.5 in) reduction in height. The result is a sleek aerodynamic profile with a long sloping hood and a strong rising beltline to the short rear deck. The bold face is dominated by the classic three-pointed star sitting in the dual-barred chrome grille, flanked by headlight clusters featuring a necklace of LED Daytime Running Lights. The gradual slope of the roof features a dramatic two-panel, power operated panoramic sunroof and sunshade. The neat bobbed tail also makes use of those distinctive LEDs for the backup lights. The flared wheel wells are filled with 17-inch, five, dual-spoke AMG alloy rims that underline its performance potential. While this is a pure, no compromise four-seater, it offers excellent access to the rear seats thanks to the wide-opening doors and powered front seats that motor forward at the touch of a lever in each backrest. And while it may seem small on the outside, it has more interior space than the BMW 3 Series or Audi5 coupes and provides 450 litres of trunk space as well.

Standard transmission is the 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic (the world's first seven-speed automatic) with manual shift capability via the steering wheel paddle shifters or by tapping the gear selector. In normal driving the shifts occur in the mid-rpm range. Push the Sport button on the dash and shifts occur at higher rpm and bring the turbocharger more into play.

BOTTOM LINE

Type: two-door coupe

Engine: 1.8-litre turbocharged I4

Horsepower: 201@5500 rpm

Torque: 229 lb-ft@2300-4300 rpm

Fuel economy: city-9.7L/100km; highway -6.4L/100km

Base price: $39,900

Price as tested: $44,690 Vehicle provided by Three Point Motors Nanaimo

(Sourch)